Why You Need To Know Your Values & Beliefs
Have you ever been in a situation where you made a decision, and something just didn’t feel right?
Your gut told you that maybe you should reconsider, but you decided to move forward with your decision anyway?
Then, a few months after your decision, you started to feel like maybe the choice you made wasn’t the right one, after all.
Well if this scenario resonates with you, join the club. We’ve all made decisions that made us feel a bit uncomfortable, but we did it anyway. Sometimes when that happens, our gut tries to tell us that the decision is out of alignment with our values.
Well, today, we are going to continue our discussion about self-awareness. More specifically, today’s topic is about core values and beliefs and why living in alignment with your core values will help you make better decisions.
If you haven’t already read last week’s blog, which focused on the broader topic of self-awareness as a leader, please check it out!
Core values
Core values are the moral code we live by. They’re the standards that we set for ourselves, and they determine how we interact with others.
If you don’t know your values, you don’t know your moral code.
If you don’t know your moral code, then you might not understand why you feel uncomfortable in certain situations or why the decisions you make just don’t seem to be the right decisions the majority of the time.
Examples of core values include integrity, accountability, candor, commitment, dependability, dignity, honesty, honor, and responsibility.
Example of a core value in practice
If you value honesty and you know someone is not honest with you, it doesn’t make you feel good. The reason it doesn’t feel good is that honesty means something to you. You value it.
If honesty wasn’t a core value, you might not even care.
Core values also influence your behavior, attitude, and beliefs.
Beliefs
Beliefs are the assumptions that we hold true about ourselves and others. Your beliefs about yourself are formed very early in life.
Beliefs are based on experiences and are influenced by family, friends, the schools you attend and your religion.
Empowering beliefs
Empowering beliefs keep you striving toward reaching a specific goal without limitation. These are good beliefs.
Limiting beliefs
Limiting beliefs are those beliefs that prevent you from striving toward a goal. These beliefs are detrimental to your success because they hold you back from reaching your full potential.
Values and beliefs as a leader
As a leader, values and beliefs influence who you are and how you conduct yourself at work. Your values and beliefs also influence the decisions you make at work.
Values and beliefs at work
At work, values and beliefs influence our perceptions of problems and how we approach them. Here are a few examples of the impact of values and beliefs at work:
Leadership Style – Suppose you have two leaders with very different leadership styles: one is team-oriented and the other is authoritarian. The team-oriented leader focuses on driving a culture of collaboration whereas, the authoritarian leader focuses on dictating direction.
Workplace decisions – If an employee makes a mistake, one leader may go for progressive discipline, while another may prefer to have a coaching conversation instead.
Perspective – If an employee engages in an activity that violates policies and procedures, one leader may view the act like a total disregard for policies and procedures, while another may see it as an honest mistake.
These examples show how perceptions and beliefs influence perspective and result in leaders approaching the same situations differently.
Living in alignment
It is important to live in alignment with your values. When you’re not living in alignment with your core values:
- You live according to the rules of others
- You have difficulty achieving goals
- You’re not fulfilled
- You may not be happy with your career
- You feel empty
On the other hand, when you live in alignment with your values:
- You make decisions with clarity
- You’re more likely to make the right decision the first time around
- You feel fulfilled
- Your life is more balanced
- You put more emphasis on engaging in activities and create experiences that make YOU happy
Conclusion
- Core values are the moral code that we live by.
- Beliefs are the assumptions that we hold about ourselves and others.
- Beliefs about ourselves are formed very early in life.
- Our values and beliefs influence who we are and how we behave at work.
- Living out of alignment with your values means that you’ll likely be unhappy and not as successful.
You now understand what values and beliefs are and why they are important to know.
But, you still don’t know the steps to take that will help you develop your self-awareness.
For this reason, you have access to a free guide called How to Develop Self-awareness. This guide will help you identify your strengths, weaknesses, and discover your values and beliefs. It is designed to help people like you get to know themselves better. Simply complete the form below and it’ll be sent to your inbox!
I’d love to hear from you
I’d also love your feedback on today’s topic.
Please leave comments in the comment section letting me know if today’s topic was helpful.
If you’d like more information on living in alignment with your values and developing your self-awareness let me know that as well.
