Why You Need Core Values

Core values are not just important they are crucial to have in life. They are very central to a person’s decision-making process and generally how they engage in life. They usually dictate whether consciously or subconsciously how a person behaves and what they do. Therefore, it is important to consciously and intentional choose your core values otherwise the ones that are set by the society around you will dictate how you engage in life.

Core values can be either positive or negative, for example, when a person is described as hard working; this is a positive one, that is probably at their core whether they know it or not. Another person can be described as selfish, yet they may not realize it but they have developed over the years a trait of selfishness; that it has become something that they are known for. The likelihood is that it is not something they set out to be. This is because they haven’t consciously and intentional carved out their core values and followed through with the habits to support those core values.

Why then do you need core values:

1.   To set your Desired Direction in life.

All things remaining constant, you are the driver of your own life and core values help you steer your life in your desired direction. Many times, as humans, we never sit down to determine what kind of a person you would like to be. We just find the flow going and we keep going with the flow. Core values help you to be the kind of person you would like to be. The phrase be a better person is commonly used nowadays; it is a good depiction of this. The way you think was probably influenced a lot more by the family you grew up in and the society that you grew up in. Not to say that everything you were taught was wrong not at all. However, some of the things that you grew up hearing you may not agree with, unfortunately these things may be in your subconscious and if you don’t intentionally carve out your own values-core values you will revert to the default. Which is of course what you have learnt growing up. Therefore, it is important to develop your own core values.

2.   To help you in selecting the most suitable career path for you.

Every single person is endowed differently some core values are sort of inborn or inbuilt and many you have to develop them. If you are generally a compassionate person, you might consider taking a career path for instance in counselling psychology. If you are more detail oriented you might consider one in administration. If you are all about justice and probably enjoying arguing out points, debates etc. you might consider taking up law. Life has a funny way of bringing us back to our core. You could pursue a career that is completely outside of your core, yet somehow be it one year, five years, 10 or even more you will gradually gravitate towards what you love. Being in tune with our core values helps in this.

3.   It helps connect you with the most suited friendships

Have you ever looked at some friendships and wondered why they are friends? It’s probably because their core values don’t seem to agree and most times you will find that those friendships usually drift and some even eventually die off. Or one of them will push the other one to their side. Your core values will connect you to your friendships.

4.   It helps one to connect to a life partner

You will often find that many married couples probably met because they were doing something that they both love. For example, travelling, listening to certain kinds of music, volunteering somewhere, interest in certain topics etc. You can rarely divorce yourself from your core values, therefore, when two people with similar core values join together the likelihood of the connection being life long or at least being long term is very high.

Core values are not just for big corporations and conglomerates, they are also for individuals. Therefore, consciously carve out and develop your core values to avoid being bombarded with the ones from society of which some are just wrong. If some of your core values agree with society’s well and good, there could be agreeing points, however, be intentional about them don’t be passive.