Core Values

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Your beliefs become your thoughts,

Your thoughts become your words,

Your words become your actions,

Your actions become your habits,

Your habits become your values,

Your values become your destiny.

Mahatma Gandhi / lawyer, activist, spiritual leader / 1869–1948

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A value can be defined as a principle or concept that’s important to you. If you understand what you value and why, then that will improve your focus and make it clear how you can improve your life. For example, I determined that I personally value energy, among other things. It’s important to me to feel good and have the energy necessary to do the things I enjoy in life, such as spending time with my family and friends, participating in sports, or studying music. By conducting the appropriate research, I was able to determine how to gain energy; specifically, I found that eating good foods, getting sufficient rest each night, and exercising on a regular basis would allow me to maintain a high level of energy. I then took the steps necessary to adjust my diet, schedule, and exercise routine accordingly such that I’d consistently have the energy needed to do what I enjoy. Granted, this isn’t rocket science; however, it’s easy to overlook the basics given the various distractions and responsibilities in life.

 

To identify your values, you can list basic principles that are important to you. That list should consist of rudimentary concepts, such as freedom, security, or recognition as opposed to material objects like a home or money. To determine if you have a basic concept in mind, ask yourself why something is important to you. Once you have answered why and can no longer explain it with another idea, or once you have reached the point where its importance is obvious, then you have identified a value. For example, having my own home is important to me, and when I ask myself why, the answer is that I want a safe, comfortable place to live, I want to invest in real estate, and I want my own space without having a landlord dictate certain rules. When I question why each of these things is important to me, I find that I value security, prosperity, freedom, and the ability to provide for my family.

               

You can further pinpoint your motivations by prioritizing your values. After making a list of values, for example, simply place a number beside each item based on importance, beginning with one and proceeding through the list. Alternatively, if you create such a list on a computer, then you can simply reorder them accordingly. Prioritizing one value above another may be difficult at times, as all the concepts you identified are important to you, but compare them directly to one another to determine how they rank. This can be a valuable step in deciding what you want in life and determining how to get it. You can also use this list to help identify your beliefs, form a set of goals, and construct a personal lifestyle that facilitates success. When time permits, create a list of your values and prioritize them accordingly. This will increase your understanding and also sharpen your focus.

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