In the MVG FWD Reframe-work, the letter “V” stands for values and prompts you to dig deep to truly understand the core values that make you, you. Stealing from Thomas J. Leonard in The Portable Coach, values are “activities, preferences, or behaviors that you are naturally drawn to.” You have a set of core values that have been with you most, if not all of your life. Can you articulate them?
The distinction between a value and a need can be tricky. Let’s define a need as a “resource, person, feeling, situation, or environment you must have in order to be at your best”. It is easy to miss the subtle differences in these two concepts which often leads to a muddled version of yourself and may very well orient you in a direction that is anything but forward.
One way to dig deeper and embrace the real you is to start making a list of all the values and needs in your life. Go big and long on this; write them all down. Then go through the list and assign one of the following characteristics to each item:
- Causes you a sense of urgency
- Causes you a sense of gratification
- Yep, that’s me, I’m drawn to it
Be honest with yourself. Now count up all the A’s, B’s, & C’s and consider an “A” to be a need, a “B” to be a want, and a “C” to be a core value.