Identifying Your Values

So what are values?

Values are traits or qualities that we consider to be worthwhile in ourselves and in others. They represent your highest priorities and deeply held driving forces. They are sometimes known as core values or governing values. Some of you may have across these terms in reading you have done elsewhere.

Your values form the cornerstone for everything that you do and accomplish. They define on what you spend time on in your life.

Your values help you with your day to day decision making. For good values to work they must be translated into consistent and regular behaviours in your day to day lives. When put under pressure your values are the last things you will give up.

Your values should be few in number but there are no hard or fast rules about this.

So how do your values relate to your vision and mission statements?

Well your values help you answer the question: “How do I act, consistent with my vision and mission?” Your values for example might include; honesty, openness and freedom. Your values will describe in no uncertain terms how you want to live your life on a daily basis whilst pursuing your vision, mission and goals.

It is essential that you clearly identify you most important values because if this is not completed your carefully crafted vision and mission statements are more likely to fail.

You have a value when it’s a deep ingrained belief of yours. They determine your normal and acceptable standards of behaviour and help you considerably in how to approach your life. You care deeply about your values and you will never give them up!

Once defined, your values will impact every aspect of your being.

For your values to work you must demonstrate and model your values in action that is in your day to day behaviour, decision making, social interactions and your personal contribution.

Your carefully selected values will also help you to establish your daily priorities in both your domestic and business lives.

At this point, it is also important for you to note and understand what are and what are not values.

Your values could be for example: Integrity; respect; loyalty, honesty; courage and responsibility.

Family and professionalism on their own are not values - although they maybe important aspects in your life. However, if you define what you value about these, then you will be identifying a value.

For example, your value in family might be close relationships; church/temple – spirituality and so on. It is important that you understand and make this distinction. Even today we have so called seasoned professionals in the personal development/self help field who confuse the two. Reading this article you are already further ahead of the so-called,“experts”, out there!:-)

You see, identifying and recognizing your true values are paramount in the proper writing of your personal vision and mission statements. They must be written in a way which relate to your inner beliefs and priorities in your life as they will play a very important part in your day to day behaviour and daily actions. As somebody who has a vision and purpose in life (your mission) must be seen to not only “walk the walk”, but “talk their talk,” too!

Below is a list of some values to get you started thinking about writing your own.

It is only after you have written your vision and mission that you can ensure that  they are written with your own values in mind.

Examples of values include:

Integrity; loyalty; honesty; responsibility; sincerity; service; dedication; diversity; ambition; dependability;  respect; service; accountability; dignity; courage; wisdom; empathy; independence; learning; kindness; compassion; friendliness; optimism; enjoyment; credibility; generosity; security; collaboration and freedom. 

Go ahead and start writing your values now!

Author: Manoj Tailor (c)