When a friend and I moved to Tenerife during Covid to work remotely, he asked me one day:
Marcin, what's your value system, anyway?
I didn't answer right away. I had to think about it.
Intuitively, I know what guides me in life, but I feel like I lack the vocabulary to name it. It's the same with emotions. As a man, I ask myself what happened more often than how I felt at the time.
What you care about and what you don't is best decided according to your value system.
I like a thought experiment where I imagine what kind of person I'd have to be and what I'd have to do in life for someone to say:
Marcin is a great guy because ________
For example:
- Marcin is a great guy because you can always count on him in a crisis.
- Marcin is a great guy because I'm never bored with him.
- Marcin is a great guy because he's always happy.
You are a mirror of your actions. Instead of telling others what you're like, just be that way. Let your actions do the talking.
In the video that's Madzia, who hurt her back paragliding and couldn't walk anymore. We found a stroller in an Austrian dumpster and decided to roll back to the hotel on wheels, having the time of our lives along the way. That's my approach to life.
Below is a list of the most important values. Pick yours!
| Value |
|---|
| Achievement |
| Adventure |
| Authority |
| Autonomy |
| Balance |
| Beauty |
| Boldness |
| Compassion |
| Challenge |
| Citizenship |
| Community |
| Competency |
| Contribution |
| Creativity |
| Curiosity |
| Determination |
| Fairness |
| Faith |
| Fame |
| Friendships |
| Fun |
| Growth |
| Happiness |
| Honesty |
| Humor |
| Influence |
| Inner Harmony |
| Justice |
| Kindness |
| Knowledge |
| Leadership |
| Learning |
| Love |
| Loyalty |
| Meaningful Work |
| Openness |
| Optimism |
| Peace |
| Pleasure |
| Poise |
| Popularity |
| Recognition |
| Religion |
| Reputation |
| Respect |
| Responsibility |
| Security |
| Self-Respect |
| Service |
| Spirituality |
| Stability |
| Success |
| Status |
| Trustworthiness |
| Wealth |
| Wisdom |