Article 7: Values are the Foundation of Wealth
When you find something to be valuable, it is a reflection of your values. All of those things which you find valuable in your life form your system of values.
It is this collection of values, most of them reflecting our beliefs and those we grew up with, that we use to make decisions everyday about the tradeoffs in our lives. More work vs. less time with the kids, more exercise vs. less dessert, being honest vs. lying to get what you want etc. This is one function of our system of values. You will make choices between these kinds of things based on what is most important to you at a given time in your life.
The other thing I use this values-based approach for in working with and coaching others is a way to come up with the categories of our overall wellbeing, of our wealth, that mean the most to us. If you are a musician, music is going to rank very high is what you spend time, money and attention on. If health is a priority (which of course, it should be with everyone), you will pay more attention to your diet and get plenty of exercise. The list goes on.
The whole idea of a Wealth Manifesto is to create wealth in all dimensions of your life. This is based on your system of values. The qualities of life we value most are how we experience value in all the dimensions of wealth (health and fitness, intellectual, emotional, cultural, financial, etc.).
Values are the foundation of wealth because they truly are what we build on: it is how we find out what wealth really means to each and everyone of us.
