Principles vs Values

Stephen R Covey discusses in the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People the difference between principles and values. Principles are based on natural laws, they aren't subjective. Values can be anything, both good and bad. The best values are based on natural principles. Covey compares school with the farm. Many of us when we were students slacked off all term then studied hard just before the exam. We studied for the test, not getting a real education, but we met that social value of the passing grade. Did we get an education? Maybe, but more likely we memorised some facts that we didn't really understand and missed out on a genuine opportunity to learn. The farm is very different from school, can a person sow some seeds just before harvest, work real hard a few days before? No, of course not, a farm works on natural principles.

Many people are extremely unhappy in life because they are working toward goals that are based on social values rather than principals. They want the social value of financial success, but don't apply the principles that would lead to genuine financial success. They want friends, aren't a friend to others. They want to be appreciated, without appreciating others.

For example a person can have a value of selfishness. Their value system only looks to their own needs, their wants. However, a natural principle is that relationships are only sustainable if both parties benefit. No business, employment and personal relationships is sustainable if one party constantly winning at the cost of someone else. If you're my customer and I'm selling you a product that you're not getting value from you're not going to come back.

Another example, is in weight loss. Looking good and appearing healthy are values. The principles that underpin those values is the principles of diet and exercise. I know from personal experience, I've eaten junk food and reduced my exercise then got on the scales and hadn't put on any weight. From a superficial value viewpoint, I had got away with it, but if I were principle based, I would know that I really hadn't. I would know I would have lost muscle and gained fat and more than that I would know I had started to sow the seeds of weight gain.

Currently I'm experiencing the reverse situation, I've been jogging, controlling my diet for the last week, yet I haven't lost any weight. If I were value based, I would give up, but because I understand weight is a result of natural principles. I know that perhaps over Christmas I lost some muscle and gained some fat and now I'm reversing that. My weight hasn't changed, but most like a week from now my weight will start decreasing.

My advice for what it's worth, any area of your life that you're not getting the results you desire, look past the superficial values and look for the principals that underpin those areas. Understand those principle and commit to living by them, achieve the private victory by working towards goals based on principles and overtime this will translate to legitimate achievement of social values.