ARE YOUR VALUES AND IDEALS IN HARMONY?
High self-esteem and top performance are anchored on the clarity of values and ideals by which we live. Truly happy and successful people in any area in life are very clear about who they are and what they believe in. They don´t compromise their values for anything.
People can be successful yet unhappy. That´s not success at all. Success without happiness is failure, and it is the saddest state of failure. That is success at its deepest superficiality and artificiality.
But there are those who are truly successful and truly happy at the same time. These people know what they believe in and what they stand for. They stick to them no matter what.
Here is one thing we can learn from them: Values are essential for happiness and success. Unhappiness in life comes when we deviate away from our true values. Personal disintegration is when we violate what we know to be good and true deep down within ourselves.
Check and you will see. People with high self-esteem are very clear about their beliefs and principles. They have high values and ideals to which they commit themselves by living a life consistent with those values and ideals. As a result, their self-esteem gets higher and higher because they like and respect themselves all the more. And that goes with their performance.
The high level of self-esteem and performance is only possible when values and goals are in harmony. They are not in contradiction or in conflict.
Much of the stress in our lives comes from doing something else that is against our real values. That´s when you fail to do what is true, kind, fair and right just to meet somebody else´s criteria and demands. You might have all the best reasons in the world, or maybe some justified fears and insecurities, but inconsistency always leads to inner disintegration. However, when your goals and values are aligned, you feel peace, confidence and a sense of personal power. That in turn drives you to make real progress and aim at high performance.
What values am I talking about? What values are linked to self-esteem and top performance?
First and foremost, it´s integrity. Integrity has something to do with truthfulness. People with high self-esteem have integrity. They always tell the truth regardless of any external circumstances or temptations that may come along their way. They don´t play down the truth or exaggerate it or do anything in a dishonest or illicit way. Truth is truth and it´s unnegotiable to them. They simply believe in truth and live by the truth. As a consequence, they enjoy greater peace of mind and happiness, more confidence and sense of fulfillment. Most of all, because of their integrity, they gain self-respect as well as the respect from the most important people in their lives. If you live in integrity, you´ve got esteem and value as a person. The rest is feedbacks.
Once you´re clear about your values, you then organize your goals, strategies and activities in such a way that they are in harmony with your values. You will only do what you know to be right, good and worthwhile to you and others. You won´t do anything against your will or anything not consistent with what you believe to be valuable, significant and beneficial to others.
Going against your values leads to inner conflict and unhappiness. You may have all sorts of success and reputation the world can provide you, but once you violate your own values, you will never be happy. Never!
Hence, building a high self-esteem starts with clarity and loyalty to your values, and then with organization of your goals and activities around those values. You will be proud and happy about yourself when your outer life is in harmony with your inner life, and you will feel the drive to do your best.
To achieve this harmony, here´s what you can do:
First, be clear about your values and beliefs. What do you consider as really valuable and important in your life? What do you stand for?
Second, make sure that everything you do is consistent with your values and beliefs. Create an outer life congruent with your inner life.
Finally, with those values, be the best version of yourself possible! You´ve got those values to propel you to your greatest achievements. There are no errors in here.
Live a life of values and ideals, and bless the world!