I am a self proclaimed, tired mama who wants to hustle, upgrade my career, be the best parent ever, be present and energized, and live the healthiest life. I wanted all of these things but never thought it was possible….simply because I was too tired and I didn’t have clarity on how to do all of this. Anyone with me? Ever feel like you’re juggling a circus of responsibilities and longing for that elusive work-life balance? You’re not alone! But what if I told you there’s a compass that can guide you through this epic adventure of career and life that we are trying to navigate and white knuckle our way through…
In this blog post, we’re diving deep into the art of discovering your core values and leveraging them to thrive in your career, life, and parenting roles. Now, if you are anything like me, I am a visual learner who likes to have models and examples that I can draw from to get the most clarity. As I was going through this process of discovering and defining my core values, I looked to my real life mentors and my mentors on the internet. Some of the giants in the field that I study, and who inspire me every day, is Amy Porterfield. If you have been reading my stuff for awhile, then you know how much I look up to her! Amy Porterfield is a marketing expert, an entrepreneur, and the queen of setting up systems. So, I thought I would share how I used Amy’s journey and model exactly how I defined and used my core values to take ownership of my path to leadership, rejuvenate my energy through my health, and be more present with my kids. The result? Renewed passion, purpose, clarity, health, and fulfillment. Let me explain how this happened:
First things first….I want to state Amy’s and my core values so you have these at the forefront of your mind as I take you through them step by step:
My Core Values:
- Family and Health First – I use this to guide my decisions by ensuring that everything I do enhances rather than takes away from my family, health, or energy in order to be more present and spend more time with my family and on my personal health.
- Impact – Is it good for the people I lead and will it make the biggest impact? I assess every opportunity to figure out which decision will make the biggest impact for me or my community. If it doesn’t I don’t do it.
- Integrity – Growth – Will it upgrade my skills and move me and my community closer to our goal? I believe in upgrading my skills to infuse passion and purpose into my life and to help me inspire others. My commitment to constantly upgrading my skills isn’t just about personal growth; it’s about setting a practical example within our community. It shows that by consistently improving and learning, we can achieve our goals and inspire one another to pursue meaningful growth and success. The integrity part comes with the intention that everything I do or put out into the world has to be of the highest quality and helps others because I am always upgrading my skills and learning.
Amy Porterfield’s Core Values:
Now, let’s look at Amy Porterfield, an amazing entrepreneur known for her online marketing expertise. She has been a mentor of mine for years because of her clarity and consistency to always show up for her audience. Her core values include “Integrity,” “Impact,” and “Generosity.”
Integrity: Amy uses this value to guide her decisions by ensuring that everything she puts out into the world is of the highest quality and genuinely helpful to her audience.
Impact: She assesses opportunities based on whether they will truly make a difference in her audience’s lives. If a project won’t have a meaningful impact, she’s less likely to pursue it.
Generosity: Amy believes in giving generously to her community. This value drives her to provide valuable free content, even as she offers paid programs.
Now that you know our core values, let’s take a deep dive into how you can find yours.
Step 1: Self-Reflection – Finding Your Zen Zone
Imagine this: You’re in a quiet space (possibly hiding in the bathroom), taking a breather from the chaos. Close your eyes, breathe, and ponder: What truly matters to you? What are your values in this wild, wild world of leadership and parenting? This is where your core values really start to burgeon. These questions are really important to dive deep in order to figure out your core values. In fact, when I did this reflection time, family and health kept coming up for me loud and clear which led me to my first core value.
Now, here’s where it gets real. I’ve got a personal example for you. One of my core values is “Family and Health First.” As I reflected, I knew that I had to figure out a way to get over this tired mom thing and find renewed passion and purpose again. Having this core value at the forefront, I became way more intentional about what I said yes to. If it took away from my presence with my family, then it was always a no.
Step 2: Identify Key Life Experiences – Life’s Lessons
Life’s a rollercoaster, right? Your experiences, the ups, and downs – they all shape your values. So, list significant life events that have influenced you. For instance, my career journey and becoming a parent have molded my core values in more ways than I can count.
Grab a pen and paper and think about your life journey. What are the significant events, big or small, that have left a mark on you? These experiences could be moments of triumph, like landing your dream job or becoming a parent. But they could also be challenging times, like setbacks or losses. These experiences can be the key to determining your core values and what really matters.
Step 3: Define Core Values – The North Star
Your core values? They’re like the North Star of your life, guiding your way through the wilderness. But here’s the deal: you’ve got a bunch of them. So, narrow them down to 3-5 that resonate most with you. Identify a mentor you look up to and see what their core values are as well. Use theirs as inspiration for yours, look at your life experiences, dream and vision. Then narrow it down to the three that stand out to you the most. These are the values that, when you live by them, make you feel most aligned with your true self.
Step 4: Align Values with Leadership – Where Magic Happens
This step is pure gold! Align your personal values with your leadership role. It’s like making sure your superhero cape matches your tights – pure authenticity! Your team will respect you, trust you, and follow you willingly. Let me explain what I mean by this…
Think about each of your core values. How does it relate to your role as a leader?
For example, if one of your core values is “integrity,” think about how you can demonstrate that value by making honest and ethical decisions as a leader.
Or, if “growth” is a core value, consider how you can foster the personal and professional growth of your team members.
Alignment = Authentic Leadership: When your actions as a leader align with your core values, you radiate authenticity. And authenticity is magnetic.
Example 1 – My Core Values:
One of my core values is “Kids and Health First.” For me, this means that when I’m faced with a decision, I ask:
- Is it kids and health first? If the answer is no, then it’s a clear sign that the decision may not align with my core value.
