Value of the Month - Limitation/Celebration
Definition*: Recognition that personal limits are the framework for exercising one's talent. The ability to laugh at one's own imperfections.
Discussion: Some might say this value is "preceded" by its cousin, Limitation/Acceptance. But in Limitation/Celebration, one moves from a level of somewhat passive resignation to a dynamic re-assertion of the self and one's personal mission. There can be clarity and energy in knowing where one can't go.
Example/Exemplar: While no specific general example comes to mind, in truth this value can be leveraged quite frequently; sometimes it arises under the guise of the process of elimination. The cataclysmic BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico doesn't qualify for anything near celebration as of this writing but there have been gains made in knowing what doesn't work.
Much like the scientific experiment process, Limitation/Celebration indicates we have moved beyond the point of multiple failures and closer to our goal. By focusing on what is working, perhaps from an Appreciative Inquiry stance, we know we are closer to our aims, goals and intentions and can experience a liberating sense of progress and validation as we continue to move forward.
* All Values names and definitions are taken from Values Shift by Dr. Brian Hall (2006) and the Values Map (posted in our Resource Center).
