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How Your Core Values Impact Your Success

Goal setting is a staple, annual event within most organizations. 

Success measures are predefined, followed by action plans with a prescriptive set of steps to support each goal.  Typically, the exercise cascades from a set of organizational values which are readily known among the employees.  Those values then act as a guidepost and drive the way in which success is defined.  They are plastered everywhere – breakroom posters, company letterhead, desktop screensavers, email signatures and more.  Most of you can probably recite them in your sleep. 

But what about your own personal values?  How well do you know them?

Personal success means something different to each of us.  And what you stand for, or value, directly correlates with how you define or measure success.

Core values resonate deep with who you are, your beliefs and what is most important to you.  They guide you when making decisions, problem solving and even while building relationships. Understanding and acknowledging your values and personal beliefs will help shape your sense of accomplishment. 

What are the core values driving your sense of personal success?

If you’re struggling with this question, I would suggest taking a free online personal values assessment.

This assessment is quick, fun, and provides a healthy dose of self-reflection!

We are all striving for personal success, but the way in which we define or measure these accomplishments can be quite different from one another.  Your values act as a guide for your actions.

Don’t compare your definition of personal success to others.

Some run the race to beat a specific time while others, like me, consider finishing a race the ultimate success.

If you own a Peloton, then you’re familiar with the “leaderboard.” Exercise is not a huge love of mine, but I do love the benefits, so I do it.  On the days where I find myself on the bike, I consider that a personal success – where I end up on the leaderboard doesn’t factor into my sense of accomplishment.  Challenge or competition is not a core value of mine, but accountability is.  While I have a crazy amount of respect and admiration for those competing against one another on that leaderboard, being accountable or the act of showing up equals personal success for me.

Remember, your actions are routinely guided by your values. Identifying values that are meaningful to you will help you develop more authentic personal goals and action plans to achieve them.