One of the topics I often discuss with my coaching clients has to do with their core values. The American Heritage Dictionary defines values as, “A principle, standard, or quality considered worthwhile or desirable.”
Other ways to think about values:
What you consider to be important to you in your life
What gives your life meaning
A framework for how you make choices
May change somewhat at different stages of your life.
By identifying your values, you are able to pursue what matters. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
In the book, The Power of Full Engagement, Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz, write about how the city of Orlando, Florida planted a long line of trees along the highway. During the first storm with heavy winds, the trees blew down. After each storm the city sent workers out to prop up the trees with external sources of support, which continued to not be effective.
“It never seemed to occur to the folks in charge that if trees are to survive in a high-wind area, they must have a deeper root structure. It did occur to us that we were observing in nature a phenomenon that characterizes many of our own lives. Because we so often lack deep roots-firm beliefs and compelling values-we are easily buffeted by the prevailing winds. If we lack a strong sense of purpose we cannot hold our ground when we are challenged by life’s inevitable storms. Instead, we react defensively, blaming the storm or simply disengaging and ceasing to invest our energy.”
One way to begin to understand and live deeply your core values is to look at a list of values and to identify those that hold the most meaning to you.
If you would like a list of Values, please email me (sue@oak-communications.com) and I will email a PDF handout to you.
After making a list or circling the words on a provided list, of those most important to you, identify the top 3 – 10. You may want to group words together in a string of values that go together for you.
Do your top values reflect how you currently spend your time? Are you living and working in terms of what matters most to you? If for example, generosity is a value for you, are you living generously? How can you transform your values into virtues?
You may want to reflect on the following questions. Jump ahead to the end of your life. What are the three most important lessons you have learned and what makes them critical? Think of someone you respect. Describe the qualities that you most admire in this person.
How can you incorporate what you have learned from these reflections into your own daily life and work? I recommend making your list of top values visible on your desk. Refer to them regularly and especially when you have a choice or decision to make.
To explore values further as well as other topics, please visit my website.
Sue Schleifer
Oak Communications, Coaching and Consulting www.Oak-Communications.com