“Carefully watch your thoughts, for they become your words. Manage and watch your words, for they will become your actions. Consider and judge your actions, for they have become your habits. Acknowledge and watch your habits, for they shall become your values. Understand and embrace your values, for they become your destiny.”
Mahatma Gandhi
There is so much wisdom in this quote. Each sentence can and should be unpacked and thought through with great care and intention. To turn this into action begin with the last sentence and work through this question:
What are my values?
Once you have captured these clearly then you can attack the sentences in order but always through the lens of your values.
Are my thoughts reflective of my values?
Are my words reflective of my values?
Are my actions reflective of my values?
Are my habits reflective of my values?
Are my values reflective of the legacy I want to leave?
To live a life of authenticity one must start with the values and build everything up from that. Otherwise life is happenstance and accidental. Which is no way to live.