Your personal core values are there to guide behavior and choice. To find yours articulate them clearly in writing and test them through daily decision-making. Get your core values right and you'll be swift and focused in your decision-making, with clear direction. Get them wrong or leave them ambiguous, and you'll constantly wonder how you got into this mess.

The Importance Of Core Values

Find a quiet space, and at least an hour to reflect on each section below and write everything on a notebook. To find your core values:<ol><li>Remember and describe in detail your three greatest accomplishments, your three greatest moments of efficiency, and common rules or themes between them.</li><li>Remember and describe in detail your three greatest failures, your three greatest moments of inefficiency, and common rules or themes between them.</li><li>Identify three or four brief sentences of advice you would give to yourself based on these commonalities.</li><li>Reduce them to a few words. For example: "Don't overindulge in food” to “Moderation”.</li><li>Imagine situations where following your core value hurts you rather than helps you. If you can’t find any, you probably have a good core value.</li></ol>

Defining Your Personal Core Values Exercise

<ul><li>Understand that it takes some focused time and thought. </li><li>Do it with someone you trust so you can get honest feedback and you can help each other. </li><li>Accept that It may take several discussions over a long time. </li><li>Embrace the change in yourself and in your values when they come.&nbsp;</li></ul>

Tips For Finding Your Core Values

Most concede the power of core values in business. Jim Collins made a great case in Built to Last. But it's difficult to accurately create or accept core values for your company if your own personal core values are unclear.

Tips For Finding Your Core Values

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