The Plunge: Professed vs. Possessed Values
Welcome to The Plunge, your daily dive into Christian Wellness!
Today’s wellness tip focuses on understanding the difference between professed and possessed standards (values). Recognizing this distinction is important because aligning our actions with our true values is essential for achieving our goals and maintaining integrity in our lives.
We often claim to value certain things and even believe that we do. However, closer scrutiny or testing might reveal that these professed values do not align with our actual behaviors and decisions. This misalignment can hinder our ability to achieve goals and uphold standards effectively.
In Matthew 15:8, Jesus highlights the importance of aligning our words with our hearts by pointing out the duplicity of the Pharisees, quoting the prophet Isaiah: "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me." Our values are not what we say they are but what we show them to be through our actions.
Professed Values:
These are the values we claim to hold. They often reflect what we think we should value or what we want others to believe about us. For example, we might profess to value honesty, hard work, or family time.
Possessed Values:
These are the values that truly guide our behavior. Our consistent actions and choices reveal them, even when no one is watching. For instance, if we profess to value family time but consistently choose work over spending time with family, our possessed value might be career advancement.
When there's a gap between our professed and possessed values, it can lead to frustration, unfulfilled goals, and a lack of integrity. However, when our goals and standards are based on our possessed values, we are more likely to achieve them and uphold them.
Research supports the notion that our actions, more than words, reflect our true values. A study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that people's behavior in various situations predicts their values more accurately than their self-reported values1. This emphasizes the importance of examining our actions to understand our true values.
Identifying Your True Values
Reflect on Your Actions:
Look at your daily routines, decisions, and behaviors. What do they reveal about your true values?
Assess Consistency:
Are there areas where your actions do not align with your professed values? What changes can you make to align them?
Set Authentic Goals:
Create goals that reflect your possessed values. This alignment will increase your motivation and likelihood of achieving them.
Practical Steps
Honest Self-Assessment:
Reflect on your actions and identify any discrepancies between your professed and possessed values.
Align Your Actions:
Make conscious choices to align your actions with your true values. This might require setting new priorities or changing habits.
Seek Accountability:
Share your true values and goals with a trusted friend or mentor who can support and hold you accountable.
You can create a more authentic and fulfilling life by understanding and aligning your professed and possessed values.
Stay true to your values and let them guide your actions.
As always, in Christ, engage, adapt, and overcome.
Remy Sharpe
The Plunge is a Remy Sharpe Coaching publication dedicated to promoting holistic wellness through a Christian perspective. For more information, visit our website at Remysharpe.com.
Bardi, A., & Schwartz, S. H. (2003). Values and behavior: Strength and structure of relations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 85(2), 231-247.