About twenty-five years ago, I listened to the Franklin (now Franklin-Covey) time management series. I was surprised that their first step in managing time was defining my values. They argued that time management is nothing more than prioritization and that prioritization can’t occur unless you know what matters to you.

I developed a list of 15 value statements. Some are pragmatic (financial security, health/fitness) while others are more aspirational (purposefulness, civility, optimism).

They’ve been a great guide-post in my life and in my decision-making. Surprisingly, when I review the list from time to time I find that there is nothing I would add or remove. In fact, the older I get the more these values seem to resonate.

There is a lot of turmoil as we are dealing with a changing, chaotic, and simultaneously growing and shrinking world. Take a moment to step back and write down what you stand for. Create a simple two to three word “headline” and then write down a few sentences describing what that means to you. Then, use these values to guide your decision-making and actions. Give yourself a regular “performance review” to determine whether you are being the person to whom you aspire.

There is a lot that we can’t control these days. That can lead to sadness, anxiety, or anger. But we can always control who we are as long as we know what that is.

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Brad Kolar is an executive consultant, speaker, and author with Avail Advisors. He can be reached at brad.kolar@availadvisors.com.