We all make decisions every day, from what to wear or what to have for breakfast, to choosing a spouse or a career path. The significance of how we make decisions often comes to light during the most pivotal or challenging moments of our lives. And our values are there to help us navigate these crossroads. Personal values are unique to each person, a distinct set of principles developed through a combination of our upbringing, culture, personal experiences, and introspection. Our values are what shapes our character, attitude, actions, and reactions to the world around us.
There are few other forces that will yield as much influence over the trajectory of your life, relationships, and career, as the choices you make. Yet, no one teaches us how to make quality decisions—It’s not part of our college courses or our job training. That is why It’s important to remember that personal values are there to provide clarity on what truly matters to you as an individual. Values can serve as a compass when you are lost and overwhelmed by your options. Making a value-based decision requires that you identify the values at stake in a decision and align your choices, creating an outcome that honors your most authentic self.
For a long time, I grappled with the challenging decision of choosing the right career path formyself. However, upon identifying my personal values and aligning my actions with them, the decision-making process became clearer. Instead of being stuck in the dilemma of right or wrong choices, I realized that some options resonated with my values, while others did not. There was no absolute right or wrong road; rather, it was about choosing a path that had a higher potential for bringing me fulfillment.
When faced with a difficult or ambiguous decision, aligning your choices with your values helps prioritize options based on their significance to your deepest principles. This calls for a certain amount of self-reflection and awareness and will be an ongoing process of self-acceptance. But the payoff is a renewable source of self-resilience, because value-based decisions build a more stable foundation, helping to guide you through adversity with purpose and determination.
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the transformative influence of making decisions aligned with personal values.
