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Jun 7th, 2007

Personal Values are Priceless

In my last blog, I spoke on professional value. I asked do you know your value. I also committed to discuss personal value. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

I want to ask you, what are your personal values? If you have an answer, great!!! However, when I ask many women about their personal ideals, I start hearing the story of their life, losses, successes, etc., or silence. If I ask them, would they sell the handbag they are holding, I would get a quick answer “Yes” or “No.” Why is this? Is it because they know the worth of their purse? Why is it difficult to define personal ideals? Consider these questions:

  • Does what you want in life defines your personal standards?
  • Do the people who are closest to you define your values?
  • Do the things you don’t do also describe your personal ethics, too?

The answer to the above questions? Yes.

Now, I’d like you to define your values. Remember, these are the things that are most important to you? Your values are not other’s opinions of what’s important to you. Just make a list. It may start with a lot of things at first; but, prioritize them and try to have only five. Just knowing what’s important to you will help you make better decisions. Why?

Suppose your list of priorities looks like this:

  1. Family
  2. Achievement
  3. Professional Development
  4. Ambition
  5. Friends

What if today you had the opportunity to hang out late at a friend’s birthday party; but, it’s the night before you are going to a conference with a SVP in your department. What will you do? Ask yourself these questions:

  • Is the conference an opportunity that might be important to your career?
  • Will it help you get that promotion or raise you are looking for?
  • Will your friends understand if you stopped by and have one drink and/or maybe a bite of cake?

    • Now what will you do? Does your answer change? Often decisions are emotional, not looking at what could make the situation support your priorities and choices. Always consider your priorities. If your friends are a priority you can make the situation win-win by just showing up. But even if you don’t go, are you wrong? Remember, what’s important to you is important to you. Your values are your values. My point, if you don’t value your life, choices and dreams, no one else will. Finally, values don’t have to have a dollar amount to mean something to you and others, they are priceless.

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