What are your Core Values?

Our values are important and following them is one of the keys to success (and even happiness). This week I am getting some training, and learning is one of my values.

When our actions (and words) come into alignment with our core values, life is generally good, and we feel content, confident and satisfied. But when our behaviors don’t match up with our values, we soon begin to experience a sense of uneasiness and discomfort in our soul (mind and emotions).  We are not living out of authenticity.  We are not full of integrity.  We need to know our whys, as Simon Sinek says so well.

Making a deliberate and conscious attempt to identify which of our core values are of greatest importance to us, is crucial if we are to keep your anxiety levels low and our sense of self-awareness high.

Regardless of whether we acknowledge our values or not, they are there, and they do influence every decision and action we take in life. Our lives become far more productive, and far more stress-free when we acknowledge our core values and live by them - regardless of the circumstances and life situations we encounter. Below is a values list from Brené Brown.

LIST OF VALUES  (from Brené Brown)

Accountability Achievement Adaptability Adventure Altruism Ambition Authenticity Balance Beauty Being the best Belonging Career Caring Collaboration Commitment Community Compassion Competence Confidence Connection Contentment Contribution Cooperation Courage Creativity Dignity Diversity Environment Efficiency Equality Ethics Excellence Fairness Faith Family Financial stability Forgiveness Freedom Friendship Fun 

Future generations Generosity Giving back Grace Gratitude Growth Harmony Health
Home Honesty Hope Humility Humor Inclusion Independence Integrity Initiative Intuition
Job security Joy
Justice Kindness Knowledge Leadership Learning Legacy Leisure
Love Loyalty Making a difference Openness Optimism Order Nature Parenting Patriotism Patience Peace Perseverance Personal fulfillment 

Power
Pride Recognition Reliability Respect Resourcefulness Responsibility Risk-taking Safety Security Self-discipline Self-expression Self-respect Serenity Service Simplicity Spirituality Sportsmanship Stewardship Success
Time Teamwork Thrift Tradition Travel
Trust
Truth Understanding Uniqueness Usefulness Vision Vulnerability Wealth Well-being Wholeheartedness Wisdom 

This is not exhaustive, BTW.

Copyright © 2015 by Brené Brown, LLC 

Now, answer the questions below to help you begin to find your core values. 

Remember to state what is important NOW – not how you would like them to be, or how you feel they should be at some point in the future. 

Complete honesty is crucial to become clear about what you value the most in life:

1) What is most important to you in your work?

2) What is most important to you in your relationships?

3) What is most important to you in your social life?

4) What do you look for in a new relationship?

5) What do you look for in social groups or events to attend?

6) What do you want from your future relationships?

7) What do you want from your life as a whole?

Next, try and do this exercise to find your core values:

1.     From the list above from Brené Brown, choose and star every core value that resonates with you.  Do not overthink your selection.  As you read through the list, simply star the words that feel like a core value to you personally.  If you think of a value you possess that is not on the list, write it down next to the list.

2.     Group all similar values together from the list of values you just created. Group them in a way that makes sense to you, personally.  Create a maximum of five groupings.  

If you have more than five groupings, drop the least important grouping(s).  See the example below.

3.     Choose one word within each grouping that represents the label for the entire group. Again, do not overthink your labels – there are no right or wrong answers.  You are defining the answer that is right for you. See the example below – the label chosen for the grouping is bolded.

4.     Add a verb to each value so you can see what it looks like as a actionable core value, for example:

·       Live in freedom.

·       Seek opportunities for making a difference.

·       Act with mindfulness.

·       Promote well-being.

·       Multiply happiness.

This will guide you in the actions you need to take to feel like you are truly living on purpose. 

5.     Finally, write your core values in order of priority so they are available as an easy reference when you are faced with decisions.  Make a poster, write them on a post-it. Put them on your vision board, whatever is good for you.  I would take a photo for each one and send myself postcards.

For example:

1. Live in freedom.

2. Act with mindfulness.

3. Promote well-being.

4. Multiply happiness.

5. Seek opportunities for making a difference.

If we can get to the place where we show up as our genuine selves, and let each other see who we really are, the awe-inspiring ripple effect will change the world. ~ Terrie M. Williams

The most important thing you can do for your personal success today is to know your core values and use them to guide and lead you.  Know your why, and as Simon Sinek says, “Start with your why”.

Knowing core values is important because when we need to choose or decide something, we can do so easily by simply determining if the choice lines up with our true values.  A life lined-up with personal values is a well-lived, purpose-filled life.

May your week be filled with the knowledge of your values and your whys.  May you be congruent, authentic, and full of integrity.

Patricia Jehle                patricia@jehle-coaching.com