How many of us stop for a while and reflect on own words and actions? Do we ever endeavour to know what we actually stand for, or understand what we believe? For the majority, the day gets over even before we realise it.
Why values are important? Our values form our thoughts, words and actions. Our values are important because they help us to grow and develop. The decisions we make are a reflection of our values and beliefs and they are always directed towards a specific purpose. Values are important because they connect us to a group of people. Values tell us – in a more abstract way than norms, how to behave if we want to be accepted, respected, and venerated by a social group.
The more we align our actions with a group’s set of values, the more popular we become in the group. We rise higher in a social hierarchy the better we implement its value hierarchy.
Regardless of our life experiences and influencers, we can choose the values that are most important to us, things we believe in and that define our character. Living in congruence with our values is the best way to become the person we want to be and to achieve the career and character we want and deserve.
We are heading for a topsy – turvy world where the majority engages in the hurly – burly of modern living, with values that have reached the dregs of the society. Values, once followed unquestioned as unwritten laws, today stand twisted and compromised to suit one’s needs and fancies.
It is the value that gives meaning and strength to a person’s character by occupying central place in one’s life. To embellish our behaviour with good qualities and to take a definite stand against all the dreadful forces of our times, we need values.
“Try not to become a man of success, but rather a man of values “says Albert Einstein. Most of us have our values ingrained in us. In the process of growing up, we are deluged with different sets of values from a variety of sources. It is essential that we evaluate our value system from time to time. A strong but flexible value system is what gives you the joy of feeling good. Compromising values would be degrading ones personality.