Values are defined in management schools as the collective conceptions of what is considered good, desirable, and proper or bad, undesirable, and improper in a culture. Core values are traits that represent the highest priorities, deeply held beliefs, and fundamental driving forces of an individual or organisation.
According to the ancient and laudable wisdom of seers, right values, when imbibed in our routine activities, enrich our life. Though the expression ‘values’ include honesty and integrity, faithfulness, understanding, humility, loyalty, sensitivity, prudence, friendship, gratitude, empathy, discipline, and so on, the first ones gain supremacy in practical life. These values are defined by subjective interpretations of likes and dislikes, views and opinions. Values influence behavior because they are used in making choices which confront us at every stage in life. There is a lot of unavoidable subjectivity in values, but clarity emerges with practice.
A happy and contented life demands not only several essentials, such as adequate material resources, relationships, health and protective environment but also the primary reasons we live for: values and purpose.
It is not enough if we study and understand values in life, we must live and share them. When we live by our core values and match our actions with them, we experience harmony within ourselves which ultimately leads to greater happiness and fulfillment. Right values invariably support us in all our endeavors to build strong relationships, stable self-esteem and wise decisions. The utility of right values is not limited to individuals but extends to the community and the world by bringing fellowship amongst all living beings. Negative attitudes like greed, hate, bias, and exploitation stay away from us because they cannot co-exist with the right values.
The right values can be identified by listening to our heart and recognising the manifestation of God in all living beings. Avoid excessive dependence on mind and its main tools like logic and ego. When we conduct our activities under the guidance of only the mind, we run into complications as the mind often functions under the thumb of ego. Therefore, it is necessary for us to bring in appropriate values, supported by spiritual values, while making decisions.