Your Core Value

I ever read this story in several inspirational books:

An instructor held a $20 bill asking the entire class,

“I will give this bill to anyone who wants it. If you want to have it please raise up your hand.”

The entire class raised up their hands. Then, the instructor threw the $20 bill onto the floor and tramped on it several times. He asked again,

“If you still want this bill, please raise your hand.”

The class was silent, and only seven or eight students raised their hands.

The instructor trampled the bill again, making it wrinkled and dirty, then he picked up the bill asking the entire class,

“Who still wants this bill?”

In the back of classroom, two or three students raised their hands.

The instructor said, “You see, how dirty the bill is, how bad I treated it, someone still wants it, because its core value doesn’t change – it’s still worthy of 20 dollars.”

You are much better than that twenty dollar bill. You have treasture in your brain, you have beauty in your heart, and you can be worth millions or billions. Without your permission, no one can diminish you or destroy you.

Your core value determines who you are and how you live a life. Knowing you core value, you can reach the realm of unconditional self acceptance. People can badmouth you, slander you and defame you, and you can encounter drawbacks, failures, financial trouble, or job loss, but all of these will not diminish your core value, you are still you. When you know your core value and your intrinsic worth, you can accept and love yourself at any situation, and you will not be impacted by the other people’s judgment and you are able to live through all kinds of adversities.

You can discover your core value by asking these questions, “What do I truly believe in?” “What’s the most important thing in the life?” “What bring me sense of fulfillment and satisfaction?” “What character and knowledge do I have to fulfill the meaning of life?” Trust your gut feelings and follow your internal call. After answering this questions, you will know your deep longing and desire in life, you will find your calling.

What’s your top core value? Someone may answer “intelligence”, for he can learn anything quick to adapt to the fast pace of technology advancement, and then he can feel useful and powerful. Someone may answer “curiosity”, for curiosity is the starting point of any discovery and invention, which will bring boundless wealth. Someone may answer “integrity”, even the other overpass him by foul play, he still believes that “integrity” is a surefire way leading to the ultimate triumph.

If you don’t live accordantly with your core value, you may feel bored, unhappy, or lack of meaning. After you align your core value with your life, your core value will become your primary drive of your life, guiding you to procure what you want from life, such as love, satisfaction, fulfillment, fame, success, wealth or power.