What Are Your Values?
Written by James
Hey Tribe,
Welcome back!
In the age of the Internet, we are in a luxurious position to have access to more resources supporting your self-improvement than ever before.
With so much information available, it can be difficult to focus on what is most valuable to you.
In one of my previous articles, McProgram, I discussed the problem following content blindly – if you lack the appropriate character, then following a mapped-out program does not necessarily mean achieving the end goal the program sets out.
My own personal experiences of trying and failing with programs have been because my character did not align with the values of the creators.
As someone who is more introverted and reflective, following the approach of a guru who is extroverted and impulsive just does not work for me.
Therefore, when looking at content to spend my money on, I always think
“Will this work for me?”
And this can only be answered by having an appreciation of your personality.
Identifying values is a good start to achieving this.
…
If you’ve ever worked a corporate job, your employer has probably championed the importance of the organisation values.
I’ve spent many an hour filling in paperwork, justifying in my annual review how my performance matched these values.
And the number of job interviews I’ve attended having to think of examples of performing tasks that meet company values!
An organisation uses values as a guideline for it’s personal ethos and is a great filter to ensure they appoint the right people aligned to these beliefs.
If an organisation takes time to identify its values, shouldn’t you?
Understanding your values helps you identify:
• what matters to me?
• what drives me?
• what do I enjoy?
Exercise – Find your values…
If you do not know what your values are, then I challenge you to follow this simple exercise to identify these.
Write down at least 12 words describing your personality and what you enjoy – if you are struggling for value types please use this link for ideas.
When you have done this, look at how you have described yourself:
Are any of the values similar and reoccurring?
Are there any values that appeal more than others?
This will help break down what your priorities are – pick three or four and write a short statement explaining what these values mean to you.
Once you complete this task, keep these values saved and reflect on regularly, so as you go through life and ask yourself
“Am I staying aligned to my values?”
It’s easy to fall off track on your values, so having these in mind allows you to prioritise based on tasks matching character and ensure goals set are your beliefs, not someone else’s.
Overall recognising your values is good practice to understand a bit more who you are as a person.
…
Has knowing my own values helped me?
In short, yes.
It has given me a greater understanding of the decisions I make and provided clear alignment, allowing me to make better decisions in how I spend my time.
In my career development this has given me a greater sense of fulfilment, avoiding roles that do not balance with my values, focusing on positions where I get the opportunity to do more of what I enjoy, more often.
And if you are wondering, my values are creativity, integrity and people focused.
What are your values?
Until next time,