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Reading | Walking the I-Beam |
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priorities magazine The Big Question: Walking the I-beam Finding your own governing values is as simple as answering one question: What matters most? Or, what would cause you to cross an I-beam with a 1,360-foot drop to the ground? Imagine that you and I are standing in a room at opposite ends of a 120-foot steel I-beam, the type that's used in construction. I pull a hundred-dollar bill from my wallet and shout - 120 feet is a long way - "Hey, you down at the end! If you'll walk the length of this I-beam in two minutes without stepping off the other side, I'll give you a hundred dollars!" would you come? It's your own choice, of course, but I'll bet you're already on that beam.
The One Hundred Dollar Question Now let's change the scenario a little. We're still at opposite ends of the I-beam, but now we're at the top of two 100-story buildings in Manhattan and the beam is just long enough that 12 inches or so are resting on each building. The One Million Dollar Question I'm on the top of one building, you're on top of the other, and between us are the I-beam and a drop of about 1,360 feet to the pavement. Just to make sure it doesn't fall, I'm going to bolt the I-beam to a bracket on each building. It's raining - not very hard, more like a thick mist and since it's always windy at the top of the tall buildings, we'll say that the wind is blowing about 40 miles per hour. I'm still holding the hundred-dollar bill, and my offer still stands. Would you come across now? I've shared this scenario with a lot of people, and I've yet to find someone who would come across the I-beam for $100. At $1 million, taxfree, some hesitate before turning me down. But they won't come across for the simple reason that they place a higher priority on life than they do on money. Let's change the situation again. This time I don't feel like giving you money. In fact, I've just kidnapped your two-year-old daughter, and I'm holding her over the edge of my building. I yell across to you that if you don't get over here in two minutes I'll drop her. The Only Real Question I use this example often because it helps people identify what is most important to them: what I call governing values. There aren't many things that could get us to cross that I-beam. We place a high value on our own life and safety. But we also understand that there are certain things we hold more precious than our own lives. A two-year-old daughter or son is one of them. Money and safety both have value, but love of a child is worth much more. Our governing values are ideals and purposes so large and important to us that things that scare or bother us - like the drop from the top of the 100-story building - become trivial by comparison. Often we can't explain why our governing values are important to us; they just are. They are the fundamental building blocks of our personality. They are crucial for our personal fulfillment. And each of us has a unique set of them. No matter what our background, no two people's values are alike. Discovering Our Governing Values Stephen R. Covey points out that our governing values are driven by four distinct but related needs: to live (physical), to love (social), to learn (mental), and to leave a legacy (spiritual). Combining those elements is like conducting a chemistry experiment. When the choices we make meet our needs, we have a richer, more fulfilled life. We feel a sense of purpose. And when we reach a "critical mass" in all four areas, the result is a spontaneous combustion of synergy that gives us a passion for life. In 1992, we asked people in a nationwide survey to identify those things of highest priority in their lives. Here are the top 10: Founding Fathers' Governing Values We can also identify our own governing values and write personal Constitutions. This is probably one of the most difficult things you will ever Hyrum W. Smith is the author of 10 Natural Laws of Successful Time and Life Management, and the CEO and |
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