Aligning Actions with Core Values

Aligning Values and Goals 

I typically focus on experimenting with new weekly micro-resolutions or life hacks to improve the quality of my life. Apart from my weekly commitment to try new things to improve my life, I also have longer term goals and values to guide my life. Several months ago, I sat down and wrote down my core values and goals for my life. Since the initial drafting, I have regularly modified and adapted these goals and values to accurately reflect my constantly evolving self.

Lately I have observed and reflected on how often my actions tend to veer from my core values and goals. I wondered how I might better internalize my core values and goals in a way that influenced my daily actions. I came up with the idea to read and review my core values and goals at least twice a day, ideally in the morning and evening. Reviewing my values and goals in the morning would calibrate my mind at the start of the day, and reviewing my goals in the evening would help me reflect on how well my actions of the day aligned with my values and goals.

I committed to reading my goals and values twice a day for week to see what impact it would have on my life.

The Results of This 7 Day Self Experiment 

I copied my goals and values to my phone to ensure that I would have them available at all times. I used a note-taking app on my iPhone (Google Keep) that allows for easy updates and editing.

At this time, I have the following 10 core values and goals:

• Family Moments - Be fully present, engaged, and fun-loving with my wife and kids. Create special moments and a magical and loving home for my dear family. What memories will my family have of me when I am gone?

• Eat well - Eat mostly plants, and not too much. My body is a temple and no unclean thing is permitted to enter. 

• Move and exercise daily - My body is meant for movement. Walk, run, stand, stretch, bike, and be active everyday. 

• Fill My Mind with Light & Knowledge - Who is in control of my mind? I am flooded with information, but thirsty for wisdom. Just as junk food deteriorates the body, junk information decays the mind.

• Daily Gratitude - Notice the beauty and blessings of my life everyday and express my gratitude. Express gratitude to God and to the people in my life. 

• Embrace the inevitability of death - My last breath, or the last breath of those I love could happen at any time, and it will likely be unexpected. Live life fully with the end in mind, knowing the end could be this week, this month, or this year.

• Take Action - Do a few small things today that will improve my life. Over time, these small actions will accumulate and like compound interest, will become significant dividends over time. 

• Be in bed by 9:45pm - Read 15-30 minutes before I sleep. Proper sleep is the foundation of a healthy life.  

• Love everyone, always - Love everyone and be a light to the world. 

• Open My Heart - Embrace and accept the love and presence of God at all times. The presence of God is always there, shining brightly like the sun. I am the only one who can open the door and let this infinite love and energy in my life. Open my door and keep it wide open. 

This past week, I reflectively read and reviewed the above values and goals at least twice a day. It only took a few minutes to do this, and it had a powerful impact on my week. I felt more grounded and my actions were more aligned with my core values. For example, I felt like I was more fun-loving and interactive with my children. I made an extra effort to make them laugh and smile and I spent more quality time with them. Having my core values on the forefront of my mind improved my week. My actions still veered off occasionally from my values, but these detours occurred less frequently. I believe that if I continue this habit of reading and reflecting on my values and goals every day, my actions and values will continue to converge over time. 

Better 7 Challenge: What are Your Core Values? 

Do you have your core values and goals written down? If not, I invite you to do so. Once you do, you might try to adopt this practice of reviewing them every morning when you wake up, and every night before you go to sleep. Or, you might find other times during the day to reflect and think about your core values and goals. 

Try this for a week and see what it does for you.