Assess your current values and ideals and using the wisdom outlined in this lesson and the Values Worksheet to intentionally

VALUES & VIRTUES WORKSHOP

1. Make a list of everything that you value. Don’t worry about making this list perfect. Just write everything you can think of for 5 minutes. The list might include things, emotions, character traits, career goals, and visions for a better world.

2. Check for ends and means. For example, most people don’t value money or wealth in itself. They value money as a means toward another end, which might be freedom, security, control, power, or pleasure. Refine your list here into 10-20 core values (good and bad) that you are currently living.

3. Defining Good and Bad Values

 Good Values

− Reality-based

− Socially constructive

− Immediate and controllable

 Bad Values

− Superstitious

− Socially destructive

− Not immediate or controllable

List 5 to 10 Good Values that you live: List 5 to 10 Bad Values that you live:

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4. Use multiple levels (immediate family, structures/institutions, beliefs/religion) analyze how your values are supported (or de-valued) by the culture you live in.

5. Edward Fischer’s work suggests that all cultures should provide 1. Hope, 2. Opportunity, 3. Dignity, 4. Fairness, and 5. A sense of commitment to larger purposes. How does (or does not) your culture provide each of these for you?

6. Does your culture provide these five elements to all people in your culture?

7. What (if anything) would need to change to increase these five elements in your culture?

8. Are there other elements you think should be added to Fischer’s list?

9. Take the VIA Character Survey at www.viacharacter.org

10. How did you feel while doing the survey?

11. How accurate do you think the survey is based on your experience? Do you think you are able to adequately answer the questions about yourself? Do you think you would answer the questions consistently over the course of a few weeks or would it depend on your mood and circumstance?

12. Based on what you have learned in this class, do you think the survey could work across all cultures?

13. What were your top 3 and bottom 3 character traits? Does this seem accurate to you?

14. Are there any character traits that you wish had been ranked higher?

15. Brainstorm personal development goals for 5 minutes. These should be clear goals that you can achieve in 1, 5, 10, or 20 years (try different time frames as you brainstorm). After 5 minutes of brainstorming, look over the list and circle the 3 that are most important to you.

16. Re-write the 3 goals making sure that you use good metrics that are mostly within your control. (Examples of bad metrics: I feel intelligent when I get straight A’s. To be successful, I have to write a best- selling novel.)

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2.

3.

17. Based on your earlier cultural analysis in step 4, how might the culture you live in support you or create obstacles for you? How do you plan to leverage the opportunities and overcome the obstacles?