Knowing your values

Hi there,

Over the years, I’ve worked with plenty of people wading through change, uncertainty and even adversity. And I noticed something about those who found their way to success on the other side. Success came, not because they pursued it, but because they kept their focus on?what’s important to them.?Of course, I heard about visions, missions, and big hairy goals – but the thing that really stood out was their crystal clarity on their?values.

While this might sound simple, it’s far from easy. In fact, cutting through the noise, tuning into your values and finding the discipline to take action in line with them may just be one of life’s ultimate tests.

But I’m here to tell you that it’s a test worth taking, especially if you’re hoping to change something about the way you work and live.?

Being sure of your values…

• guides good decisions about what to do next, even amidst uncertainty
• helps you respond to difficult situations in ways that serve you in the long run
• allows you to find meaning in what you do and opportunity that excites you

And the ultimate outcome of values-based-action is well researched. People who follow their values are much more likely to experience better psychological health and wellbeing throughout their lives.

HOW TO FIGURE OUT YOUR VALUES

To get you started, there are three steps I recommend:

STEP 1: Reflect on what you value.

I find it helpful to flip the question from 'what are your values?' to 'what do you value?'. Ask yourself:?what do you value in the way you live and in what you see in others? It’s a big question to answer, so here are a few points to reflect on to help you along the way...?

• Think about times when you were proud of how you handled a situation.
• Think about times in work – like meetings, workshops, and presentations – where you’ve observed others getting things done successfully and in a way that you respect.?
• Think about times when you felt you were at your best.?

For each of these situations, pick a word that describes?what you valued?in how things played out.

• Also, sometimes recognising the things that we don’t value can help us clarify what we do. So, think about a situation where something just didn’t feel right to you. Was there something you felt you had to compromise on? What was it?

STEP 2: Make a list.

Use these reflections to see if you can find a list of values that feel right to you. Looking through a list and picking out the words that resonate most for you might also help. Here’s one I made earlier. Feel free to use it for inspiration. And then follow these pointers:

• Start with a long list

You’re aiming for a list of about 5 – 10 values. Your first attempt might yield far more. And that’s OK. I have one of these too – I call it my values long list.

• Make your short list: what you value, no matter what

Once you’re happy with your long list, it’s time to whittle it down to a short list. Spend some time figuring out which values you want to live by – no matter what. I have found the most effective way of doing this is to be aware of what values are guiding you as you make decisions in your everyday life. You’ll start to notice that there are certain ones you just can’t and won’t compromise on. These are the ones to keep on the short list.

• Trust that your values will guide you, even when you’re in the dark

Don’t discard your long list. It’s all part of who you are – the rich colour and texture of how you want to live your life. But we all know life isn’t always full of rich color and texture.??It’s those top 5 – 10 ‘no matter what’ values that will guide you, even when you’re in the dark.

STEP 3: Translate your values into action.?

Once you’ve got your list, stick it on your office-wall/ desktop/ fridge and use it as a guide to your daily decisions. For example, I value humour. So, I will seek out something funny to brighten up a challenging day. Or, I value collaboration, so I will give a colleague a call when I'm stuck on a problem.

The more actions you take in line with your values, the more your experience of life will reflect them. So even when things feel uncertain, you can create your own certainty - knowing that each little action is a building block in a life full of your most valued experiences.

And lastly, remember this...

‘Success, like happiness, cannot be pursued. It can only ensue.’ – Victor Frankl.

Success that comes from a working life guided by your values will be success by your measure and no-one else’s.?

And, to me, that sounds like a pretty good mantra in the quest to change our working lives for the better.?

PS: If you’re interested in thinking a bit differently about how we measure success, I talk about it a bit more in this video from my Linkedin Learning course.

This newsletter is a part of a series to help you find ways to change your experience of work for the better. Subscribe and you'll find it in your inbox every other week.