Life is cyclical, akin to nature; changing seasons, day and night, moon cycles and many such symbols.  The nature continuously works with a broader plan within its laws and boundaries.  One of its creations is the human race, hence we are bound to go through the cycles too. However, we may not be equipped with an individual plan to go through life, its challenges, ups and downs and reach the ultimate goal. This piece is a guiding GPS signal to arranging various pieces of us, finding the direction and putting together a meaningful composition.

On a ship, in the middle of a storm what would you do? Anchor the ship to prevent it from capsizing, right? That is exactly what Frederic Hudson’s six core values are; your anchor in the inevitable storms of life.

Frederic Hudson was a philosopher, educator, author, coach and a thought leader in the area of adult development, learning and leadership. After researching biographies of over two hundred successful adults, he found a few values in common that act as inner anchors that guide people in realising their own potency. On a micro level these values shape our personality, behaviour, attitude, relationships, success, happiness, decisions, so on. If implemented early in life they can help to overcome existential fears such as mid-life crisis, career transition, relationship issues, etc.

Here are the six core values explained by Frederic Hudson  

1. Personal Identity

Personal identity gives power to who you are. It fundamentally implies that you take ownership of yourself, life and progression. It also means to get deep into self-knowledge and awareness. It develops awareness around self-esteem, self-reliance and confidence. It gives wings to your uniqueness and hence makes you aware of others in the context. Which further helps to understand, create and maintain personal boundaries.

Since this is more of a self-discovery hence it facilitates learning to be empowered from the inside. It empowers you to live authentically, inside out and gives a formidable sense of personal power.

2. Achievement

The first core value focussed on ‘Being’ this one is more about ‘Doing’.  This is about personal goals, setting targets, individual calling and a plan to get there. This value ensures ambition and action remains wired together for a forward movement. Achievement involves setting goals, planning, preparedness, development of talents, learning, etc.

Ambition fuels a constant need to examine the skills and if training is required. Along the path you will be able to evaluate and be open to constructive feedback. This desire to fulfil the personal desires and calling will promote introspection and growth. You will be in a position to guide others as well. This value has a sense of measurement and thus gives a movement to life with clearly defined goalposts.

3. Attachment and Intimacy

This value builds on the foundation of first two values and takes them forward. Attachment and intimacy involve sharing yourself with others. In a broader sense these are more than physical intimacy. These develop the ability to love yourself and allow others to know you better. This value examines your willingness to invest in others and fosters relationships.

You cannot share what you don’t possess, the ability to love others begins with sound love for self. When you love yourself there is love for you and hence abundance to share with others. There is willingness to accept the risk of intimacy or failure or vulnerability to emotional hurt. Instead of fearing loss you become interested in what kind of friend you are and how can you become a better one. Then you are not in a middle of a transaction but a participant in giving, sharing, nurturing, caring, bonding and all the other building blocks of a healthy relationship.

4. Play and Creativity

We are complex beings designed to live a multi-faceted lives that stimulate and refresh, motivate and restore. Without the flow between programs and spontaneity, work and play, inside and outside the box living, our lives become dull, boring, self-focused, one-dimensional and physically-mentally depleting.

Play and creativity create space in our lives which regenerate and restore us. These are non-purposeful things you do in the least unguarded and unstructured manner.  These involve activities that release the freedom to be imaginative, unscripted, celebratory, funny, original, joyful and playful. This freedom suspends the expectation from life, the numbers or targets, perfection, productivity and reward. It often leads to unexpected ideas, innovation, artistry and ‘Aha’ moments.

Play and creativity help you clear your minds cache and reset emotionally. This refreshes, repairs and prepares you to take on your purpose with renewed vigour making you far more productive in the long run.

5. Search for Meaning

Frederic Hudson found in his study that, those who experience unfolding of the destiny, the search for meaning is a core value. It involves our ‘Ultimate concern’, spirituality and integrity which is the foundation.  It gives a bigger picture to finer details of life and relieves you from slavery to unimportant and mundane things. This theme is present throughout the life but in the times of transition, it comes to the forefront as a vital thread connecting the season that is ending with the one that is beginning.

The search for meaning creates a stabilizing sense of continuity that helps you bridge the gap between the known past and the unknown period ahead.

The search for meaning is an ever-present humane need. To ignore it early is to invite an existential crisis later. Life is a changing process and not to have a thread of meaning to career, relationships, interests, spirituality and emotional needs is preparation for confusion, hurt, stress and other unexpected fear that comes with it. Purpose brings unity, harmony, wisdom and wholeness to the being.

6. Giving and Serving

The innate nature of human beings is to give, serve and share which has evolved from the plant kingdom. Giving and sharing is linked to compassion which is what we are born with. Humans are social in nature and building communities and investing in causes outside of our needs is the ultimate goal. This value gets fired up in families and organisations with the fundamental question “What is the legacy you are leaving behind?”

This information has been taken from Frederic Hudson’s work published across the internet and is easily available if you wish to dive deeper.

Is there an age to create-recreate or wire-rewire? Yes, just when you find that light within, that’s the time. And the time is now!