Values in Practice: Action
Have you ever felt a surge of energy when working on a project that truly resonates with you? Or experienced a deep sense of unease when asked to do something that doesn't sit right?
These moments can signal an alignment or misalignment with our core values. But how do we bridge the gap between knowing our values and living them out in our daily lives?
In my last post, I described how your core values can be used as a framework to amplify your awareness by focusing on specific areas that are important to you.
This post explores how your core values can also be used as a lens to enable action, and how they can be used to turn abstract values into concrete, impactful behaviors.
Small actions can have profound impacts
Early in my career as a software developer, I faced a choice that would shape my approach to problem-solving. A librarian reported a bug in a report they regularly used. I could have simply fixed the error and moved on, ticking off another resolved ticket. But something nagged at me - a curiosity about the bigger picture.
I made a deliberate decision to dig deeper. Instead of just sending a "fixed it" email, I asked to observe how the librarian actually used this report. What I discovered was eye-opening: a time-consuming manual process that the librarian had never thought to question.
With this insight, I was able to automate most of their workflow, turning hours of tedious work into a matter of minutes. The librarian was thrilled, as they were now free to focus on more impactful tasks.
This decision to meet with the librarian is what I now think of as "unlocking possibilities."
Making this choice didn't make my life easier or more efficient; in fact, it increased my workload and was not something I ever received recognition for. Yet over 20 years later, it stands out as an example of how what could have been another forgettable day at work was transformed into something I'm still proud of decades later.
That's how small actions that align with your core values can create a lasting sense of satisfaction and deep fulfillment.
Understanding our values is enlightening, but acting on them is transformative. When we align our actions with our core values, we not only feel more authentic but also more fulfilled. This alignment can guide our decision-making, shape our career paths, and influence our daily interactions.
Here are some thoughts and examples of how I've been able to deliberately take actions that align with my values and benefit from that satisfaction.
Create principles for action
While understanding our core values is crucial, translating them into everyday behaviors can be challenging. This is where creating principles for action comes in. Principles act as a bridge between our abstract values and concrete actions, providing us with practical guidelines for decision-making and behavior.
Think of values as the destination, and principles as the map that guides us there. Let's break this down with a concrete example using one of my core values:
By creating these principles, we give ourselves pragmatic guides for how to act in alignment with our values. They serve as decision-making tools, helping us navigate complex situations with clarity and consistency.
To create your own principles, take each of your core values and ask yourself:
Remember, the goal isn't to create an exhaustive list of rules, but to develop a set of guiding principles that make your values actionable. Start with a few key principles for each value, and refine them as you put them into practice.
By creating these principles for action, you're not just articulating your values – you're creating a practical framework for living them out every day. As you implement these principles, you may find that your understanding of your values deepens, leading to even more refined and effective principles over time.
Your satisfaction is enough
I've always had a distaste for purely intellectual or academic exercises. My heart yearns for work that has a real, tangible impact on the world around me.
But here's the thing: I also absolutely love the activity of 'integration.'
For me, integration - the process of bringing different elements together into a cohesive whole - brings that same level of deep satisfaction I imagine people must get when they complete the NYT crossword puzzle (I'm just making an assumption since despite attempts, I've never actually completed one myself!).
However, in the past, I've sometimes been my own biggest obstacle. I'd make assumptions that the result of my integration efforts wouldn't be used or appreciated, so why bother?
But through this journey of exploring my core values, I've had a revelation: the satisfaction I get from the process of integration is reason enough to do it. It doesn't matter if the end result is used or not; the act itself aligns with my values and brings me fulfillment.
With this new awareness, I've been actively seeking out opportunities to apply my integration skills. I share my insights with teammates, and who knows? It might lead to something interesting (hello, unlocking possibilities!). But even if it doesn't, the satisfaction I get from the process is more than enough reason to keep at it.
Promoting yourself authentically
In today's competitive job market, self-promotion is a necessary evil. We're all trying to stand out from the crowd, and sometimes that can lead to some... creative interpretations of our experiences.
I've had conversations with recruiters who've told me it's common practice to 'massage the truth' a bit. You know, taking examples from multiple projects and presenting them as one cohesive experience to better showcase your skills. I get it - it's about crafting a compelling narrative, and I don't judge others who choose this route.
But for me, because openness is such a foundational value , attempts to embellish my experiences like this cause me great distress. It's not about being stubborn or rigidly principled; it feels more like a physical impossibility.
I can pinpoint exact moments in my career where this commitment to radical honesty has held me back from opportunities.
Recently, though, I had an insight during an interview for an informal volunteer role within my company. As I was responding to questions, I found myself naturally connecting my experiences to my core values. Suddenly, I was able to promote myself authentically, without compromising my commitment to openness.