For example, if I’m offered a business opportunity that would require me to work long hours and compromise my family’s well-being, I’d likely decline it because it doesn’t align with my core value.
Example 2 – Amy Porterfield’s Core Values:
Now, let’s look at an Amy Porterfield example. Her core values include “Integrity,” “Impact,” and “Generosity.”
Integrity: Amy uses this value to guide her decisions by ensuring that everything she puts out into the world is of the highest quality and genuinely helpful to her audience. She uses this to decide what she puts out into the world and how she does it. So for me, I use Integrity to help me make decisions on what I talk to my community about and the content I create for them with professional learning. In fact, I also use this core value to decide what goes into my courses, my free content, and my membership. If it is not of the highest quality and will help someone move closer to their goal, then it is not content that I want to deliver or create.
So, as leaders, whether it’s my value of “Kids and Health First” or Amy’s values of “Integrity,” “Impact,” and “Generosity,” these values act as our decision-making compass.
When we align our actions with our core values, we build trust, authenticity, and create a lasting impact. This isn’t just theory; it’s how real leaders make real decisions that matter.
Step 5: Using Core Values for Decision-Making – Your Decision Buddy
Ever played “Decision Roulette” in your head? Time to use your core values as your trusty decision-making buddy. For me, if it’s not about my kids’ well-being, making the biggest impact possible, or upgrading my skills, it’s a hard pass. Amy? She asks if it aligns with her “Impact” or “Generosity.” It’s like having a personal advisory board in your head.
My Example (Upgrading Skills and Impact): Imagine you have an opportunity to take on a new project at work that promises significant financial rewards. However, it would require a substantial time commitment, potentially sacrificing valuable family moments. Here’s how your core values come into play:
My core value of “Upgrading Skills” urges me to consider the professional growth potential of the project. Simultaneously, my value of “Impact” reminds me of the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance for the well-being of my family. In this scenario, I might decide to prioritize projects that allow me to grow professionally without compromising my family’s needs, thus aligning my decision with my core values.
Amy Porterfield’s Example (Impact and Generosity): Amy faces a decision about whether to offer a new online course. She knows that launching the course will require significant resources and effort. Her core value of “Impact” urges her to consider the potential transformation this course could bring to her audience. Simultaneously, her value of “Generosity” reminds her of her commitment to providing valuable free content to her community.
In this case, Amy might decide to offer the course but also create complementary free resources to ensure that her generosity aligns with her broader impact goals. This way, she maintains a balance between her core values while making a strategic decision for her business.
These real-world examples demonstrate how core values can act as guiding principles in decision-making, helping individuals make choices that resonate with what truly matters to them.
Step 6: Prioritize Core Values – Choose Your Battles
When life throws you curveballs and choices collide, you gotta prioritize. It’s like deciding which flavor of ice cream to get – hard but oh-so-necessary. For me, “Kids and Health First” always tops the list because my health and presence with my family instantly boosts everything else in my life up, including my career. Amy? “Impact” wins the race. Prioritization helps you stay true to what matters most.
Step 7: Evaluate Past Decisions – Your Decision Time Machine
Take a trip down memory lane and see if your past choices aligned with your core values. It’s like hopping in a decision time machine. For me, it’s revisiting those decisions I made in the past. Let me unpack this for you so that it makes more sense why this is important.
Past Decision: I was leading a project that had the potential to make a significant positive impact on my community. However, during the project’s execution, I faced a dilemma. I discovered a shortcut that could deliver faster results, but it involved bending some less than stellar work.
Reevaluation with Core Values: Reflecting on this decision with my core values in mind, I recall that “Impact” and “Integrity/Upgrading my skills” are two of my guiding principles.
Upon reevaluation, I recognize that although taking the shortcut might have yielded quicker results, it would have compromised my integrity. My core value of “Integrity” reminds me of the importance of staying true to my principles, even when pursuing a noble cause. In the end, I decide to maintain my ethical standards, believing that the positive impact I make should be achieved with unwavering integrity. This reevaluation reinforces my commitment to upholding my core values in all my endeavors.
Step 8: Set Core Values-Based Goals – Your Roadmap to Awesomeness
Goals, goals, goals! Set ’em based on your core values. Think of it as your roadmap to awesomeness. For me, it’s professional growth , and impactful leadership that doesn’t mess with my “Kids and Health First.” Amy? Her goals align with her values of “Impact” and “Generosity.” It’s like setting sail with your values as your guiding stars.
Step 9: Daily Practice – Your Values Workout
Now, it’s time to hit the daily values gym! Incorporate your core values into your daily routine. I start my day with a bit of learning and a pinch of “Upgrading Skills” and “Impact.”
As a leader mama with core values of “Upgrading Skills,” “Impact,” and “Family and Health First,” my daily routine is designed to align with these values. I start my day with morning workout while listening to a podcast to upgrade my health and my skills. At work, I dedicate time to enhancing my skills and setting non-negotiable priorities that resonate with my core values. I set three things that are non negotiables to get done every day. They need to align with my core values. Throughout the day, I remind myself of these values in decision-making, and in the evening, I prioritize family time and reflect on the impact I’ve made. This daily practice ensures I thrive as both a leader and a dedicated mama while staying true to my core values.
Take Action and Keep Thriving
You’re unstoppable once you have determined your core values because you have a clear vision. Now, you know me, I always like to leave you with something to implement right away. It’s time to take action. Determine your three core values and start to incorporate your core values into your leadership roles and see what happens. I think you may find instant clarity! And remember, this isn’t the end; it’s just the beginning of your epic journey.
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Now, go out there, rock your leadership journey, and let your core values be your guiding light. Remember, it’s not about perfection; it’s about progress.
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