Define your life values
For core values definition, I suggest the following steps. Before you start, be aware that for this exercise you will need between 30min-1h30. It can sound a lot of time, nonetheless, we are here talking about decrypting your core-values, your guiding principle, believe me, this would come as a good investment.
- Put yourself comfortable and take-out any possible distractions for the time of this exercise
- Write down between 15-30 words or expressions that represent the reason of your emotions during moments of excitement and moments of frustration and your code of conduct. Note: if you find some difficulties in selecting the life values, you can download the list.
- Group them into 3-7 related categories. Give a number into each category and place into the top right corner of each table cells. The trick is to have not more then 7 to make them easier to remember and support when you want to measure your behavior against your values.
- Start to phrase each category by considering the higher value that could represent all the different ones that you have chosen.
- Enrich the phrase by trying to better describe your core-value. One trick that I use to place “:” and after I describe better what I mean. Like that I get 2 versions of my values: one shorter and a longer.
- Prioritize your core values list. Make an order from the most to the less important.
- Review and improve the description of your core-values in the next day or week.
Life Values list
You can download a free list of several possible “life values” for the different living core areas that you can consult for defining your personal values.
MYself
BUsiness
FAmily & Friends
LUX
My life values
Just as an example, I provide below the result of my core values:
- Put Myself in first place: my well-being, health and knowledge improves my state and make me fit to help others.
- Give Unconditional love to the core family: be always available to whom matters most
- Be always positive: seek in every change, challenge and failure an opportunity to grow
- Grow continuously and excel in the different life core-areas: upgrade consecutively to better versions of myself
- Planning is fundamental to achieve effectively what we desire: “a goal without a plan is a wish”
- One man behavior can save the planet: leave this beautiful world a better place that I found
