How do you align your values with your social impact work?

1 Identify your core values

Your core values are the principles that guide your decisions and actions. They reflect what matters most to you and what you stand for. To align your values with your social impact work, you need to first identify them clearly and honestly. You can use various tools and exercises to help you with this process, such as the Values in Action Inventory, the Personal Values Assessment, or the Life Values Inventory. These tools can help you rank your values, explore their meanings, and assess how well they match your current situation.

2 Choose a social impact area

Once you have a clear sense of your core values, you can use them to narrow down your options and choose a social impact area that resonates with you. For example, if you value justice, you might be drawn to human rights or anti-corruption work. If you value creativity, you might be interested in arts and culture or innovation work. If you value compassion, you might want to work in health or education. You can research different social impact areas and organizations, talk to people who work in them, and learn about their missions, visions, and values.

3 Align your skills and interests

Another way to align your values with your social impact work is to align your skills and interests with the needs and opportunities of the social impact area you choose. You might have skills and interests that are directly relevant to the social impact work, such as teaching, research, advocacy, or design. Or you might have skills and interests that are transferable or complementary, such as communication, project management, or data analysis. You can use your skills and interests to find your niche, contribute your value, and enjoy your work.

4 Seek feedback and support

Aligning your values with your social impact work is not a one-time event, but an ongoing process. You might encounter situations where your values are challenged, questioned, or compromised. You might also experience burnout, frustration, or doubt. To maintain your alignment, you need to seek feedback and support from others who share your values and goals. You can join networks, communities, or mentors who can offer you advice, encouragement, or inspiration. You can also seek feedback from your beneficiaries, partners, or stakeholders who can help you evaluate your impact and improve your work.

5 Reflect and adapt

Finally, aligning your values with your social impact work requires you to reflect and adapt regularly. You need to check in with yourself and ask yourself if you are still aligned with your values, your social impact area, your skills and interests, and your feedback and support. You also need to be open to change and learning, as your values, your social impact work, and the world around you might evolve over time. You can use tools such as journals, surveys, or portfolios to document your reflections and adaptations.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?