Many of us think that just because we value something, achieving it will enhance our quality of life. We think, "I'll be happy and fulfilled when I make more money . . . when I get recognition for my talent . . . when I acquire an expensive home or a new car . . . when I finish my college degree."

    But the focus on values is one of the major illusions of the traditional time management approach. It is content without context. It has us envisioning success, setting goals, climbing ladders without understanding the true north realities these efforts must be based on to be effective. It essentially says, "'First things' are your priorities. You decide what you value and go after it in an efficient way." This can lead to arrogance — to thinking we're a law unto ourselves, and to looking at other people as 'things' or as resources to help us accomplish what we want to do.

    Values will not bring quality of life results . . . unless we value principles. A vital part is the humility to realize there are "first things" that are independent of our values. Quality of life is a function of the extent to which we make these "first things" our "first things" and become empowered to actually put them first in our lives. It is also the humility to recognize that quality of life is not 'me,' it is 'us' —that we live in an interdependent reality of abundance and potential that can only be realized when we interact with others in fully authentic, synergistic ways.

    All the wishing and even all the work in the world, if it's not based on valid principles, will not produce quality of life results. It's not enough to dream. It's not enough to try. It's not enough to set goals or climb ladders. It's not enough to value. The effort has to be based on practical realities that produce the result. Only then can we dream, set goals, and work to achieve them with confidence.