Live Your Core Values: 10 Minute Exercise to Increase Your Success
Beverly Taught Us This Core Value Exercise
We ran this article in August, in preparation for the 2013 Global TapRooT® Summit. Dr. Beverly Chiodo spoke at that Summit on rewarding and valuing the 49 character traits of your employees. We have invited Beverly to speak many times at our Summit and every time was amazing. She was even awarded “The Most Beloved Speaker” by our staff. Her talks are truly inspiring. This exercise will help you experience just a little of the inspiration she shares with her audience.
So, as we reflect on our best practices and lessons learned from our Summits, NOW is a great time for you to contemplate your core values.
Take 10 minutes and complete this exercise to refocus your life on your purpose with your core valves.
Original Core Value Post
Our core values are the true representation of our authentic selves.
Unfortunately, our authenticity is not always what we present to the world.
The bright beacon of core values may dim under the clouds of other people or circumstances. That is why it is important to know and stand firm on what your core values are. If you put a small value on your core values, we can assure you that the world will not raise your price!
It doesn’t take years of soul searching and self-reflection to find your core values. This simple exercise can help you start living your best life according to your core values. How long will it take? About 10 minutes. Isn’t it worth 10 minutes to refocus your life on your core values?
Grab a pen and piece of paper and let’s go!
1. Determine Your Core Values
From the list below, choose and write down every core value that resonates with you. Do not overthink your selection. As you read through the list, simply write down the words that feel like a core value to you personally. If you think of a value you possess that is not on the list, write it down.
| Abundance Acceptance Accountability Achievement Adventure Advocacy Ambition Appreciation Attractiveness Autonomy Balance Being the Best Benevolence Boldness Brilliance Calmness Caring Challenge Charity Cheerfulness Cleverness Collaboration Community Commitment Compassion Consistency Contribution Cooperation Creativity Credibility Curiosity Daring Decisiveness |
Dedication Dependability Diversity Empathy Encouragement Enthusiasm Ethics Excellence Expressiveness Fairness Family Flexibility Friendships Freedom Fun Generosity Grace Growth Happiness Health Honesty Humility Humor Inclusiveness Independence Individuality Innovation Inspiration Intelligence Intuition Joy |
Kindness Knowledge Leadership Learning Love Loyalty Making a Difference Mindfulness Motivation Optimism Open-Mindedness Originality Passion Performance Personal Development Peace Perfection Playfulness Popularity Power Preparedness Proactivity Proactive Professionalism Punctuality Quality Recognition Relationships Reliability Resilience |
Resourcefulness Responsibility Responsiveness Risk Taking Safety Security Self-Control Selflessness Service Simplicity Spirituality Stability SuccessTeamwork Thankfulness Thoughtfulness Traditionalism Trustworthiness Understanding Uniqueness Usefulness Versatility Vision Warmth Wealth Well-Being Wisdom Zeal |
2. Group All Similar Values Together from the List of Values You Just Created
Group them in a way that makes sense to you, personally. Create a maximum of five groupings. If you have more than five groupings, drop the least important grouping(s). See the example below.
| Abundance | Acceptance | Appreciation | Balance | Cheerfulness |
| Growth | Compassion | Encouragement | Health | Fun |
| Wealth | Inclusiveness | Thankfulness | Personal Development | Happiness |
| Security | Intuition | Thoughtfulness | Spirituality | Humor |
| Freedom | Kindness | Mindfulness | Well-being | Inspiration |
| Independence | Love | Joy | ||
| Flexibility | Making a Difference | Optimism | ||
| Peace | Open-Mindedness | Playfulness | ||
| Trustworthiness | ||||
| Relationships |
3. Choose One Word Within Each Group that Represents the Label for the Entire Group
Again, do not overthink your labels – there are no right or wrong answers. You are defining the answer that is right for you. See the example below – the label chosen for the grouping is bolded.
| Abundance | Acceptance | Appreciation | Balance | Cheerfulness |
| Growth | Compassion | Encouragement | Health | Fun |
| Wealth | Inclusiveness | Thankfulness | Personal Development | Happiness |
| Security | Intuition | Thoughtfulness | Spirituality | Humor |
| Freedom | Kindness | Mindfulness | Well-being | Inspiration |
| Independence | Love | Joy | ||
| Flexibility | Making a Difference | Optimism | ||
| Peace | Open-Mindedness | Playfulness | ||
| Trustworthiness | ||||
| Relationships |
4. Add a Verb to Each Value Label
Add a verb to each value so you can see what it looks like as an actionable core value. For example:
Live in freedom.
Seek opportunities for making a difference.
Act with mindfulness.
Promote well-being.
Multiply happiness.
This will guide you in the actions you need to take to feel like you are truly living on purpose.
5. Finally, Post Your Core Values Where You See Them when Faced with Decisions
Where should you post them? Write your core values in order of priority in your planner, so they are available as an easy reference when you are faced with decisions. Put them on a sticky on the edge of your computer screen. Or make a background with them on it for your cell phone. For example:
1. Live in freedom.
2. Act with mindfulness.
3. Promote well-being.
4. Multiply happiness.
5. Seek opportunities for making a difference.
Now Live Your Core Values!
If we can get to the place where we show up as our genuine selves,
and let each other see who we really are,
the awe-inspiring ripple effect
will change the world.
Terrie M. Williams
The most important thing you can do for your personal success today is to know your core values and use them as your guide.
Knowing core values is important because when we need to choose or decide something, you can do so easily by simply determining if the choice lines up with your true core values. A life lined-up with personal values is a well-lived, purpose-filled life.
Learn More About Core Values and Root Cause Analysis
Living your core values and finding the root causes of problems is what System Improvements and TapRooT® Root Cause Analysis is all about.
Barb Carr will be facilitating the session at the 2020 Global TapRooT® Summit about living your core values.
This session is in the Work/Life Improvement Track. Get more information HERE by reviewing the track at the schedule link.
Can I get the pdf version of the values exercise?
great