Do Your Actions Reflect Your Values

We’ve all been there. I got into some financial difficulties halfway through my career, and for several years I feared I would lose everything I had earned. When I was in the deepest part of the struggle, I had a heartfelt talk with myself and evaluated where I was. I picked up a pencil and a pad of paper and wrote down my assets, which were good health, freedom, family, friendships, reputation, relationships, wisdom, strong work ethic, success, integrity, being a mentor, being a leader and enjoying lots of love—the list went on and on. In fact, the only thing I could not put on the list was money.

I felt sorry for myself before I made the list. But once I saw all of my assets in writing, I felt like a very lucky man. I realized that if I had to give away one of my values, it would have been money because I could always get that back, while I could not regain some of the other assets if I lost them. I quit feeling sorry for myself and started living in a way that reflected how I was grateful for what I did have. During my financial recovery, I read voraciously, flew helicopters, wrote a book and used the excess time to rebuild my business, all in addition to traveling the world with my family.

Once you list all of your values, you will realize just how fulfilled you are, too, and that money is only one of your many assets—and often not the most important one. In all likelihood, it is the first thing you would give away if your other assets were threatened.

Make a list of your core values and align them with your activities. Once you know what your values are, let them guide your actions in everyday life.

Select 10 of the following:

Affection	Fun	Personal brand
Alignment	Generosity	Personal salvation
Altruism	Genuineness	Philanthropy
Appearance	Happiness	Power
Attitude	Harmony	Productivity
Cleanliness	Health	Recognition
Congruence	Honesty	Respect
Contentment	Humility	Results
Cooperation	Inner Peace	Routine
Creativity	Inspiration	Romance
Education	Intimacy	Security
Efficiency	Joy	Self-improvement
Fairness	Knowledge	Simplicity
Faith	Lifestyle	Solitude
Fame	Loyalty	Spiritual maturity
Family	Love	Status
Financial security	Motivation	Travel
Freedom	Openness	Wealth
Friendship	Organization	Wisdom

Once you understand what your priorities are, assess your life and goals to see whether your actions actually line up. Documenting your values can help identify areas where change is necessary, and it makes future decision-making simple and clear.

Now think back to what you’ve done in the last 24 hours and write down the activities and times. Take your list of values and match each activity to one of them. Some activities might connect strongly to one or more, while others will be a stretch. Some might not support your values at all. You can discard these.

When your behavior conflicts with your values, the result is a mental conflict. Psychologists call this cognitive dissonance, and it is a source of pain and stress in your life.

Your goals will become a reality faster and with less stress if they align with your values.

Once you have focus, then it’s time to use the power of visualization to make your goals a reality. Remember, your goals will become a reality faster and with less stress if they align with your values.

When I studied helicopters years ago, I learned there are several gauges you must use to fly. It is absolutely essential to learn how to operate these gauges because when you hit a storm, you live by them. What will you do when you hit the storm? Learn how to focus on your values now so you can live by them in all seasons and avoid the pitfalls in life.

My priorities center on health, freedom, happiness and integrity. When I hit patches of chaos, I refer back to my core values.

We’ve all known people who get into trouble and then cave. They turn to affairs, alcohol or some other addiction to handle stress. They stop exercising, stop their habits of success and enter a downward spiral. That’s because they didn’t have a plan for the tough times, and they got derailed.

This doesn’t have to be your fate. Know your values and keep your focus