4 ways core values will dramatically change your life
And how to effortlessly get paid to start your dream (even while working a 9–5 job)
Core values allow us to live our dream lifestyle anywhere, anytime, with anyone
Core values shape every single decision we make. They’re the lens through which we find value in tasks and people and place. But, often, they’re ambiguous and we don’t make an effort to clearly define them.
When you can clearly define your core values, you begin to reclaim energy in your life that will help you constantly move forward.
You can quite literally get paid to start pursuing your dream by practicing your core values at work.
Here’s how this works… Follow the instructions below (or go here to download this sheet)
Once you have your top 5 core values, you now have the liberty to practice those anywhere. Now, everywhere you’re at, you have the opportunity to grow and shape yourself into your future vision.
4 ways core values will dramatically change your life
1. Habits transform your true lifestyle
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit” — Aristotle
You will never find satisfaction and purpose unless you start the habitual process of living your desired characteristics out now.
The person you want to be or the thing you want to do will never just happen one day. But it will happen slowly over time if you begin creating habits…
(e.g. if harmony is a core value for who you want to be, start by quelling the arguments you’ve been having with your family and resolve the unspoken tension)
2. Failure is just feedback
“I think the only way to get good at something is to do it over and over again. In front of an audience of people so you can get immediate feedback” — Yann Girard
Practicing core values at work (or any regular environment) allows us to get direct feedback on who we are and how we act and think and communicate.
Failure is just negative feedback that guides us to new perspective and new actions. Failure is less of a losing process and more of a learning process.
(e.g. if you value love, but a relationship goes south, it doesn’t mean you don’t value it. You simply learn what could be done better next time and reiterate)
3. Core values are the strongest, most lasting form of motivation
“Get yourself a goal worth working for. Better still, get yourself a project. Decide what you want out of a situation. Always have something ahead of you to “look forward to” — to work for and hope for. Look forward, not backward” — Maxwell Maltz
Hyped-up motivation will only spur you on for a short period of time.
You need a focused direction that will challenge you to be grounded in your purpose rather than swaying in and out of it.
(e.g. Motivation will cause you to energetically buy 48 books and become overwhelmed. But, a core value of growth will challenge you to view everyone and everything as a teacher as you assume the role of a student)
4. They actually help you get started
Dreams, goals, projects, and causes can seem so daunting to begin to tackle.
Maybe you don’t even know what you want to do with your life. Or maybe you do, but something is holding you back.
Most people just sit in this space and allow the void to hollow out their desire to ever get started.
Core values allow you to begin working toward who you want to be and what you want to do without needing any plan, money, staff, time, etc.
Instead of exhausting yourself with the idea of tackling a huge project, why not start slowly by practicing your values tomorrow?
Here’s the plan
- List out the core values that resonate with the person you want to become: the person you want to become is already inside you, you just have to practice those traits
- Memorize your core values: make a reminder, or sticky notes on your mirror, or go over them every morning when you wake up
- Begin practicing in front of people: this will help you find new ways to help and give value to others while drastically improving your mood and performance
- Allow yourself to fail: negative feedback is the only way to get better. Have a learning mindset instead of a losing mindset
You have a dream. Great. Now it’s time to start.
Fresh out of college, I learned just how potent the millennial dream is. This lofty ambition that seems to cloud the eyes of most of my peers with misty visions of future ambition and success.
And, let’s be honest, this dream is prevalent throughout all generations.
Every single one of us has had an ambition… a dream, a goal, a project, or a cause they want to champion.
But, we also have to pay bills and fund our unending and justified desire for Chipotle…
Sometimes we can feel helpless… like our job is suffocating our growth. In an attempt to escape, we lose ourselves in distraction and repetition that, one hidden, will arise again in a couple weeks.
So, instead of viewing your job as exhausting work, start viewing it as a way you can practice your core values and get a head start on your dream lifestyle.
If you don’t start with small steps, your projects and causes will never actualize.
Take the first step of finding your core values and incorporate them into everything you do and you’ll dramatically change your life.
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Originally published at www.uncoveryourpurpose.com on November 28, 2017.
