A Guide To Change For Everybody: Knowing What You Stand For
This chapter is from the book “Next For Me: A Guide to Change for Everybody” from the founders of Next For Me.
Enlightened career changers ask, “what is my reason for being?” Core values are the fundamental beliefs and principles that give a framework when defining the purpose of your venture. They’re your North Star as you move forward, and help inform whether the paths you take are the right ones.
When core values are shared with the people you work with, you have a strong foundation that is expressed in how you conduct business. It will resonate in who you hire, how you pick partners, the clientele you cater to, and even where you operate geographically.
We like Patagonia’s simple statement that summarizes their foundational values.
“Patagonia has a strong commitment to simplicity, the environment, and open-mindedness that is expressed in these statements/core values.”
At the end of this chapter is an exercise with a set of questions you can use to get a sense of your core values. If you can articulate those answers, you’ll likely see a pattern that can inform the foundation of your endeavor. When you hew to your core values, your enthusiasm will shine through when you’re talking about your work to others.
Read: Your Philosophical Center
Do the exercise: Identifying Your Core Values
This section is from the book “Next For Me: A Guide to Change for Everybody” from the founders of Next For Me.