Understanding Why Values Are Far More Important Than Goals
When it comes to achieving your unique definition of success, your values are far more important than your goals. Goals are outcomes, values are behaviors. Simply put, you can’t wish your way to a goal, you can’t “sad” your way to a goal, and you can’t “anger” your way to a goal. You must behave your way there. What’s more, values define how you will behave regardless of the outcome.
Your behaviors are part of your everyday life, and these behaviors are the tangible representation of your values. Unlike a goal, a value isn’t set just because you say so. For example, you can set a goal to win, and whether you win or lose, the goal you set to win will remain. On the other hand, just because you say you value winning doesn’t make it true. Your behavior over time must represent what winners do, and only then will it be true that you value winning.
This is true of all the characteristics that lead to success. Resilience comes from values. Self-motivation comes from values. Self-control comes from values. Discipline comes from values. Mental toughness comes from values. Work ethic comes from values. Integrity comes from values. In other words, what separates those who reach their goals and those who don’t are these values.
Everything in life comes down to how your values guide you to make the next thing you do a behavior that either helps you or hurts you. So, if you spend more time thinking about goals than you do thinking about your values, you are making a mistake. Focusing on values are what lead to achieving goals, not focusing on the goal itself.