What I Really Value

“Deeply held values fuel the energy on which purpose is built. They define an enduring code of conduct – the rules of engagement in the journey to bring our vision for ourselves to life.” (Loehr and Schwartz)

Whether we are conscious of them or not, all of us have a set of core values. These values are things that really matter to us; they inform our ideas about what is “best” and “right.” Values can range from the relatively concrete (such as the belief in hard work) to the more abstract (such as responsibility or independence). Here is a list of some commonly held values.

Accuracy	Adventure	Authenticity	Beauty
Challenge	Collaboration	Compassion	Community
Competence	Connection	Courage	Creativity
Diversity	Efficiency	Excellence	Fairness
Faith	Freedom	Friendship	Fun
Generosity	Goodness	Gratitude	Happiness
Hard work	Health	Humility	Humor
Independence	Integrity	Justice	Kindness
Knowledge	Loyalty	Love	Openness
Peace	Perseverance	Pleasure	Power
Privacy	Prosperity	Reliability	Respect
Responsibility	Security	Service to others	Stability
Status	Tolerance	Truth	Tradition

Which values are most motivating to you personally? It is important to know your core and supporting values – the handful of values that are core and central to who you are, and those that augment those core values. However, being able to identify these values is just the first step, because a value is just a road map for action. Values we fail to reflect in our choices and behavior about where we are going in life and how to act along the way are ultimately empty.

To be meaningful, a value must influence the choices that you make in your everyday life. Once you have spent time thinking about what you most value, dig one level deeper and ask yourself questions like:

• Jump ahead to the end of your life. What are the three most important lessons you have learned and why are they so critical?
• What are your goals in life? Are they in line with what you say you value? If not, what do they say about what you are actually valuing?
• Where do you most often feel your values are in conflict? (Some classic conflicts include love versus religious faith, work versus leisure, or freedom versus responsibility.)
• How are you making decisions that line up your actions up with your core values?

Taking the time to reconnect regularly with your deepest values and holding yourself accountable to them can be difficult and taxing. But when you clearly understand your values and live as best you can in accordance with them, that can help create a stable spiritual center in your life and unlock the powerful energy of inspiration that comes with purposefulness.

Today: Look at the list of values above. Add to it any other values you consider important. Which three to five values are your most important core values? Which five additional values support your core values?

This week: Answer the questions listed above. Do your answers shed any additional light on your core or supporting values?

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