Successful people not only have core principles they live by, but they also write them down – this is one of the great points raised by Ray Dalio in his book, Principles.
I do this same exercise with my coaching clients, but instead of principles, I call them values.
Our values in life will dictate our beliefs and our beliefs will determine our behavior or choices. If we want our personal and professional lives to be successful, we must identify our core values (or principles) and write them down.
I am not talking about a check in the box or mundane task to simply complete. I am suggesting we write down our core values, memorize them, own them and allow them to guide our decisions.
Having our values in front of us allows us to focus on them, share them, and clarify them.
If you haven’t already done so, Google an extensive list of values and try to pick your top three. Pick ones that authentically reflect your character. This will be challenging but once you do, write them down and keep them fresh in your mind as you make everyday decisions.
