December is a season of reflection. Amid the holiday rush and year-end deadlines, it’s a good time to pause and ask: Are you living in alignment with your personal values? Let’s dive into the importance of identifying and applying your core values—the guiding principles that serve as your North Star.
What Are Core Values?
Core values are the beliefs and principles that define who you are and what you stand for. As Elvis Presley once said (or is rumored to have said, at least):
“Values are like fingerprints. Nobody’s are the same, but you leave them all over everything you do.”
Your values influence every decision you make—whether you realize it or not. But here’s the catch: it’s easy to forget them in the chaos of everyday life.
My Dad’s Example
My dad, who co-authored the book Opposite the Crowd with me, exemplifies living authentically according to one’s values. He is known for being true to himself in every role—whether as a parent, professional, or friend. His values, such as being direct and information-based, have guided him, even while dealing with chronic pain.
Instead of fighting his pain, he leaned into his values to approach it as he would a business challenge: studying it, naming it, and understanding it. While his pain didn’t disappear, his values equipped him to manage it with clarity and resilience. His example always reminds me that our values are tools—not just for easy or familiar situations but for life’s toughest challenges.
Where Do We Lose Our Way?
We often use our values where they’re comfortable and familiar, like at work or in relationships we’ve cultivated over time. But when faced with the unexpected—a difficult interaction in the grocery store, an unplanned partnership, or a curveball life throws at us—we can forget our way.
These moments that knock us off balance are when our values matter most. They help us stay centered, save time, and avoid wasting energy on distractions. Yet, living our values requires practice. It’s a habit, not an instinct.
Reflect and Recommit to Your Values
Many people haven’t taken the time to define core values that truly resonate with who they are. As the year comes to a close, I encourage you to reflect on what matters most to you. Identifying your core values is essential for starting the new year with purpose and aligning your actions with your goals. To get started, here are some helpful exercises to guide you: here and here.
Do you already know what your core values are? Great—now revisit them. Reflect on how you’re using them across all areas of your life, not just the easy or obvious ones. The greatest gains often come from applying your values to new or difficult situations.
For me, this means writing down my personal and business values daily. My personal values—integrity, authenticity, teaching, open-mindedness, fortitude, and kindness—have been with me since I was 24, and they continue to serve me in every role and season of life.
Activity:
Take a moment to reflect on your core values. These are the guiding principles that shape the way you see the world, think, and act.
For the next few minutes, write down 3-5 of your most important values. Consider how they influence your daily decisions, interactions, and leadership style.
- What is most important to you in life?
- What makes you happiest/proud/most satisfied?
- How do these values impact your behavior at work or in your personal life?
- How do they align with your leadership approach?
Here’s my challenge to you:
As you navigate the holidays and prepare for 2025, let your values lead the way. They’re not just words on paper—they’re tools to help you build the life you want, one choice at a time. Let this be the season where you don’t just survive the chaos but thrive in it, anchored by what matters most to you. And if you don’t know what that is quite yet, you owe it to yourself to figure it out.
Until next time, friends.
Chris
If you enjoyed this article, I recommend reading these past Outside Insights posts:
Your Culture of One: A Guide to Living With Intention
Are you Contributing or Coasting in Your Career
Building Better Days: The Impact of Simple Intentions
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