Values are principles and ideals that are important to us. They can be individual and personal to us. There are many examples of values; too many to list!
Some values I hold include clarity, freedom, and justice.
Values come in many shapes and sizes. They are personal to us. The things that we value will differ from the things that other people value. We may find that people close to us share similar values, but of course, even our nearest and dearest can have different values, or at least, different ways of putting these values into practice: Both my spouse and I value a tidy house, but she values this more when friends are coming round, whereas I value it all the time!
The values we hold appear to be stable. We don’t frequently change our values. They seem to be consistent. It would be quite odd to go from being somebody who holds a value of justice one day to acting in a way that appears unjust another day. Of course, we can act in inconsistent ways, but this is unlikely to be because our values suddenly change.
Sometimes our motivational challenges can arise because of a conflict in values. We may find ourselves in a situation where there are competing values and we feel uncertain how to proceed. For instance, in some work places, there have been times when others have asked me to do things I felt uncomfortable doing. Whilst I valued the relationship with my superiors, I also valued my sense of integrity. In these types of scenarios, I have felt stuck and unsure how to move forward.
One way we can identify our values is by reflecting on how we use our resources. What have we invested our time and money in? Where do we put our energy and focus? What are the underlying values behind this?
Take a moment to think about your values.
What is really important to you?
This blog post is an extract from my upcoming book – Get Your PhD Done.
To find out more about it click here!