Core Values & Work

“When your values are clear to you, making decisions becomes easier.” — Roy Disney

We don’t have to search long to find an article about the importance of identifying and using our core values to enjoy a happy and fulfilling life.

Our values are things we believe are important in the way we live. They determine - or should determine - our priorities and are measures of how satisfied or dissatisfied we are with life or an aspect of life, like work.

Values exist whether we recognize them or not. When the things we do and the way we behave match our values, life is generally good, and we’re satisfied. But when they are not aligned, that’s when things feel off, and we can be unhappy.

For example, if “family” is a value for you, but you find yourself working 70-hour weeks or traveling often, you may feel stressed and dissatisfied. Or, if you value “personal development,” but your work doesn’t offer you room for growth, then you could feel bored and unhappy.

Good news! Discovering your personal values is not hard. This short exercise can help you identify what means the most to you to help offer guidance for important decisions.
(adapted from Taproot - www.taproot.com/archives/37771).

Determine Your Core Values - From the list below, choose and write down every core value that resonates with you. Don‘t overthink your choice, just jot down the values that you connect with. If you think of a value that is not on the list, write it down.

Group All Similar Values Together from the List of Values You Just Created - group them in a way that makes sense to you and create a maximum of five groupings. See the example below.

Choose One Word in Each Group that Represents the Label for the Entire Group - again, don’t overthink your labels – there are no right or wrong answers — just what makes sense for you. See the example below – the label chosen for the grouping is in bold.

Add a Verb to Each Value Label - bring your value to life with an action verb and then keep these values where you can see them to guide your decisions.

Live in freedom.
Seek opportunities for making a difference.
Act with mindfulness.
Promote well-being.
Multiply happiness.

If you would like to explore your career transition in more depth, please contact my colleague Caroline Anzur (caroline@carolineanzur.com). Caroline is a certified professional coach focusing on transformational coaching and leadership. She is passionate about helping others purposely define their lives by connecting to and creating from the things that matter most to them. Caroline knows first-hand that the path to something new is worth exploring and that there are always more possibilities for each of us.