Diving Deeper into My Values
The backstory behind each core value
Thank you for your interest in understanding my core values and the rationale behind each of them.
I previously shared why it is essential for me to articulate my values, particularly for those who wish to collaborate with me. The aim is for potential partners to read, reflect upon, and discuss these values, addressing any uncertainties or potential areas of conflict that may arise down the line.
Here I will provide some additional information and backstories that explain why I have chosen these particular values and why I believe they are important.
Let’s begin.
#1
I value people who are genuine and authentic.
Authenticity and genuineness matter a lot to me. My gut tells me when people are real, maybe not immediately, but eventually.
I hold both active and passive relationships, but I notice that I am often pulled towards those who show their true selves. They are not always perfect — in fact, their authenticity might shine a light on their flaws. But that’s what makes them human, and I find that relatable.
When I am around these people, things are more straightforward and less dramatic. I feel more at ease and secure.
It’s not something I consciously control. It just happens. And that’s why I want more of such people in my life.
#2
Honesty isn’t always easy; I admire those who strive to be honest.
One lesson that has stayed with me since school is when my teacher explained that the term ‘personality’ comes from the Greek word ‘persona’, which means ‘mask’. He suggested that we often adapt ourselves, masking our true feelings to fit into various circumstances.
Over the years, I have developed immense respect for those who maintain consistency in their character, those who wear nearly the same ‘mask’ regardless of the situation. They are honest in all they do, despite the challenges they face.
Understanding the importance of honesty is one thing, but incorporating it into our lives is quite another.
I don’t expect those who work with me, to be honest at all times. However, when a situation truly demands it, and they show honesty, my respect for them grows significantly.
#3
Despite challenges, I stay positive and resilient, never blaming others.
I believe that my upbringing had a significant impact on shaping my thoughts and actions, with my mother’s influence playing a key role!
She encouraged participation in extracurricular activities during my school years, emphasising contribution and participation over winning. This approach nurtured my positive outlook on life. At 18, I read ‘The Alchemist’, which further bolstered my optimism.
I identify as a naturally positive person with a ‘can-do’ attitude, and I never shy away from putting in the necessary effort to accomplish tasks. I admit I can get frustrated around people who consistently take a pessimistic view.
However, I appreciate a touch of pessimism in my team members as it helps balance my overly optimistic perspective!
#4
I trust my intuition during important decision-making.
I deeply trust my intuition, particularly when making decisions that lack concrete data or evidence for support.
While many motivational talks mention trusting one’s gut and intuition, my belief in this concept is deeply rooted in my life experiences, not borrowed from such speeches.
Whether the outcome is favourable or not, my intuition acts as my compass in these scenarios. Those who know me can attest to this!
I acknowledge that this approach may not always lead to immediate success, but such situations provide me with a valuable opportunity to understand my intuition more deeply, refining my inner compass for future decision-making.
#5
Mistakes are human; forgiveness is divine. I practice both.
Born and raised in a Christian family, I grew up in a culture where forgiveness was a significant thing! The word “forgive” was usually presented to me as something you give to others when someone has done something harmful or hurt your feelings.
I understood the importance of forgiving others, but the significance of forgiving ourselves didn’t hit me until I failed in my first startup attempt, incurring some financial loss!
Often, I thought I had learned my lesson, but I found myself making different mistakes again. As I said in one of my blogs, ‘I have more reasons to dislike myself than to love myself, but I still hang on.’ This statement reflects how easy it is to mess up and how challenging it can be to forgive ourselves.
By facing my own mistakes and finding the strength to forgive myself, I have also learned how to forgive others more easily. Understanding that we all make mistakes and being able to forgive is one of the significant qualities I have gained.
When it comes to working as a team, I aspire to foster a culture where we can forgive each other. We are all human, and it’s in our nature to slip up sometimes. I appreciate team members who can overlook these small hiccups, forgiving each other with a touch of divine understanding.
#6
I use stumbling blocks as stepping stones.
I initially started to see mistakes as stepping stones as a way of self-defence when things went wrong. When people tried to blame me, I countered them with the lessons that I had learned, which put others in a difficult position to continue blaming me!
It’s only since I have started to pay attention to what I am saying, and reflect on my words, that it has become evident to me that I am naturally someone who sees mistakes from a different perspective.
I genuinely consider them as stepping stones.
I have written numerous articles reflecting on the mistakes I made and how I managed to navigate through them with the lessons I learned.
#7
I respect others’ religious, social and political beliefs.
During my early years, I sometimes felt inferior because I thought I didn’t have the traditional attractiveness traits — “tall, dark, and handsome”.
However, my perspective shifted greatly in my late teens when I read something like this somewhere:
‘What would the world be like if we all looked the same? Our differences are the essence of our living, and the way we navigate these differences has shaped human civilisation.’
Since then, I have started appreciating the differences in opinions, preferences, and dispositions around me.
