Principles
\r\nValues are social norms - they're personal, emotional, subjective and arguable. All of us have values. Even criminals have values. They question you must ask yourself is, Are your values based upon principles? Principles are natural laws - they are impersonal, factual, objective and self- evident. Consequences are governed by principles, and behaviour is governed by values; therefore, value principles!
\r\nPeople who are "star-struck" (celebrity obsessed) are an example of those whose values may not be anchored in principles. Popularity shapes their moral centre. They don't know who they are and don't know which way "north" is. They don't know what principles to follow because their lives are based on social values. They are torn between social awareness and self-awareness on the one hand and natural law and principles on the other.
\r\nThe task, then, is to determine where "true north" is and then to align everything toward that. Otherwise, you'll live with the inevitable negative consequences that follow. Again, they are inevitable because even though values control behaviour, principles control the consequences of behaviour.
\r\nCompiled From:
\r\n"The 8th Habit" - Stephen R. Covey, pp. 48, 49