The Dictionary defines values as, “Something that we esteem or prize; something of value.” A value is a belief, principle, or guide that is really significant to a person. It is something that you value. “What we obtain too cheap,” wrote Thomas Paine, “we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value.” Values establish the ground rules and boundaries of acceptable and desirable behavior.
Personal values can include the belief in: orderliness, commitment, creativity, personal development, optimism, generosity, integrity, competitiveness, spirituality, professionalism, teamwork, patriotism, accountability, courage, and traditionalism among other things.
Why Are Values Important?
Values lead people to do what they do, and what they do, leads them to the results they get. Simply put, values are revealed in behavior. “What’s going on in the inside,” Earl Nightingale pointed out, “shows on the outside.”
Most behavior is consistent with core or governing values. For example, the majority of overweight people know the actions to take in order to lose excess weight and get themselves into “shape.” Eating right and participating regularly in a good exercise program are key actions that help shed extra pounds, firm up muscles, and improve the cardiovascular system. People that value their health will eat properly and engage in a proper exercise program. People that only want to have good health, but don’t value good health will tend to overeat and forego athletic-type activities.
You may think, “I don’t have time to exercise, or enhance my computer skills, or go back to school for more education.” But this is not true. What you are really saying is you value other activities more than any of these activities. We spend time doing what we value.
Values have become a rallying cry of the times. Politicians we approve of have “good” values; politicians we don’t agree with have “bad” values. Our country stands for good values while countries or ideologies who oppose us have bad values.
How we choose to live—our choice of possessions and profession, our passions and how we related to others—is determined by our set of values. This behavioral coding constantly broadcasts the message: “This is what I value as a person.” Someone has said, “Values suggest the ringing words in the Declaration of Independence, ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident.’”
Every person has values. The key is not that we have values, but what values we have.
How Do We Acquire Our Values?
By the time a person becomes a teenager, he or she has a well-defined value system. This system has been influenced and defined by four major influences:
1. Experience. The conscious events that make up an individual’s life.
2. Entourage. Ones’ parents, teachers and peers.
3. Education. The knowledge and development resulting from an educational process.
4. Environment. Background, past and present surroundings.
These four influences also act as value protectors or filters with regards to future sensory data you incur. Sensory data attempting to influence your value system faces two challenges: First, you filter or color sensor data that does not fit your value system, thus restricting the flow of information. Second, sensory data that does fit your value system not only quickly passes through the filters, but is enhanced as it comes through thus creating and illusion of even greater support for a value.
Because the four major influencers (the 4-E’s) mold our values we need to:
• Learn from the right experiences
• Associate with the right people
• Be open to the right educational opportunities
• Be in the right environment
I don't claim to be an authority on values but, I regularly witness that when people look to associate, they often look for people with the following three values. You may want to verify that you posses these values or determine to acquire them.
1. Integrity. Integrity is when there is congruency with values and actions. But, when a person’s actions are at odds with stated values, they are engaging in hypocrisy. Because actions are a derivative of values, ones actions reveal their true values.
2. Determination. Staying the course and getting things done. Being determined means you set a deadline for achieving your goals and stick to your plan until you have achieved it. The challenge to achieve must be accompanied by the determination to achieve. Napoleon said, "The truest wisdom, in general, is a resolute determination."
3. Enthusiasm. The new secret to success is the old secret to success. The ancient Greeks called it enthousiasmos: enthusiasm. Success isn't about good enough, because many people are good enough. People want to associate with people with passion—personal passion, passion for their company, their products, their services and their team. Because this value is catching, let others catch your passion.
Individuals can make a marked improvement in their lives by either committing to the values they already believe in or in adopting new ones. Therefore, evaluate the current values in your life that you want to reinforce, or discover new values that you want to adopt.
Three Point Success Summation
HOG THOUGHT: Our behavior is a direct reflection of our values. Decision-making is simplified when you are guided by your core values. Someone has written, “When one bases his life on principle, 99 percent of his decisions are already made.”
HOG QUOTE: “In matters of principle, stand like a rock, in matters of taste, swim with the current.” — Thomas Jefferson
HOG ACTION: Be a person of great values. Great accomplishments come from great values.
HOG QUOTE: “In matters of principle, stand like a rock, in matters of taste, swim with the current.” — Thomas Jefferson
HOG ACTION: Be a person of great values. Great accomplishments come from great values.
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