Once upon a time I worked for a company that was driven by a series of ten core values and beliefs that all employees, regardless of role, were asked to uphold. Since leaving that company, I’ve referred back to those core values, and have been inspired to try to come up with a few of my own.
This list is a work in progress; it is hardly finished and was hastily scribbled down on a notebook on a morning when I hadn’t even gone to bed yet. Still, I think there are some fundamental truths here, and these truths will help me define what I want to do (and what I don’t want to do) as I move into the next stage of my life.
My Core Values (thus far) are:
- Work should be about doing what you love, not what pays you the most money, or rewards you with the most impressive title.
- Find time to play.
- Stand your ground when you know you’re right, but don’t be too proud to admit when you’re wrong.
- Fail. Fail again. Learn from your failures and be prepared for success when it comes (and it will come).
- Remember to laugh. When you’ve stopped laughing, your work and the work of those around you will suffer.
- Trust your voice. Know your stuff. Don’t sell yourself short.