Values
As far as I know the Apple company doesn’t own a hotel. Even so, take a moment and imagine if they did run a hotel in the heart of New York. You can probably guess what that lobby would look like. Simple and clean. You would even have an expectation that there would be technology in the hotel that you have not experienced before. Check in would probably feel much different than a normal check in process at your average hotel. Even getting into your room would probably be some touch screen process or provide some form of excitement. For a company this is called branding. At the heart of any good company with a great brand are people who understand the values that drive that branding.
A couple of Apples core values are as follows.
We believe that we’re on the face of the Earth to make great products.
We believe in the simple, not the complex.
We believe that we need to own and control the primary technologies behind the products we make.
Even having never seen an Apple hotel you would imagine all of those values to be true in what you think that hotel would be like.
So, what are your values? To answer that question, you have to know what you believe are the most important things to you in the way you live and work. Your values will determine your priorities and ultimately the way you view your success or fulfillment. By understanding your values this will help you navigate new situations. It will also help you know what to say no to in life as well.
Take a quick look at your life and determine what your values are and see if you can find a path in that.
Let me help you form some value statements for your life. Consider the below.
What characteristic do you most admire in other people? Example: Family Relationships, Wisdom, Strength, Friendship, Growth, Independence, etc?
What values have made a positive impact in your past? Example: “I was always trustworthy, and it has led to some great friendship.”
What traits in others or myself normally make me upset? The opposite of these may help you understand what you value.
What have been the happiest and proudest moments of your life? What values were present for these moments?
Write a list of all the values you believe are important to you. Now pick the very top 3-5.
Write a couple of sentences on why these values are important to you.
My encouragement to you is finding a way to put these values in front of yourself every day. Post them on your refrigerator or on a sticky note on the mirror in your bathroom. These values are more than just things you like. These values you've written can be a guiding post for your life. Something you measure all decisions up against as you continue on your path.
