Coaching exercise: How to identify your values
“Values are like fingerprints. Nobody’s are the same, but you leave ‘em all over everything you do” - -Elvis Presley
So what exactly are values and why are they useful?
Values are what you need to have in your life in order to be YOU. They can act as a compass to guide you and to give you direction in life, and provide greater clarity and focus. Need help making a big decision? Think about whether it aligns with your values and you’ll know what the right answer is.
Everyone has their own unique set of values, so how do you identify yours? There many different ways to identify your values, but I‘ll suggest one here which is one of the simplest:
Step 1: Grab a pen, look through the values list (see the table below) and circle or put a tick against 20 things that you need to be you. It’s really easy to get stuck in ‘analysis paralysis’ with this task, so set a timer for 10 mins and go with your gut instincts.
Step 2: Now try and pick out your top 5. Again limit yourself to just 5 mins for this task and don’t second guess yourself.
Tip: It can sometimes be difficult to choose because some values that are similar or you want both on your list. If in doubt ask yourself – “What’s more important – x or y?” or “ask which one I couldn’t live without?”.
Step 3: Take each of your top 5 values and write down why it’s important to you. How does it help you to be you? Can you think of a time when you were fully living that value? What was happening?
Now that you have your list of top 5 values, you can use these to evaluate what career success and progress would look like for you. What would you look back on and be proud of in 10 years time?
Now have a go and let me know how you get on (or have any questions) in the comments section below.