Value and Worth

Worthy or Valuable

Learning the difference between worth and value

You Can’t Take It with You

I want to cover a topic that has become important to me throughout my journey with metastatic breast cancer. Value and worth … two words that seem like they have similar meanings.

But oh … they are so very different when you really dig into them.

Value Is External

Value is something that has a quantifiable measure, reflecting the perceived or actual benefit derived from an item or service. Things like a home, a car, a salary, and even jewelry. Value can be measured in dollars or perceived benefit—you know, like the price tag on that engagement ring or the dollar amount of your salary and the benefits, such as insurance, that you receive.

When I faced having to leave my career, I truly thought my life would no longer have value. I had worked so hard for 35 years to establish myself as a successful professional that I had tethered my value to my career. If I weren’t earning a salary and working my way through life, then what good would I be?

I knew that I couldn’t just sit around and wait for cancer to finish me off.

At the same time, I knew that I could no longer work due to the fatigue, neuropathy, and a host of other physical issues that are results of life-long cancer treatment.

Needless to say, I thought I’d be completely worthless.

Ahhh … but I was wrong. Worth has NOTHING to do with value. They are NOT the same!

The jewelry in my photo this week doesn’t have much value, but it’s worth so much to me. Each piece represents something important to me … my wedding rings, my medical ID bracelet, my beads that represent the metastatic breast cancer ribbon colors.

Worth is Invaluable

Unlike value, worth is something that has intrinsic importance or usefulness, and it’s often subjective and qualitative. Sure, “worth” in theory can have a price tag. But when you look deeper, it is really what something or someone means to us and what our lives reflect.

In other words, worth is invaluable!

The original (and current) meaning of invaluable is “valuable beyond estimation.” The word describes something so precious that one cannot assign a price to it.

So my ability to no longer work a regular job with regular hours and pay did not mean I had no value. It simply meant that I needed to define my worth!

Through living out this life sentence of metastatic breast cancer, I have discovered that I have a lot of worth left in me. I can positively affect others’ views of this disease and influence them to get involved in supporting my advocacy.

I am still a wife and can contribute to my household in more meaningful ways, such as housekeeping and cooking. (You might not want to ask my husband how much I am worth as a cook, though!)

I am still a mother who has the joy and privilege of pouring into my adult children’s lives and growing closer to them emotionally.

And I get to be an advocate for metastatic breast cancer research, funding, and legislative policies. I also have the honor of mentoring others as they navigate their own lives with cancer—all while traveling more than I ever have and taking more naps than ever!

So I’m not invaluable. My worth is priceless … and so is yours.

Weekly Challenge

Wherever you are in your life’s journey, it’s time to re-evaluate your worth. It’s not your job itself; you could have that taken away tomorrow, and you would still be here. What really matters to you—where do you feel you make a difference?

In what areas do you feel you are leaving a lasting imprint on someone else?

What are you giving back to your community, your church, your family, and yourself?

THAT’S worth my friend.  And you are worth the time to define it!

Until next week … go forth. Be exceptional!

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For any inquiries, please contact:

Debbie Goforth

Email  [email protected]

Website  www.goforthpurpose.com