When you are at your best making decisions, it’s because you’re guided by your personal core values. If you don’t know what you stand for, how can you stand for anything? How can you make tough decisions? Identifying your personal core values is life-changing!
How to do it:
- Search for “Brené Brown core values” on Google and go to the images tab to find a list of around 100 core values.
- Ask yourself these questions for each value:
- Does this define me?
- Is this who I am at my best?
- Is this a filter I use to make hard decisions?
Now, go through the list and circle the values that stand out based on these questions. When I first did this, I had around 20 core values. Then, I read through those I circled and cut the list in half, based on the questions. Keep narrowing it down until you have just two core values left. Those are your personal core values. Easy!
When I did this, my core values were Curiosity, Serve Others, and Make a Difference. My coach suggested I narrow it to two, but I couldn’t, so I kept all three. I’ve used these repeatedly throughout my life.
Example: When I see someone stranded on the side of the road and don’t really want to stop, my core value—Serve Others—pushes me to help. Core values make life decisions easier.
The same goes for our team. Shared core values help team members make decisions that align with our goals. Together, we can!
— John Perry