Your core values reflect who you are, bone deep. We don’t determine or set our core values any more than we can change our DNA. Rather, we discover our core values. And the journey to discover who we are is a process, not an event. This document will guide you as you seek to understand who you are.
Remember, this process requires:
- Authenticity
- Introspective reflection
- Discovering what is inside you, bone deep
Core values are not:
- What will maximize your wealth
- What you or the organization aspire to be like
- Words that you like because they sound good or are popular to say
- What outsiders say they should be
Now, think about what your core values might be. Most people have between three and six core values. Remember, this exercise is a process that may take months, not a onetime event.
Phase 1: Start by Reflecting
Ask yourself…
- What do I stand for?
- What am I all about?
Phase 2: Then Go Deeper
The Present — ask yourself…
- Why did I say what I said?
- Why was it important for me to say it that way?
- Why did I do what I just did?
- Why was it important for me to do it that way?
The Past — ask yourself…
- Who, even from an early age, influenced what I said and did?
- When did they influence me?
- Where did they influence me?
- How was I affected by these influencers?
Phase 3: Break-through
Ask yourself…
- What are the things that I have a passion for, things that I get excited about, and things that give me energy?
- What are the things that, when left undone, make me angry, mad, upset, and even foaming at the mouth?
After reviewing your answers to these last two questions…
- Do you see that there are similar words in both lists?
- Now circle the words common to both lists.
- You have just discovered your core values!
- Finally, refine the circled words and list them.