I am a goal oriented person, but what are my values?

Let’s start by defining what values are.

Values are qualities that you want to assist with your actions. 

Some examples of values are honesty, fairness, and compassion. You can think about values as how you behave as a person, this could furtherly be viewed as how you treat yourself and others. 

If you are like me, you may be placing your values and goals within the same box. 

How to detach my value from the goal I have set?

I knew I wanted to escape the burnout from my job, which led me to understanding my value of peace. Peace equaling the freedom of time. Mostly time to grow as a person, time to relax and be still, and the time to explore a new setting. 

Society tells us to work towards a destination/goal. We are humans who are constantly actively doing things. This could be described as moving towards the life we want to live.

 It is easy to get hooked on the constant feeling of needing to be productive citizens through our goals. So how can we unhook our goal from our values?

Now do not be confused with thinking you should not have goals at all because it is okay to have a goal. We just should not connect our goals to what we value. 

Doing what is important to you and living a lifestyle that focuses on what matters, is a consistent journey. Your value should not end when your goal is completed. So, your value is your motivation and not your goals. 

I had to realize that finding pockets of peace within my day is what motivates me. If my goal to go abroad does not work out, or if I am really  stressed… I can still do what matters the most to me.

Staying focused on the journey and not just the destination?

Always remember that what you value will be your never ending journey through life, no matter how many destinations you come to along the way.

Every step you take in life is centered around what you value. Try making a list of what you value to visually see what is important to you written down. 

You can also think of someone you admire and what characteristics he/she has that you enjoy experiencing.

You may value honesty. Think about what honesty looks like for you, and what does honesty look regarding your interactions with others? 

One way to demonstrate honesty is being honest with yourself. You can choose to be honest as you make decisions for yourself daily, and even more through life being honest with others. 

Understanding that our values are not a destination is key. You are not here to continuously burn yourself out with goals to show that you value something. Actively living your life in a value focused mindset is what is key.