In Retrospect
In my previous post, Living Our Core Values, I shared a reflection on my journey so far in attempting to align my aspirations with my core values and questioned whether my initial goal of acquiring a million dollars or 38 acres was driven by genuine needs or by external influences and perceived notions of success.
Who We Are And Our Core Values
The relationship between who we are and our core values is indeed profound. Our core values are the compass that guides our decisions, actions, and interactions.
They are often shaped by our upbringing, environment, and experiences, and they define what we stand for.
When we feel a sense of discomfort, as I did, it’s often an indication that there’s a misalignment between our actions or goals and our true values.
Challenging Limiting Beliefs
Cracking the code, I was able to move out of my comfort zone and this is a critical step in personal and professional growth. Setting ambitious goals, like a million-dollar target, is about more than just financial gain; it’s about challenging limiting beliefs and breaking through self-imposed barriers. It’s about daring to dream big and rediscovering passions and aspirations that may have been sidelined by practicality or fear.
But as you can see we may get past one barrier only to falter at the next……
To Align or Not
As I reconsider how these financial goals align with my values, it’s essential to balance ambition with authenticity, ensuring that our goals challenge us and resonate with our core beliefs.
This alignment will create a coherent and sustainable path to success in business and personal life.
Learn From Companies with Core Values
A commitment to sustainability and acting in an environmentally friendly way. Companies like Patagonia and Ben and Jerry’s have environmental sustainability as a core value and a commitment to innovation.
Patagonia’s values are Quality, Integrity, Environmentalism, Justice and Not bound by convention.
Ben and Jerry’s core values are Human Rights & Dignity, Social & Economic Justice and Environmental Protection, Restoration, & Regeneration.
A Personal Values Assessment
I found a great assessment to help prioritize my values but discovered that I was unable to get finance into my top 3 and had to settle for 4th place. The top 3 were: Peace, Freedom, Health, and then Financial Stability.
- Peace
- Freedom
- Health
- Financial stability
- Compassion
- Courage
- Inner Harmony
- Integrity
- Wisdom
- Independence
- Trust
- Appreciation
- Creativity
- Growth
Even then I struggled. I am not yet content. I felt almost forced to include financial stability at the top as I am building a business, but feel almost instinctively that compassion, integrity, and appreciation are core values for my retreat.
Am I the only one struggling here?
Please go here and do your free online test to assess your values and let me know how you align your values with your business.
TO BE CONTINUED…….
Please leave a comment below. I’d love to hear from you
Dream Big
Be Fearless.
Eleanor
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Hi Eleanor,
Such a great blog! I truly believe that core values that you’ve mentioned are the building blocks of being and becoming a better person.
I also can relate to the financial goal you had put – the great part was being able to review all of that and seeing that change – that ever elusive change – was warranted not because your core values had changed, but because your WHY had changed!
All the best!
Thanks for sharing this awesome reflection on aligning core values with your goals. It’s so true—our values guide everything we do. Challenging those limiting beliefs and rethinking our goals is key for real growth and happiness. Your journey is super inspiring and relatable because we’re all trying to balance ambition with staying true to ourselves.
I love the examples from Patagonia and Ben & Jerry’s—they’re perfect reminders of how sticking to your values can lead to success. I’m definitely going to check out that values assessment and see how my own values line up with my business goals. Thanks again!
Hi Eleanor! Thanks for sharing the link to the quiz! I’ve always wondered how you define your values. How do you begin? The quiz had a great solution for that. My results were family, forgiveness, honesty, and compassion.
I’ve never considered creating the values of my own company. I think I will give that a try and see how it helps me in my daily tasks.
Thanks for the insight!
Nakina
I wouldn’t have known where to start defining my values. So the self-test you provided was a great help. Thank you for sharing.
Eleanor, your reflection on aligning personal aspirations with core values is deeply thought-provoking. It’s inspiring to see you challenge limiting beliefs and strive for authentic growth. The examples of companies like Patagonia and Ben and Jerry’s highlight how values can drive meaningful success. Your journey of balancing ambition with genuine values resonates with many of us who periodically reassess our goals and motivations. Thank you for encouraging us to evaluate our own values and ensuring they align with our pursuits. Looking forward to your continued insights!
Hi Eleanor,
Thank you for sharing such a thoughtful and introspective post. I really resonate with your journey of aligning aspirations with core values, especially the struggle between financial goals and personal values. Your examples of Patagonia and Ben & Jerry’s are inspiring, showing how businesses can thrive by staying true to their core beliefs. I took the values assessment you recommended, and it was eye-opening. My top values were similar to yours, with health, freedom, and integrity leading the way. Balancing these with financial stability is indeed challenging but crucial for sustainable success. Looking forward to reading more about your journey!
Meredith
HI Eleanor – Identification of core values is such a worthy pursuit. Once they are identified the key is to make every attempt to live by them. I am curious about the test you reference in the post. Thanks for the reminder to identify your core values and then sticking to them. Have a great week!
Eleanor, It’s a powerful reminder of the importance of aligning our goals with our core values, rather than being swayed by external definitions of success. The personal values assessment was eye-opening, especially in realising that peace, freedom, and health often take precedence over financial goals. I also struggle with balancing ambition and authenticity in my business pursuits. It’s reassuring to know I’m not alone in this journey. Thanks, Atif
I know what you mean about financial stability and freedom. As I become impatient with the money or lack thereof, I must bring myself back from the ledge and meditate more. The other core values, if lived to the fullest, are the foundation of wealth with integrity!