Goals vs Values. . .
Throughout your life, it’s normal to wish to improve yourself or change your circumstances. Seemingly, the most logical way to make a change is to set a goal. However, if that’s true, then why do so many of us fail to achieve our goals?
This begs the question, are goals important? If few people can achieve them, should you even bother with goal setting at all? The truth is goals have limitations. They are outcome-focused and often don’t account for changing external circumstances. If you fail to reach them, it leads to disappointment.
What if instead of focusing on goals you focused on identifying values and taking action towards living those values? Unlike outcome-based goals, values don’t change when your circumstances do.
So, what are values? Values are the guiding principles that shape your life. They are like a compass that if followed will lead you to your life’s purpose. Simply put, values are what matters most to you. Values are the deepest desires of your heart for how you want to act, how you want to treat yourself, others, and the world.
To identify your core values, first, think about what is important to you based on different areas of your life such as family, work, relationships, and health. You can write down each life area and make a list of values under them. For example, under work, you may write independence. You may also find that some values are repeated throughout multiple areas of your life. If this happens it’s a good indicator that it’s a core value.
When you learn to tie values to committed actions or goals, you gain a greater sense of purpose and fulfillment in life. This will lead you to increased resilience and adaptability when changes inevitably come your way. Additionally, it will improve your self-awareness. By thinking about the why behind your goal, you will know what you’re actually working towards. For example, it’s not about running that marathon; it’s about living the healthiest life you can by doing activities you love. And this my friend is the secret to truly making progress in life.
Peace and Love, Jim
#values #thedailybuddha
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