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We all have values that are important to us, but they don’t mean much unless we convert them to action. It’s easy to talk about values but much harder to consistently live them out. As Aesop said in his Fables, “When all is said and done, more is said than done.”
Two of the keys to personal reliability are to know yourself and to know your priorities. Articulating your personal values is a good expression of self-knowledge.
Converting your values into action is a good expression of aligned priorities and values. In other words, living a life of integrity.
Converting your values into action is also a bit scary, because it makes us much more accountable for living those values.
On the other hand, if we are serious about living with integrity, these actions serve as a clear measuring stick to help us always do better. We owe that to ourselves and those around us.
In case you choose to use your reflection time this weekend on this topic, below I have shared my personal values and supporting actions. Since I am perfectly imperfect, please note that I strive to consistently demonstrate the supporting actions. I fail every day and hopefully have some success also.
I hope you find this template helpful.
Here’s to valuing your values!
My Personal Values (and supporting actions)
1. SERVE – Proactively help and encourage others.
- View every interaction as an opportunity to serve.
- Use God’s purpose for my life to guide how I use my time and energy to joyfully help others.
- Consider other’s needs before my own.
- Anticipate other’s needs and meet them without asking
2. RESPECT – Respect others, their property and perspectives.
- Be reliable.
- My word is my personal promise.
- Do what I say I will do and be discerning about what I commit to.
- Listen.
- Understand and empathize with others’ situations and emotions.
- Measure my words.
- Just because I can say something does not mean I should.
- Determine what I say (or not) based on what best serves others or the relationship.
- Say please and thank you.
- Put actions behind my words with a note or gesture of gratitude.
- Leave people and places better off.
- Clean up after myself and after others.
- Encourage and inspire at every opportunity.
3. EQUIP – Share my time, experiences and gifts to help others be more personally and professionally effective and fulfilled.
- Use clear thinking to develop practical tools and simple solutions to help others elevate their effectiveness and their perspective.
- Enthusiastically and freely share these tools and solutions with those who can benefit from them.
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The Nature of Excellence is a beautiful gift book that helps you explore and reinforce your values. It combines stunning photography and inspirational quotes.
