LUV Your Genius
5 - Fundamental Values
Your values are very important, because they determine what priority you place on things, how much time, effort, money and resources you will commit to them, what your genius is there to support
Module 5: The important things in your life & work
Units 1 to 4 were about identifying your Passion, the work you love to do. Units 5 to 7 are about your Principles, the rules you use to determine what you are prepared to do, how you are willing to do it, and the reasons it's important to you.
This unit is about your Values - particularly as they affect your work and your life. Your Values are very important, because they determine what priority you place on things, how much time, effort, money and resources you will commit to them.
If you haven't reviewed Units 1 to 4 yet, do that now, then we can crack on with Values
Values Elicitation
A key part of today's work is what's called a Values Elicitation. The audio version you'll be using here is broadly based on one used in Chris Howard's old 'Breakthrough to Success" weekend, and was originally recorded to be used with my "Opportunity Matrix" entrepreneur's prioritisation tool.
The objective is to answer the question: "What's important to you in the context of your work and your life?"
Values tend to be single words, or 2-3 word phrases - you'll get the idea when you listen to the audio.
Worksheet
Download the Values Elicitation Worksheet and the Values Elicitation audio MP3 from the course details page here: Main Course Page
Please don't listen to the audio until you've read these instructions fully, up to the point where I've put "Stop, do the exercise now".
When you use the Values Elicitation worksheet, don't number your values yet, you'll be told on the audio when to do that. And don't judge anything that comes up, write it all down, we'll be dealing with it all either later in this session, or in Unit 7.
When you listen to the audio, if you want more time, just pause it, and re-start when you are ready.
Ordering Values
Part of the audio exercise is to put your Values into order - that's why there's a column at the start for you to put the number for each value into. Don't judge start thinking, "Ooh, that's an important one, that should be at the top of the list!" and start trying to squeeze it in there.
The exercise is designed to work whatever order your Values come out in - in fact, for most people their core values are so instrinsic to them, so much a 'given' in their lives, that they don't come out until right at the end.
Do not read on to the section on interpretation if you have not done the exercise, doing that will give you a false outcome.
It’s important that you get your Values as they really are, not as you’d like them to be once you read the interpretation!
Values Interpretation
If you haven’t done the exercise yet, DO NOT READ ON.
We each have unique values, so I can’t give meanings or interpretations for specific values. Your Values are your Values, the words mean something different to you than they do to me, or anyone else. Even your closest friends, or your life partner.
There are some general interpretations though, based around the order you put them into:
- Money/Wealth/RewardIf these are low in your list of Values, the chances are you aren’t making as much money as you’d like.
- Family/RelationshipsThe same goes for these, if they aren’t very important to you, you’re probably not getting the love you need.
- ContributionConversely, if you’re putting things like contribution and spiritually above things like achievement and success, you’ll probably be very popular or enlightened. And broke!
- Fun/FreedomMost of us want fun & freedom in our lives – the question is, what are you prepared to forego to get them? Money’s quite helpful in achieving them, and family and friends do rather make them more enjoyable!
There is no “right” order for Values – it’s just that the importance you put on them can affect the results you get. And obviously, how you use your individual genius!
Values is an area on which I generally spend a lot of time with my individual coaching clients, and in The Busy Fool group coaching programs, so please don’t skimp on this module – it really is very important.
Make sure you complete the exercise and the hidden interpretation section above before continuing!
And finally ...
Your Values are not fixed, you can change them. It's not easy, most of us have had our values for most of our lives, but you can get an NLP practitioner to help you change them quite simply, just be careful not to try to change your fundamental character - that way lies disappointment and confusion.
It's much better to work with your Values, and to identify a Genius that incorporates the realization of your own individual Values.
I hope you found that enjoyable, useful and enlightening, and it gave you some insights into yourself and the results you've been getting.
Now, relax and ponder what your Values mean to you.
Until the next session!
Course Modules
To unlock each new module, just complete the share at the end of each one
At busy times it can take up to 15 mins for your next module to appear in the list - not ideal, we're working on it. And it's a great reason to go get a cup of tea and have a little break!
At busy times it can take up to 15 mins for your next module to appear in the list - not ideal, we're working on it. And it's a great reason to go get a cup of tea and have a little break!