“Today Matters” Part XIII – Book Review
Book Review 13 – Today Matters by John Maxwell
Values: I will embrace and practice good values daily, because my values give me direction
Why values matter today? Because behind every life there are principles that have fashioned it
Values function as…
An Anchor. How do you make good decisions during life’s inevitable rough times if you don’t have values? How do you find direction? People without values are adrift on the ocean of life. When you have strong values, you have something that holds you steady, even when the weather gets nasty.
A Faithful friend. Your core values are the deeply held beliefs that authentically describe your soul. Abe Lincoln said “When I lay down the reins of this administration, I want to have one friend left, and that friend is inside myself”
Your North Star.
Methods are many
Values are few.
Methods always change
Values never do
Making the decision to embrace and practice good values daily
Decide that “I will lead others based on the values I embrace”
At times, your values may alienate you from others, but never from yourself.
Create a list of good values. What’s truest to your character and your highest ideals?
Make a decision to live those values daily. “Try not to become a man of success. Rather, become a man of value”
Managing the discipline of values.
Make the decision that “Every day I review and reflect on my values”
Articulate and embrace your values daily. How do you manage something as abstract as your values? Begin by putting them in concrete form, describing how you intend to apply it to your life
Compare your values to your practices daily. Discrepancies between values and practices create chaos in a person’s life. If you talk your values but neglect to walk them, then you will continually undermine your integrity and credibility
“The gap between knowing and doing is significantly greater than the gap between ignorance and knowledge”
Live out your values regardless of your feelings. When your values determine you should take an action that will hurt you or cost you something, it can be harder to follow through.
“Nice guys may appear to finish last, but usually they are running in a different race”
Evaluate each day in light of your values. Ben Franklin used to get up in the morning asking himself, “what good will I do today?” When he went to be, he asked himself, “what good did I do today?”
By choosing to embrace and practice good values every day, you may not always get what you desire, but you will always be the person you desire to be