Values. Perhaps the question is really—What is most important to me? In making value

compromises, therefore, it is very important that we understand our priorities. It is this

understanding that helps us define our purpose and give meaning to our live.

What distinguishes us as humans is our search for purpose. As human beings, it is our

challenge and our task to create our own meaning. No one can do this for us. Meaning in life is

not to be seen as a static entity but should be viewed in a developmental perspective. The sources

of meaning differ at various stages in life, and other developmental tasks must precede the

development of meaning. To live without meaning and values provokes considerable distress,

and in its severe form it may lead to the decision for suicide. People decide to live as long as they

experience meaning and value in life; but they may decide to die when meaning and value

Vanishes from life. We each have our own unique philosophy of life and system of personal

ethics. It is true that we may not be exactly sure of what they are. Your system of personal ethics

becomes an attempt to reconcile what ought to be with what is. Each of us, relying on our set of

personal ethics, must decide what is right or wrong for us. There are many alternatives, but each

of us can choose our direction in life. However, we are responsible for the consequences of the

choices we make. A well-defined value system is the basis to personal motivation, selfdetermination,

and a lifestyle with meaning. Our value system should be the control point of our

life, it helps us choose the direction and course we will take. The real values in life are those we

have actually experienced.

I. Find in the Glossary the definitions of the key terms and give their

Russian equivalents.

II. Find in the text words which can be used as terms in other branches

of science. What do they mean?

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III. Answer the following questions:

1. What are some of your partial values which are in the process of being

formed?

2. Does your life right now reflect your values? Explain.

3. Is the time you spend consistent with your priorities?

THEME DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. How would you discuss your personal ethics?

2. What is the ‘good life’ to you?

3. Explain any prejudice you may have.

4. Describe your value orientation as being either thing-oriented, idea-oriented, or

people-oriented.

5. What have been some of the factors that have influenced the development of your

value system?

THEME VIII . LIFE PLANNING

Key terms: risk, need, motive, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, physiological needs, safety and

security needs, esteem needs, self-actualization needs, goals, success, timewaster, chair of

life.

Read the following text and guess the meaning of the key words.

TEXT 1. LEARNING TO TAKE RISKS

If you are ever going to get serious about life planning, you’ll have to take risks. There is simply

no way you can grow without taking chances, because everything you really want in life

involves taking a risk. To live a creative, interesting, challenging, and successful life, you have

to gamble, take some risks, and experiment. To risk is to loosen your grip on the known and the

certain and to reach for something you are not entirely sure of but believe is better than what

you now have, or is at least necessary to survive (David Viscott, 1977). One-half of knowing

what you want in life is knowing what you are willing to give up to have what you want. This

translates into a basic law of life: you also have to give up something. For example, if you go to

college to further your education and career opportunities, you have to give up some time for

study and going to class; if you take a job promotion in another state, you have to give up the

security of your friends and familiar places; if you get married, you have to give up some of your

independence; if you decide to have children, you have to give up some of your personal time; if

you decide to lose some weight, you have to give up some of your high-calorie snack foods; and

if you decide to retire from the world of work, you have to give up a higher paycheck. In every

risk, there is some unavoidable loss, something that has to be given up to move ahead.

Sometimes this can be overwhelming. Many people are terrified by any possible loss and try to

avoid all risks. However, this is the surest way of losing. If you do not risk, risk eventually comes

to you. If a person postpones taking risks, the time eventually comes when he will either be

forced to accept the situation that he doesn’t like or to take a risk unprepared (David Viscott).

The purpose of life planning is not to eliminate risks but to be certain that the risks you take are

the right ones, based on careful thought. There are the following suggestions for more effective

risk taking:

1. Take risks often.

2. Start small. Small risks, with small penalties for failure, may be attempted first. If successful,

you will increase in both self-confidence and knowledge and, therefore, can take on bigger risks.

3. The most appropriate risk is one in which there is a fifty-fifty chance of success or failure.

This means than on the average, you will fail half of the time and succeed half of the time.

4. Prepare for your risks. Do not try to swim the English Channel without studying how it is

done, practicing, getting into shape physically, and obtaining the proper equipment and support

systems. The more experienced and better equipped you are, the more likely that your risk will

succeed. You can control the outcome of your risks by being prepared and well-informed.

I. Find in the Glossary the definitions of the key terms and give their Russian

equivalents.

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II. Find in the text words which can be used as terms in other branches of

science. What do they mean?

III. Answer the following questions:

1. How do you feel about the quality of your life at present time?

2. Have you ever taken risks? What were they?

3. Would you lose if you didn’t take risks?

Read the following text and guess the meaning of the key terms.

TEXT 2. WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?

What is it that causes a person to consider life planning? (1) Need—a lack of something

desirable or useful; to be in want. (2) Motive—something (a need or desire) that causes a person

to act. Actually, the two words are very closely related. When we find ourselves in need of

something, we begin to search for it. Therefore, the need gives us a reason to act—a motive.

Psychologists have said that there is a reason for everything a person does. Therefore, what are

some of these wants and needs that lead people to different types of action? Four basic wants are: