In Welcome to the Big Leagues I discuss the importance of identifying your Core Values. Companies have them and so should you. Making this assessment allows you to pursue life with conviction. Whether making ethical decisions or faced with peer pressure knowing who you are at the core will influence the outcome. To accompany my piece in the book, I'm including a link to a valuable exercise...
Do not be surprised to discover that your core values will change over time. I went through this exercise four years ago and could already see how some of my results below have changed. Good luck and always stay true to your beliefs!
My Historical Results of the Core Values Exercise
PASSION: I thoroughly enjoy getting the most out of all endeavors. When I pursue interests with passion, it has more meaning and keeps me committed. Passion is a good thing, but it can also be blinding. Caring too much for something may not always pay-off and could leave you dissatisfied. I am a passionate person who knows how to harness it to stay objective, avoid obsession and sustain a healthy emotion. Career, family, health & fitness, cooking, education, relationships and much more are all pursued with passion.
SUCCESS: There are many facets to success that stem far away from wealth and bags of riches. To me success is the feeling of looking in the mirror each day and being proud of who I am and what I have accomplished. Just like passion, success can be found in Career, family, health, education, relationships and much more. My success is fueled by passion.
The things that are most important to me are living with integrity, continuous improvement and being the best person that I could possibly be on a daily basis. When I follow those rules, I feel successful.
WELL-BEING: I am an optimist who believes the glass is half full. In order to sustain this belief, I must ensure sure that I am functioning at my best. Living a balanced lifestyle and pursing things in moderation are two key rules that have helped to promote a positive well-being. Exercise, education and healthy living are the easiest ways to keep me thriving each day. Staying honest, spiritual and living with integrity are also very good promoters of this cause.
KNOWLEDGE: Sometimes I feel as though I have forgotten more than I know. Knowledge is an evolution. We go through years of schooling to help us find our place in the world and then delve into careers where we learn to become masters of the craft. We will spend many years studying, training and learning everything it takes to stay current. Before you know it retirement will come where the majority of what we have learned will go obsolete; which is why it is more important to grow as an individual as it is an employee.
I continuously find new ways to expand upon my education and hope that my knowledge allows me to make good choices in life and also to provide solid advice to others. Even though you may lose some of your knowledge along the way, what you went through to earn it promotes character and wisdom; which are the traits that last a lifetime.
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