For this Post, let us take on the persona of a child, a pre-teen.  We begin with something every child knows:  DISAPPOINTMENT!   We have all been disappointed in some way.  What causes disappointment?  Why would we become disappointed?  The primary reason we become disappointed is because our EXPECTATIONS are not fulfilled.  When expectations are fulfilled, we are happy.

On a piece of paper please make 4 columns.  The right column would be titled, “Criteria of Fulfillment.”  This is measurable.  Our emotional feelings of disappointment or happy reflect the outcome.  No iPhone under the Christmas tree or Hanukah menorah and we have tears and sobbing.  What prompted those tears or happy smiles depend on whether our expectations were fulfilled...  or not.
 
As you might guess, the third column is titled, “Expectations.”  This sets out the specifications for fulfillment.  This is what gives the fourth column the capability of being measured.

The second column is entitled “Beliefs.”  It is our belief that because we do not have an iPhone and we have asked for one, and we are of the proper age to have an iPhone, and all of our peers have one, that we should get one for Christmas/Hanukah/birthday or whatever occasion.  Little do we know is that we have assumed that because every peer has an iPhone that if we ask for one, we will get one for this special occasion.  But! we have not discussed this assumption with our parents.  Ahhhh, assumptions are the fountainhead of much grief and anguish.  So assumptions are undisclosed, assumed beliefs. 

Our beliefs are something that are usually shared with most everyone, with few exceptions, so that we also accept our assumptions hold the same weight.  But that is surely not always true.  Our beliefs emanate from our values, at least how we interpret those values.  Because this special occasion is something that is shared by most of our peers, our parents and our community, we KNOW the values of this special occasion involve generosity, sharing, giving, receiving, fulfillment of cherished wishes and desires and even sometimes our needs.  Please write “Values” in the first column.  Values drive everything to the right of the Values Column. 

When we insert the values of social sustainability, (quality of life, growth and equality) into the first column, then everything to the right is validated (cross-checked) by those values as being socially sustainable or not.  Easy peasy, huh?