Core values fuel your goals, says church missionary
The number of things people put on their own 100 list doesn't matter; what matters is they start with one, said Elder Stacey Taniguchi, church missionary in the Faculty of Business & Government. “I started creating a list of things I wanted to accomplish in my life. The list grew to be 100 things and became the roadmap to the way I live my life,” he continued.
Where it all started
Taniguchi said the list started with remembering his parents' wishes for all of their children when they were younger to read well. “They'd have different books and magazines they've subscribed to. One of them is a magazine called 'Life Magazine,'" he said.
Taniguchi said the magazine was a weekly pictorial featuring photos and stories from around the world. In it, he said he read about a man who had created a list of life goals when he was young and used it as a guide throughout his life. Years later, he said the man held up the same sheet of paper, having accomplished everything on his list.
Core Values
He said once people put something on the list, they cannot take it off. “If it's important enough for you to put on your list when you're 20 years old, I guarantee 50 years from now, it will still be something you dream about doing even if you haven't accomplished it yet,” he said.
Taniguchi said core values are non-negotiable values in people’s lives. “It surprises me that not a lot of people have not sat down and asked themselves about things that are important to them,” he added.
Knowing he had high-risk pursuits on his list, he said he knew he had to be prepared to participate. “Whatever you put on the list cannot be in conflict with your core values, otherwise, that goal or item is not going to help you thrive,” he added.
According to the All American Speakers Bureau website, Taniguchi has a doctorate in educational leadership and foundations. He has climbed the highest peaks, including Denali (Mt. McKinley) and Everest, says the website.
Glaciers and ladders
Taniguchi gave an analogy for identifying core values using glaciers and ladders. He said when glaciers contact, they form crevices, forcing hikers to use aluminum ladders tied together as bridges to get to the other side. “When faced with a situation when someone you love or value was on the other side of the crevice, you have to ask yourself, what are you willing to cross those ladders for?” he said.
France Valerie Lucillio, a junior majoring in communications and intercultural peacebuilding from the Philippines, said she often fears setting goals because she might not be able to achieve them. “If I start setting these goals, I’d have to start working on them in a time frame that can be a bit pressuring,” she added.
Lucillo said she realized truly understanding oneself and one's purpose makes life easier to navigate. “It’s like the gospel of Christ. We know about it and because of it, we strive to live our lives according to its principles,” she continued.
