Where's your Compass?

Ever imagined a life before the compass was invented, it certainly would have been very different. Not only did people have to do without a reliable direction indicator, but they also had to do without street lights, torches, road maps and satellite navigation. This must have meant a lot of dark nights lost in the woods.

Did you know when people don't have signs or other external cues for direction, they will probably end up walking in circles. Somehow the same is also true in our busy lives that we often find ourselves in the middle of a whirlwind. We dont know what to do and where to go. So, we look inside for our own compass to help us guide the way.

The compass, I am referring to, is our Values (Guiding Principles). The word is self explanatory. What do we value in our lives? These should be assisting us on where we want to reach in life.

Let me share an interesting article with you about Values.

Benjamin Franklin (the same guy who features on a $100 bill) was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author and printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat. He listed down all his 13 values and divided into 2 categories.

Personal

The eight personal virtues relate to your attitudes toward activities and their challenges. Good personal character traits will better your chances of success in achieving your goals.
Temperance: Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
Order: Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.
Resolution: Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
Frugality: Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.
Moderation: Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
Industry: Lose no time; be always employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
Cleanliness: Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes, or habitation.
Tranquility: Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.

Social

These five social virtues that Franklin stated concern your attitudes toward people with whom you have dealings. Good social character traits result in other people wanting to do business with you or to have relationships with you.
Silence: Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.
Sincerity: Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
Justice: Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
Chastity: Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.
Humility: Imitate Jesus and Socrates.

However, there's a story behind the 13th Value. This was not a part of the values originally noted by Benjamin Franklin. History has it that he never exhibited that trait. So the moral is that only you can decide which the values you choose for yourself are.

The values listed above are only suggestive and by no means exhaustive. It is very important for us to put a lot of thought before we decide what is going to be an integral part of our value system.

Once our goal is fixed, our values will act as a compass and would always help us remain focused and on track in however dire strait we are in.

So, where's your compass? Click here to read my next blog

http://bhupeshdhawan.blogspot.com/2011/01/my-compass.html

I leave you all with this thought: "It is the set of the sails, not the direction of the wind that determines which way we will go."