Personal Values and Core Strengths
Personalized Growth Plan, Principles, Ethics, Special Ability,Talent
The fifth stage of a personal growth plan is fully integrating values and strengths.
In stage five of a Personal Growth Plan an individual clarifies understanding and appreciation of core values and strengths. A person's core values and unique strengths identify who they are to both themselves and the outside world. People are at their best and happiest when honoring their values and utilizing their strengths in both their personal and professional lives.
Values and Strengths could also be termed the excellence phase. It is during this area of development that a person fully integrates values and core strengths into nearly everything they do. They become their values and strengths, which enables them to be their very best at what they choose to do.
For reference, the reader may want to refer to the earlier stages of Healing, Foundation, Maturity, and Expansion.
What Are Values?
A value is a principle or quality intrinsically valuable or desirable. Values are personal; a set of values is what's important to that individual. Values are so important that a person just doesn't feel right when what they are doing is in conflict with a value. Values conflicts can generate high levels of personal stress. There is no right or wrong set of personal values, though there are cultural norms embracing certain values as correct.
What Are Strengths?
Strengths are the unique set of capabilities at which a person excels. People are at their very best, most creative, productive, and happiest, when utilizing their core strengths.
Determining Core Values and Signature Strengths
For more information on determining one's core values and unique strengths, refer to Development of Personal Values.
Integrating Values and Strengths
The four earlier stages of personal growth have been ones of shedding old beliefs, habits, and perhaps even friendships, while making new acquisitions in each area that are more aligned with the changing individual. This fifth development stage coalesces the growth of previous stages and forms a foundation for greater levels of personal fulfillment and satisfaction. It is a stage of being clear on one's identity and being true to that persona.
Integrating values and strengths into everyday life may require fairly drastic lifestyle changes, or may be achievable through subtle shifts in emphasis and focus. Though full integration may be difficult and require time to fully implement, high levels of life satisfaction await those making the journey.
Fulfilling Life
John Izzo, host of a popular PBS TV series, in his recent book, The Five Secrets You Must Learn Before You Die, describes a dominant prescription for a satisfying life, based on interviews with more than two hundred people. The interviewees, all of advanced age, were previously identified as wise role models. A consistent theme in nearly all cases of those who felt happy with their lives was the advice to be true to oneself, being clear on purpose and values and integrating both fully into everyday life.
In contrast to those who were happy with their lives, those who were bitter and angry had regrets that they failed to be true to themselves.
Brad Swift, in Life on Purpose recounts how he came very close to suicide though he was a successful veterinarian with all the material trappings of the good life. Yet he was bitterly unhappy and, with gun in hand, was on the verge of ending his life when he had the inspiration to find his true life purpose.
The Seven Stage Personal Growth Plan includes Healing, Foundation, Maturity, Expansion, Values and Strengths, Fulfillment, and Legacy.
More information on Personal Values and Core Strengths.
