Defining your values and principles
Last week in my weekly newsletter I wrote about Ray Dalio’s Principles for Success and it got me thinking about my own principles for success. I realized that I have very well-defined values, but I have not yet defined my principles. And, truth be told, I wasn’t quite sure what the difference was between values and principles.
So I set out on a mission to: 1) better understand the difference between values and principles; 2) learn methods to defining one’s principles; and 3) define my principles! Here’s what I learned…
The difference between values and principles.
You probably won’t be surprised to hear that the internet threw-up a whole bunch of conflicting views and definitions of values vs principles - which was not helpful!
Before abandoning my search, I thought I’d reference old study materials from my coaching certification. This resulted in a LOL moment when I read the following quote (which, by the way, I have also included in my Values Worksheet on my website and clearly need to edit it!):
“Values represent who you are right now. They are principles that you hold to be of worth in your life. People often confuse values with morals. Values are not chosen. They are intrinsic to you. Your individual values are as distinctly yours as your thumbprint.” (Co-Active Training Institute)
Unsatisfied with my search, I decided to go with my gut and share my POV on the difference between values and principles. (And yes, I’m about to contradict Stephen Covey - and I consider neither of us wrong!).
Values are who you are. They are what’s most important to you as an individual but go even deeper to your truest essence. Like a snowflake or a fingerprint, your values are unique to the human being that you are. Values are the pillars grounding you in your truest self and the lighthouse guiding you to a balanced and fulfilled life.
Principles, on the other hand, define the actions you take to live out your values and are how you conduct yourself based on your beliefs. They are the first line of defense when your pillars get wobbly or your lighthouse is dimming. Principles are those witty sayings that are passed down by your grandfather or grandmother, the pithy one-sentence statements your mum or dad used to share in a “lessons-learned” tone of voice, or the nostalgic sounding colleague sharing their wisdom, “What I always say is…” In my mind, principles are modern day proverbs.
Defining one’s principles.
First of all, you have full liberty to disagree with my definition of principles (as I did with many in my search to get here) - but just a heads up, the following suggestions are based off the above.
5 steps to help you define your principles:
Step 1: Write a list of your top 5 core values. And remember, these are unique to you so get as creative as you wish! Hopefully the above definition helps prompt some ideas, but if not, don’t forget you can reference my Values Worksheet or do a quick google search for discovering your core values.
Step 2: Define your values. Below I’ve shared my values and their definitions - what they mean to Me. You don’t have to go into as much detail as I have. The aim is to deepen your connection to your value by articulating what the value means to You.
Step 3: Reflect on your actions. Ask yourself how you go about honoring these values on a daily basis. What are some of the actions that portray your values? How do you bring these values to life? What are you doing when you feel most connected to or driven by these values? This reflection might also help input into your definition, so feel free to go back to step 2 and make any edits you wish.
Step 4: Highlight or circle any actions/behaviors from step 3 that jump out at you or most resonate with your uniqueness.
Step 5: Create one sentence, find a quote, or come up with a metaphor that articulates these actions.
And voila! You have a list of values AND principles!
Caru’s Principles.
There’s always time to do something that will make your soul happy. (Caru)
“If you doubt your power, you give power to your doubt.” (DVF)
“The universe is not logical, it’s magical.” (Will Smith)
“Let your laughter be contagious.” (Unknown)
“Your life is an occasion. Rise to it.” (Mr. Magorium)
In addition to the above principles, I’m a true believer in the principle of making one’s bed every morning - or, as Admiral William H. McRaven might say, “Start your day with a task completed.” Perhaps this is because my 6th core value is my Commitment Muscle!
As I said above, while our principles define the actions we take to live out our values, they are also how we conduct ourselves based on our beliefs. So feel free to branch out beyond your 5 core values and create as many principles as you wish to live by.
Reach out if you’re struggling to come up with your values and/or principles. The values exercise is something I do with all of my clients and (dare I say it…) it’s invaluable! 😉
With love,
Caru