Greetings, once again, to all our highly valued clients and acquaintances:
Given many conversations in recent months, I have been thinking about values.
I really love this more elaborate definition of Values, from Dr. Russ Harris, best-selling author of The Happiness Trap, with over a million copies sold worldwide.
“…this process of making life meaningful is called “living by your values.” Values are basically your heart’s deepest desires for how you want to behave as a human being. They describe what sort of person you want to be, how you want to treat yourself, others, and the world around you. They are like an inner compass that guides you through the winding journey of life. They provide energy that motivates and inspires you to do what matters, even when you don’t feel like.”
Want tested skills that may help you bounce back when life knocks you down?
I just re-read his latest book, When Life Hits Hard: How to Transcend Grief, Crisis, and Loss with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. I highly recommend it.
Here is more clarification from Dr. Russ Harris – “Values are what you want your life to be about, deep in your heart. What you want to stand for. What do you want to do with your time on this planet. What ultimately matters to you in the big picture. What you would like to be remembered for by the people you love.”
Years ago, I invested a bit of time to clarify for myself, personally and professionally, what I envisioned would be my long-term values, that would both animate my life and enliven me, as I sought to bring real value to other people.
As a possible catalyst for you to further clarify or tweak your own values, they are:
- Design
- Energize
- Strengthen
- Be Connected
- Move Forward
What I’ve noticed when I review them is that they serve me well as a compass.
At that time, I also identified my core professional needs, which are to this day:
- Being heard
- Consistency
- Profitability
- Balance
Again, these are not “the example” – they are simple examples. Maybe an inspirational template, for you. Going forward, onwards, and upwards, you can find values clarification exercises on the internet. I encourage you to try them.
“Decide what you stand for. And then stand for it all the time.”
– Clayton Christensen, author of “How Will You Measure Your Life?”
For the road, here’s A Lesson from Roy A. Disney on Making Values-Based Decisions
Wishing and wanting for you, only the best.
May you have a great month ahead.
Don
