Time spent developing your personal core values creates a foundation for personal decision making used to chase after your goals. Now realizing that I have yet to reflect on my own core values and how I developed them is a huge miss in what I hope others (and my future self) will gain here. Values remind you of what you stand for and allow your authentic self to shine. How can you 'start somewhere', celebrate the small wins, make a plan, or create your positive space if these values are not clear to your strongest inner self?
Adding some background to why I hope this topic resonates with others:
As I read Dare to Lead by Brene Brown, I automatically highlighted this statement: "I define a leader as anyone who takes responsibility for finding the potential in people and processes, and who has the courage to develop that potential." As I read, hoping her wisdom would give me little push start to my work day, seeking a bit of motivation to get through my to-do list, I didn't think twice about highlighting the phrase. I sat and thought about why I automatically highlighted that quote. I was eventually pulled towards my own mission statement: To be a trusting, optimistically driven, and persistently determined leader in the field of athletics to help athletes find, believe, and reach their full potential in sport as well as in life. Feelings of neglect from my mission statement flashed, as life seems to be passing by quickly with unpredictability. I was feeling stagnant towards striving for that mission, especially after reading Dr. Brown's book on vulnerability. This now highlighted statement is my mission statement, yet I felt like I haven't been helping myself work towards that the best I know how to.
So, how does one get back to their mission, their authentic self, create a plan, or simply develop (or redevelop) a positive space?
By taking a step back. "Put yourself in the best position to be successful - Take the time to understand your passions, your why, and your values." My values started out here a few years ago with an added description on what that word personal meant:
Accountability: Holding each other and myself to a high standard for optimal performance.
Reliability: Having a team that will put their best foot forward no matter what the situation is.
Respect: Giving and receiving respect from each team member.
Honesty: Having honest relationships that will drive constructive production and avoid later, larger confrontation.
Determination and drive: The need to excel in whatever the task may be.
Later on, I knew I needed something catchier that would resonate with every day decisions. A creative platform to visualize your core values is certainly not necessary to gain the full effects of developing core values, although it is a fun way to have reminders in places you look at everyday. For me, it's my current laptop background:
Core values can help direct you towards more seamless decision making, no matter how big or small. However, they can hold other strong super powers in your life. Reflecting on previous research I have completed on sport coaching philosophies, staying strong to core values can develop a 'relateability' factor. What I mean is that you'll find yourself surrounded by those that share similar values, creating a connection where strong trust can be built. Trust builds communication, opening infinite opportunities when conversation is being had. Amongst the many individualized benefits that you'll experience, core values can help strengthen your own philosophy, gearing you towards your most authentic self.
I felt this topic was timely as many of us are struggling to sit with our authentic self in these times of uncertainty and change. I encourage you to start small; develop your core values and see where this process takes you.
Develop your own super power core values:
Although there's no one right way to develop your core values, this might help in taking that leap to discovering them:
1. Think about a time when you were most satisfied, happy, excited. What were you doing? Who were you with? What contributed to this feeling?
2. Based on your experience, write down a list of values that resonate with you. Here's a list to brainstorm from.
3. Prioritize your top 5. Which one's truly inspire you or make you feel good?
4. Reaffirm your values in your own creative way. Write them down, create a visual, rewrite them with a catchy titles; the list is endless.
5. Check in with yourself. Are you being true to your values? What can you do to adjust?
“Surround yourself with the dreamers, the doers, the believers and thinkers: but most of all surround yourself with those who see greatness within you even when you don’t see it yourself.”
-Simon Biles
P.S. Stay tuned for a better look at how these values have applied to my decision to move across the country for grad school and leading to adventures of a lifetime.
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