By Joseph L. Badaracco — 2006
We have all experienced, at one time or another, situations in which our professional responsibilities unexpectedly come into conflict with our deepest values.
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CLEAR ALL
You will never figure out “how” until you are clear on “why.”
As humans, we all have a set of core values—the virtues and principles that are most important to us. While the first step is to determine what your core values are, it is the act of living in alignment with them that can create freedom and power.
Are you stuck in a rut? Or maybe you just don’t feel motivated by your everyday life? It’s an all too common feeling with a simple explanation; you’re just going through the motions without paying attention to what’s important.
As I sit here writing this, I am still in the middle of a huge shift in my life, a shift that has seen me move from living by other people’s values and expectations to identifying and living by my own.
There are several questions you can ask yourself to help you figure out what values will make you happy.
What’s most important to you? Your core values determine how you answer this question. Our core values highlight what we stand for. Core values guide our behaviors, decisions, and action.
Knowing your personal core values is one way of connecting with your authentic self.
When we think of how our lives are measured, we recall the experiences that felt meaningful to us: a graduation, a birth, a celebration, an achievement. But these experiences alone do not define your core values, says career coach Tara Mohr.
When you know what’s important to you, you can live in alignment with those values. This leads to greater fulfillment, clarity and self-awareness.