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It’s obvious to most of us that, clearly, former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer missed an important step in the process of becoming a successful person. Like many before him, he resigned in a sex scandal that has created a media frenzy.

This kind of thing has happened to many people before him.  It seems political sex scandals have become de’regur these days. Between being caught with their pants down and their hands in the till, it’s a tough time for politicians who say one thing and do another.

When former President, Bill Clinton was asked why people in power would risk it all by doing something stupid and shameful, he remarked that, in his case, it was “because I could.”

That’s part of the problem for, not only politicians but movie and rock stars alike.

I remember a while back speaking with my, then, Congressman, Mike Fitzpatrick shortly after his election. Mike is a really decent guy with strong family values and a good head on his shoulders. It must be the Irish in him:-)

Something he said really stuck with me. After being in Washington for a while, he remarked, “Jim, a person had better know who he is when he gets here or he’s in trouble”

It’s been said that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

In the personal development seminars I do, I use an exercise to uncover a person’s hierarchy of values. I start by asking, “What’s most important to you in your life?”

Our values are what drives our behavior in any given situation. While we tend to have several, there are usually one or two that are more important than the rest. These are the ones we cannot violate if we want to feel and be happy and fulfilled.

Clearly, Mr. Spitzer either never completed a personal growth program or had conflicting values (like personal pleasure and responsibility). Perhaps, he was just willing to override what should have been his higher values. For someone in his position, you’d have expected that values like family, responsibility to the people, and his career would have taken precedent over a brief period of personal pleasure.

My heart goes out to his family during this time. Hopefully he, too, will find a way to make amends.

In situations like these, it’s important to remember, “Let he who is wthout sin among us, cast the first stone.”

We all, at one time or another,  have done things we’re not proud of. Of course, most of us do it less publicly.

By taking the time to uncover your own values – what drives your behavior – you will be in a position to better understand yourself and will know what to do in any given situation.

Tags:eliot spitzer,new york newsday,personal development,values