I believe we all want to see the difference our work makes in the world. And I believe we desire to work with others on things that matter to us. Often we struggle to clearly articulate our values, and what we stand for, and as such, we don’t have the ability to live those values in our work.
To help you begin to bring your values, beliefs and commitments into focus, consider the following inquiry without regard to your current job, role or education:
- What is it your community (Friends, Family, Neighborhood, Faith etc.) can count on you for? What is it you are willing to commit to give fully?
- What matters to you? What do you value? (Environment, Peace, Commerce, etc.)
- What breaks your heart about the world? What do you believe could be better?
Once you have thought through and written your responses, share them with someone close to you. Ask them, what they see – and if their experience of you aligns with what you wrote. Think about what it is you spend your time on at work. Does it include your ability to live your values or make the difference you want to see in the world? Could it?
Ask yourself, what would need to be true to live your values and beliefs as an ongoing expression of what you are committed to?
Part two (coming soon) will explore how to bring what you do and what you stand for closer together.
About Brent
Brent works with leaders to design futures worth fighting for. A partner at Fathom, he champions an approach to strategic planning, employee engagement, leadership succession and market differentiation that prioritizes people and relationships. As a result, his clients don’t simply plan their futures, they bring them to life through the energy of organization-wide involvement in, and commitment to, generating valuable businesses that matter.
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