Because our values are so deeply personal, it was surprisingly easy to have this conversation. After all, it's much easier to talk passionately about what truly matters to you!
Regardless of whether I get the role or not, being able to promote myself authentically has provided me a deep sense of satisfaction.
Explore how, not what
Publishing this series of posts has also been a source of great satisfaction for me, but perhaps not for the reasons you might expect. Yes, there's a little thrill each time I hit the 'publish' button, but the real satisfaction doesn't come from the finished article. Instead, it's in the invisible (to you, dear reader) process of creating each post.
There's some satisfaction from being able to practice openness by sharing specific examples from my life to illustrate ideas. There's some fulfillment in knowing that these posts might create opportunities to unlock possibilities for others.
But the biggest source of satisfaction? It's in iterating on a framework for writing.
I'm not a naturally gifted writer. My non-linear style of thinking that brings so much satisfaction through integration often struggles to fit itself into the linear narrative that text demands.
My natural skills lie more in the abstract: so I've leaned into that, building out a specific structured process for how I write each post. It starts with an initial brain dump of ideas, moves to structuring key concepts, and finally to drafting a structure and content.
In short, it's the process of how I create each post that provides me with satisfaction rather than the final result itself. It's a reminder that often, the journey is just as important as the destination.
Create a values-based 5-year plan
We've all probably taken a stab at building out our 5-year plan. So often, these plans focus on external achievements - getting a promotion, buying a home, getting married, and so on.
My experience has been that the plans never stick; they're not something that I can truly feel motivated about. And even when I've achieved goals I've set, the sense of achievement has been fleeting, not sustaining.
But what if we flipped the script and framed our long-term goals through the lens of our core values instead?
Imagine setting a 5-year vision based on achieving an 'ideal' state balanced across all your values. How would it feel if in 5 years you had achieved deep satisfaction and fulfillment from embodying your values on a regular basis?
For me, thinking about my future from this values-based perspective has been transformative. It's shifted my mindset from setting goals because "it's the right thing to do" to being genuinely excited about the possibilities these goals might unlock.
This approach puts us in the driver's seat of our own growth. Instead of seeing change as something that happens to us, we become the agents of change in our own lives. It's about intentionally shaping our future around what truly matters to us.
By aligning our goals with our values, we're not just working towards external markers of success. We're creating a roadmap for a life that feels authentically ours, filled with purpose and meaning. And isn't that what we're all really after?
Use values as a catalyst for action
Have you ever had a thought, found yourself hesitating, and then ultimately not acting, even if the task itself seems minor? We've all been there. That moment of hesitation can often be the barrier between thought and action, between intention and impact.
This is where your values can step in as a powerful motivator. Let your core values act as the final boost you might need to take action. When you find yourself in that moment of hesitation, ask yourself: "Does this decision align with my values in any way?" If the answer is yes, take the plunge and see what happens.
I've started using this heuristic as a way to encourage myself to take action, and it's already yielding results. Just today, it prompted me to invite colleagues to an industry event I thought they might find valuable (aligning with my value of unlocking possibilities for others) and to reach out to a workmate for feedback on a project (aligning with my values of craftsmanship and openness).
This simple practice of using your values as a decision-making tool can help overcome inertia and turn thoughts into actions. It's not about pressuring yourself to do everything, but rather about recognizing opportunities to live your values in small, everyday ways.
By letting your values be the gentle nudge that moves you from hesitation to action, you're not only more likely to act but also to act in ways that are deeply aligned with who you are and what matters most to you. This alignment can bring a sense of purpose and satisfaction to even the smallest tasks, creating a positive feedback loop that reinforces your connection to your values.
Closing thoughts
Living our values isn't about grand gestures - it's about consistent, everyday choices. By consciously applying our values to small decisions, we create a ripple effect that can lead to significant changes in our lives and the lives of those around us.
Now, imagine a workforce where everyone is empowered to act on their core values. How might this change organizational cultures? How could it drive innovation and positive change?
While we can't control entire systems, by embodying our values, we can influence our immediate environments and inspire others to do the same.
The journey of aligning our actions with our values is ongoing, and it starts with small, intentional steps.
Here's a challenge to kickstart your journey:
Remember, the power to create meaningful change lies in these seemingly small choices. By consciously aligning our actions with our values, we not only enhance our own sense of purpose and satisfaction but also contribute to creating a more authentic and values-driven world.
I'd love to hear about your experiences: How have you put your core values into action? What challenges have you faced, and how have you overcome them?
Share your insights in the comments—your story could be the inspiration someone else needs to take that crucial first step.