What are Core Values? Simply put they are the values that help govern your life. The values that you define for yourself that will be your compass. The values that will help you make the major and minor decisions in your life.
Core Values give purpose to your life.
Why is it important to define your Core Values? When you do not know your Core Values or you have not clearly defined your Values, you live your life without purpose and make your decisions based on the moment and social influences. Without defined Values you will live your life trying to fulfill people's expectations instead of your own expectations.
Conversely when you have defined your Values you live with purpose, direction, happiness, and fulfillment.
Core Values help you make decisions.
Most of us have an idea of what we believe and how we presume to live our life, but if you have not clearly defined your Core Values you can make decisions that contradict your presumed Values. When we make decisions that contradict our values it leads to frustrations and malcontent.
Clearly defined Values gives you confidence to face decisions and situations. Written, defined Values will help you have courage and not waver when faced with difficult decisions and situations throughout your life.
Clearly defined Values makes life much more simple. I know that when I think of Warriorship one of the first things I think about is the stoic Samurai. The Samurai based their lives on a few values and let those values guide them on and off of the battle field. Discipline, courage, and loyalty. Very simple. When you have clearly defined Values then decisions become much easier. "Does this action fall in line with my Values?" If the action falls in line you do it. If the action does not fall in line, then you don't do it. It cannot be more simple than that.
How to establish Core Values.
The first task that the pursuit of Warriorship requires is establishing your Core Values. Values are not goals. Values are ideas that you deem to be of great worth and give structure to your life.
Start the process by finding a quiet spot or your go to thinking place. That might be your favorite outdoor retreat, the garage, or simply sitting in your closet.
Make sure that you have something to write with and write on. This is important and needs to be something that you will not throw away. Use a notebook or journal that you will keep.
Once you have found your spot and have your tools ask yourself : "What is unequivocally important to me as a man?" Reflect on moments in your life when you felt fulfilled and times that you have been the happiest. This may take some time because we do not always reflect on our lives in this manner, but do not become discouraged and keep thinking.
Regardless of what comes to mind or how trivial you might think it is, jot it down. Do not suppress your thoughts. No one else is going to see your list so do not put what you think should be on the list. If it pops into your head write it down. Do not worry about stacking and ranking at this point just write all things that come to mind down.
More than five values takes some of the beautiful simplicity away from the idea of Core Values. If you have more than five values start the elimination process. Put a mark by the ones you believe are top five for sure then pair the remaining values up. Set the pairs against each other and the winner out of each pair moves on to the winner from another until you have reached the number five.
Now that your list has been reduced to five start the stack and rank process. Ideally your values compliment and build on each other, but you need to rank them from most important to least important for times when they might contradict. An example would be having Family as one of your Core Values as well as Friends. Which is more important to you? In some cases spending time with Family and Friends might cross paths and the choice might need to be made which is where the ranking would come into play. Possibly you could involve Family and Friends and meet to of your Core Values in those instances.
Here is a list of values that you might consider if you are having trouble. The list is by no means complete, there are literally hundreds of values you could have.
• Adventure
• Balance
• Confidence
• Control
• Creativity
• Discipline
• Education
• Faith
• Family
• Financial
• Friends
• Freedom
• Fulfillment
• Forgiveness
• Fun
• God
• Growth
• Happiness
• Health
• Hope
• Honesty
• Humor
• Independence
• Integrity
• Kindness
• Knowledge
• Marriage
• Peace of mind
• Power
• Progress
• Reason
• Security
• Self-reliance
• Service
• Spirituality
• Strength
• Success
• Truth
• Wisdom
Once your Core Values are established the foundation of the Warrior is built.
Please give some feedback on what you think about this approach and the philosophy of having Core Values.