What are the things that make you feel like you are living your purpose? Which activities leave you feeling fulfilled and satisfied? Answering these questions will help you determine your personal and professional core values and help you make the best choices regarding your personal and professional life.
What are Core Values? Core values are those things which comprise your personality. Your personal and professional core values are like having your own code of ethics. They are unique to you and will chart out how you live, how you interact with others, what you say and how you think.
To determine what your core values are, take some time to reflect on the characteristics you embody or wish to embody and list them on a sheet of paper.
How can you determine your personal and professional core values?
- Create two lists; one for personal values and one for professional values. Once you created your longs lists of values, narrow each list to your top 4-5 values. When core values surpass 4 to 5, it becomes difficult to communicate and reinforce them.
- Summarize what each value means to you. First, write down the definition of the word and then determine how that word applies to you on a personal and/or professional level.
- Now prioritize the list. What is the most important, can’t live without, value?
- Now ask yourself, does your professional and personal life allow you to honor these values?
These values may change or evolve over time depending on your situation in life or business, so be ready to make personal and professional adjustments to accommodate those changes.
