What are your core values?
Whether it’s business or personal, being clear on your values is integral to the work you bring into the world.
When you’re not clear on your values, you can easily wind up in situations that run counter-current to who you are at your core. These situations are inherently exhausting – they force you to swim against your natural way of being, which takes a tremendous amount of energy.
Think about your experiences working with companies, colleagues or clients that felt draining. If you look closely, I’ll bet you’ll identify at least one way your core values were being compromised or challenged.
The thing about core values – they rarely change. When you find yourself in a situation where your values are compromised, it’s best to get out of that situation as quickly as possible.
Knowing your core values is foundational to your success. They also speak to your VALUE – the unique combination of strengths & perspective you bring to the table.
If you want to get clear on your values, an easy place to start is with the Values In Action survey, a free assessment which will provide you a ranked list of your top values.
If you want to go a step further, take your top 3-4 values and use them to craft a personal mission statement.
For example, my top values are creativity, love of learning, leadership, and judgement. My personal mission statement is “To bring creativity, perspective wisdom, leadership, and love of learning into everything I do for others.”
These values flow into my vision for my life and business, and the work I do in the world. They influence how I make decisions, and how I feel when I’m aligned with integrity.
When I’m in my Zone of Genius, I’m fully expressing my values. When things feel icky, it’s because I’ve drifted off course from them.
I can’t overstate this – knowing your core values is foundational to your success.