Sometimes we find ourselves at a crossroad, a place where we need to stop and evaluate if the direction we are headed in is still the right one. Now Covid is supposedly ‘beaten’ and the world is opening up, you may feel quite lost or seek a new beginning. This is quite normal and a chance in disguise to change things for the better.
So if you do anything this month, go over your core values – are they still what you set them out to be?
Or if you have never done this exercise, now is a great time to start.
When you subscribe to the LTMW newsletter you automatically receive the LWTM Goal Planner as part of our complimentary welcome package.
I have often written about the value I see in goal setting, especially at the time of the New Moon. But today I want to delve a bit deeper into the first section of the goal planning stage. I want to talk about your core values.
Why do core values matter?
The answer is simple. Your core values should underpin your life. So it is absolutely vital that you take a good look at what your core values are before you start making plans.
Bluntly speaking, there is hardly any point in putting a goal list together if your goals are not aligned with your core values. Many people work their socks off, only to realize way down the line, that all the hard work and money they earned along the way do not give them happiness and a sense of fulfillment.
Money may be exciting in the short term, but when you look at the really rich, most of them don’t just work for money. Instead, their life has a bigger goal or higher aim attached. It could be to leave a legacy, start a charity or create a product that changes the world. Whatever it is, true happiness comes from the hard work being aligned with your core values.
That is the reason why you need to think really hard before you set out on your life journey. If you are not sure right now what your core values are or you may never have thought about this topic then I urge you to clear a few days of your busy schedule and have a really good ‘think’.
It is much better to wait a bit longer and put more emphasis on the ‘figuring it all out ‘ process until you are crystal clear about what you actually want to achieve. Rather than going blindly in one direction and then turning around half-way through the journey or even worse, arriving at your goal and finding out that all that hard work has failed to make you happy and fulfilled.
I recently heard a talk from Dr. Demartini where he identifies 7 core value groups.
- Physical – the way you look, health, diet
- Financial – your investments, earnings, pension
- Spiritual – could be a philosophy, religion, or another belief system
- Vocational – is your calling, career, or volunteer work
- Family – your parents, siblings and children, and other family members including pets
- Mental – the area of self-development, courses, schooling
- Social – your friends, acquaintances, and social media
When putting a goal list together, you should try to think about all these values and include at least one of each category.
Values change over time
Teenagers and people in their early twenties usually value their social engagement with others. What your peer group or people on social media say ranks much higher than what their parents tell them. Vocation will also feature highly, think of job training, university, starting a career.
In early adulthood (20ies and30ies), the physical side is very prominent. In this age group looking good, keeping slim, and attracting a partner particularly matters.
At the end of the 20ies and throughout the 30ies many people start a family and this will become the priority.
When the children get older or leave home, mental values and self-development become more important. This is especially true for women who often sacrificed a career for bringing up their children. Now is the time when they think about another life phase that enables them to re-enter the labor market, starting a business or gear up for a career change.
People in their 50ies and 60ies are finding financial values attractive. Retirement is coming closer and saving for a pension and financial security after the working years will play on their mind. How would they cope if they suddenly got ill or lost their job?
Finally, as people grow old the philosophical/spiritual side becomes more prominent and there is often a strong bond with the family, especially if there are grandchildren.
This, of course, is all a very generalized view. I am not saying that only one area dominates a certain time in your life, but it illustrates that core values change over time and that needs to be reflected in your life goal planner. That is why you should every year have a look that your core values are still aligned with what you set out a few years ago and if not change and adapt it.
So don’t hesitate and download the LWTM Goal Planner and have a look at where your journey takes you!
