| Stop and think a minute. Who is the most successful | | | | Personal values and priorities can come from many |
| person you can think of? Chances are your thoughts | | | | different places. They can be based on religious |
| turned to Donald Trump, Bill Gates, or Oprah Winfrey. | | | | beliefs or teachings, cultural norms, family |
| Did you ever wonder what makes successful people | | | | expectations or simply something that your |
| successful? | | | | conscience tells you is right. Once developed, your |
| Many people think that those who achieve success | | | | personal value system will help give your life structure |
| just "got lucky". The reality is, however, that success | | | | and purpose by helping you determine what is |
| doesn't happen by accident or even by luck. Every | | | | meaningful and important to you. |
| successful person everywhere started with a plan - a | | | | Values and priorities are yours - they don't belong to |
| strategy for their life. And most successful people | | | | anyone else, they don't have to be like anyone else's |
| didn't start thinking about their plan after they | | | | and no one can set them for you. Without identifying |
| finished college, they envisioned it since childhood. | | | | and understanding your own unique values and |
| Developing your own plan as a teen is a concept that | | | | priorities, you run the risk of making bad choices. |
| many of your parents never thought of until well into | | | | Allow yourself to dream without limits. Then achieve |
| adulthood, if then. Luckily for you, this gives you an | | | | total success by focusing your dreams on all four |
| advantage they didn't have - a head start on the | | | | areas of your life. Don't forget that there is no "right" |
| rest of your life. So what if your dreams change as | | | | or "wrong" definition - there is only your definition! |
| you age, chances are they won't shift too far from | | | | Activity: Brainstorming |
| where they are now. And, just in case, that is why | | | | Now is the time to pull out a pencil and some paper |
| you always write a life-plan in pencil - you can always | | | | and discover what your basic, core values and |
| make changes later! | | | | priorities are. Just let the thoughts flow - words, |
| Step 1: Forget what your teachers said, throw out | | | | phrases, pictures - there is no rule for brainstorming. |
| your dictionary, don't even "Google" it - you get to | | | | Examples of some character traits, values, or |
| make up your own definition from scratch! | | | | priorities to help you get started: |
| Before you can achieve success, you must define | | | | Trustworthy, Honest, Happy, Thoughtful, Respectful, |
| what success means to you. The usual definition of | | | | Hard-working, Achievement, Accomplished |
| success is based on wealth, prestige and power. The | | | | Dependable, Caring, Healthy, Wealthy, Timely, |
| problem with this definition is that it completely | | | | Organized, Loyal, Energetic, Giving Charitable, Hopeful, |
| ignores the values and priorities in the Four Important | | | | Healthy |
| Areas of Your Life; | | | | Your value statement can be as long or as short as |
| 1) school and work, | | | | you like. A good idea is to make the final statement |
| 2) community, | | | | into a bulleted list that is easy to read and easy to |
| 3) home and family, and | | | | remember. No need for big, fancy words. Remember, |
| 4) your own physical, mental, and spiritual needs. | | | | this is your own value statement, your own private |
| Step 2: Discover who you are and what you stand | | | | reminder of who you are and what is important to |
| for. | | | | you. You are writing it for yourself and the most |
| Before you can dream your true dream you need to | | | | important person who will ever see it is YOU! |
| know who you are and what your personal values | | | | Make sure you complete your personal value |
| and priorities are. Values and priorities are simply the | | | | statement before reading my next article on |
| things that are important to you and which guide | | | | developing your vision. You can't define your vision |
| your behavior - they express who you are, what | | | | without your values! |
| you believe in and what you stand for. | | | | |