To simply put, value is defined as the accepted principles or standard of a person or group. In other words, your value represents your philosophy, it demonstrates your integrity, as well as explains your actions and form the basis for your stand on cultural, contemporary, political and spiritual issues.
Value system is underrated in our society, where money and fame have become overrated, in exchange for value. That is, money is given more appraisal than the value we bring to the table, and in most cases, value is forgotten. However, value is meant to be the eye through which you see and interpret your world. It literally is the source of your paradigm shift as you wade through any relationship.
Simply put, to know a man, know his core values, to change a man, change his core values. This implies that, your values are typified by the importance or price you place on sincerity, trustworthiness, fairness, respect, obedience, and loyalty. It is also exemplified by your stand on integrity, indecency and lies.
From the above, one could deduce that value can typically rears its head during conversations and explains your allowable limits during interactions with people. In other words, our values are the centre of our interactions.
According to research, the three great revealers of values are money, power, and fame. In the case of money, it is imperative to know that there are no proud beggars, therefore, humility and poverty often go hand in hand. The absence of money may impose a temporary state of humility on a man, but prosperity unveils his true character. The same is true for power and fame. A new job, a change of status, and popularity exposes hidden values.
The Seven Questions that unveils your Value System
To unveil your value system, there are some questions that you need to ask yourself. As indicated earlier, values are underrated in the society, and lack of good value system results in moral decadence and even underdevelopment.
What are my likes and dislikes and which of my likes is also an uncompromising burning passion?
What character traits do I like and dislike in people? What things will I not tolerate in my relationship with people?
What is my philosophy of life? What principles govern this philosophy and to what extent will I go in my stand and defence of these principles?
What are my core moral, religious, or spiritual convictions as it concerns money and even sex? Where are my personal forbidden lines which I must not cross no matter the circumstances?
What are my allowable limits when relating with the people (opposite sex especially) and what is my definition of sexual purity or immorality?
What are my current priorities in life? What are my short-term goals in view of my current priorities and what habits have I developed in view of my short-term goals?
What do I consider to be my lifelong goals? Are they relative or fixed? What measures have I taken to ensure that they are met?
I encourage you to take your time with this and write down your answer in a journal. This will act as a constant reminder of your value system. Look at your journal when you want to take drastic decision to remind you of your core values. This will be your guiding compass to taking any decision in life.
When you are clear about what you stand for, it is a lot easier to filter from the pool of people around you, for those who share your values (Tekeno Ikoko Series).