Are you living someone else’s values?
Hathaway’s character in ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ gradually began to live someone else’s values in the name of professional performance and accelerated business results …
If you haven’t seen this film yet, grab it on DVD and watch it through the lenses of living your values at work and at home.
Hathaway’s character begins by being very clear about what’s important to her (her values). Her lifestyle and relationships reflect those values.
In a naive attempt to gain professional experience and win connections that may accelerate her career opportunities in the future she takes a position in an industry in which she has no interest (no values alignment), and for a boss for whom she has respect (again, no values alignment).
As the story progresses we observe a gradual letting go of the lifestyle and relationships that Hathaway’s character had valued previously, although she was not consciously aware that her Motivation Code was changing.
Her wake up call came when the boss she despised (Streep’s character) told Hathaway’s character that she could recognize some of herself in the younger woman … a powerful and poignant moment in the film, leading to her ditching the job, and asking her loved one’s to forgive her.
Successful people know what their values are, and know how to live their values…
Here’s the point … this actually happens in real life too! Hathaway’s character appeared to be winning at work, but the cost of victory was that she was no longer true to herself and what she REALLY valued. If she had not seen the light, she would have eventually spat the dummy, burned out, or lived a life of ‘success’ without satisfaction.
Your values are your lifestyle priorities and preferences and are with you 24/7. They determine what you think, say and do – at home and at work, so you really want to know what your values are, so that you can make conscious choices to live and work in a way that aligns with your core values.
Where do your values come from?
From your world-view … the subject of my next post.