But, I noticed that when it comes to religious, social, and political beliefs, people can have very strong views, views that could potentially harm relationships if challenged without thought.
So, I usually give them space and don’t voice strong opinions on such matters because I often find these beliefs are close to people’s hearts. No matter how different these perspectives might be from mine, I choose to respect them.
For me, it’s about living and letting others live according to their unique beliefs.
#8
Entrepreneurship, my path, is about enhancing life in care homes.
People may see me in different ways, but deep in my heart, I know I was born to be an entrepreneur.
Why am I so sure? Because I have never found true satisfaction in a full-time job!
Embarking on the entrepreneurial journey wasn’t a piece of cake for me. My initial career ambitions didn’t pan out as I had planned, and that frustrated me a lot. I have poured out my experiences in a blog post titled “How the Circumstances Made Me an Entrepreneur.”
I dabbled with a couple of startup ideas — Jiyanna Care & MeetMyBrian, both targeting care homes. But both had their own set of challenges and learnings, leading me to pause them at different stages. I have several compelling reasons for both initiating and pausing these projects.
Eventually, I realised my real vision — not just creating another SaaS product but genuinely improving life in care homes.
So, it’s crucial for anyone who wants to work with me to understand what I am trying to achieve and why. I am keen on meeting people who can support my vision and are excited to be a part of it.
#9
I value innovation, adaptability, and love tackling tough problems.
I look up to people who bring change through disruption. I admire how they view the world, how they use what is available to them, or even invent something new to reach their dreams or crack big problems.
Those who know me know that Elon Musk is a big inspiration for me! It’s just mind-blowing that he single-handedly moved the EV revolution forward by two decades with his work on Tesla. That is a big deal, especially considering how it’s influenced global strategies to cut down on fossil fuels.
I am proud of my journey so far, even with the setbacks. All these experiences have made me better equipped to think about the big issues care homes across the globe are facing.
You see, I am the type to be drawn to big challenges, even when they are bigger than me. And I dream about how to solve them.
Some people might call me overambitious, reckless, or even stupid, but hey, what’s life without some thrill? Without it, life just sounds boring, like being too scared to explore.
#10
I value a culture of openness, transparency, and equality.
I dream of building a company that will stand the test of time and leave a legacy.
That is a big dream, I know, but what about the culture of this dream company? Can I infuse it with the energy that inspires goodness in the people who work there for generations to come?!
I have heard it often: people start a business with a vision, but when profits start rolling in, their focus shifts to KPIs.
I have been an employee since 2008, working in different places. Each one had its politics, favouritism, and even racism and a few others, which I have always found so disturbing.
It is disappointing how some individuals, when they gain power, don’t use it well, and it negatively impacts the people who work for them. This creates a toxic culture, which I despise. After all, we are all working to earn a living, and it shouldn’t be a nasty experience.
So, when discussing the desired company culture, I prioritise three key values: openness, transparency, and equality.
#11
Good relationships are my priority.
Sometimes I wonder: is making good relationships a priority a strength or a weakness?! Sure, I hate upsetting people, so I often sidestep situations that might lead to that.
But those who know me well recognise that when the situation calls for it, I can be stubborn and stand my ground, even at the risk of a relationship.
Though I might feel justified, the truth is, I am not pleased if my actions damage a relationship, no matter who’s at fault. I might not show it all the time, but I deeply value harmony and put a great deal of effort into maintaining good relationships.
We all have our own ways of starting, maintaining, and ending relationships. Yet, I believe in the importance of fair and good relationships among team members. Such an environment fosters innovation and collaboration and saves time we might otherwise lose to ego clashes.
By putting this value forward, I am emphasising relationships and a balanced approach to maintaining harmony, which is beneficial in the team setting.
However, I want every team member to understand that preserving relationships should never compromise the integrity and objectives of my company.
#12
I seek talented individuals to realise their potential.
Everywhere I worked, I wished they would see my potential and help me harness it for career growth. But it never happened as I wanted!
That is one big reason why I love entrepreneurship; it lets me shape the culture and develop those who join my journey.
I have come across some super-talented people, and I am totally convinced about human potential. I truly believe people can perform 10x better than what they’re doing now. We humans have so much potential. We just need the right situations and people to bring out our best.
I reckon I am someone who gets this, and I am on the lookout for individuals who believe in their talents and are hunting for an opportunity.
I will do my best to help them reach where they want to be. Why? Because by helping them, I am actually helping my company. In the end, I have the chance to get the best out of them for both their benefit and mine.
In conclusion, I have shared these insights to give you a better understanding of the values I have identified. As time goes on, I will review this blog post and make changes or additions as necessary.
It might be because I am not being true to these values, or perhaps my perspective has changed due to new experiences. Maybe I will even feel the need to add more values to the list.
If you would like to delve deeper into these points, please feel free to connect with me.
