Why your core, unshakeable values are so important
Curt Mercadante
Helping our clients create impactful influence in their target markets
So, in my two recent articles, we’ve determined what parts of your life need better alignment — and you’ve crafted your vision statement.
Now, it’s time to identify your VALUES.
Values are those non-negotiable principles by which you want to live your life. No ifs, ands, or buts. If your lifestyle, workplace, clients or career don’t align with your values, you aren’t going to be fulfilled. Compromising on your values is a recipe for disaster.
As bestselling author Jim Collins, bestselling author of books including Good to Great and Built to Last, writes:
“It doesn’t matter what core values you have. It matters that you have core values, that you preserve them over time, that you are passionately committed to them, and that you align your behaviors and your organizational practices and structures and strategies with those core values.”
Compromising Your Values
Listen, I’ve compromised on my values in the past — and I have a number of clients who have, as well. We all have, right? We’ve taken that job, that project, that client that didn’t fit our values, because the money was good. We thought it would give us a sense of safety and security.
How’d that turn out?
It’s never turned out well for me. One of the hardest, but most rewarding, things I’ve learned is to say NO to those activities that don’t fit my values.
My #1 value is “Family.” As such, clients, jobs or projects that take me away from my family for an extended period of time — even if “taking me away” simply means mentally — are non-starters.
One of my values is “Fun.” As such, I like to incorporate superhero themes into my writing, my videos and some of my sales materials. I’m sure this turns off some potential clients. I just don’t care. Because clients that are against adding fun into their day are not clients that I want to work with.
Compromising your values is a way of settling. It will leave you out of alignment in the long term and divert you from the type of person you want to be.
Don’t Separate ‘Company’ Values and ‘Your’ Values
If you’re an agency founder, entrepreneur, solopreneur, business owner (whatever you want to call yourself) — don’t have one set of values for your company and another set for yourself.
You own the company. You’ve built the company. The company should reflect you and your values. Trust me. I know. As I wrote above, two of my values are “Family” and “Fun”, and I first built a PR/ad agency in which I was having no fun and not seeing enough of my family.
Having my values out of alignment with my company’s values led to a sense of overwhelm, frustration, and unhappiness. The money was great, but I was miserable. This frustration was caused by a number of factors, but a big, giant one was the fact that the company I had built was clashing with my personal values.
My Values
Here are my Top Ten Values:
- Family
- Fun
- Faith
- Emotional Wellbeing
- Health
- Impact
- Learning
- Creativity
- Autonomy
Please note that family is always #1 — but the others are in no particular order. The important part isn’t the order, but rather knowing them and refusing to budge on them.
To quote Winston Churchill (who, yes, said this in a much different circumstance), when it comes to your values:
“Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never-in nothing, great or small, large or petty - never give in.”
Identifying Your Core Values
Keeping that in mind, here’s a simple exercise to help you define your values:
First, click here for a worksheet with a list of values. Then:
1. Circle your Top 10 Values.
2. Put an X next to the Top 5.
- How do your values match up with your current lifestyle, workplace, or career?
- How do your values align with your vision statement?
- How do your values match up with the facets of your life that are out of alignment?
- If your current situation doesn't match up with your values and your vision — are you ready to change?
- If so, what specifically are you ready to change?
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Replen Team Fulfillment Associate at TechStyle Fashion Group; (primarily MHE) - I strive to lead by example, and treat everyone with respect.
6 年Good points. We have company core values that we discuss often and promote with the teams but it is easy to overlook our own personal core values which are also just as important to maintain. And agree 100% with your number one. I say it all the time to my team when they mention needing to take care of something outside of work, "Family first; and that's the way it should always be."
Director TAR Distribution
6 年Great read, Curt! It was a good reminder for me. It's far too easy to get busy and to allow "things", ie values, priorities, etc. to get out of order. Thanks again and keep crush'n it! BH
Experienced Client Relations Professional, Leader and Entrepreneur
6 年Great read Curt! I share many of your values. The one that I really love on your list is Impact. That's not one that you hear from a lot of people, but it is a great one!