Top Values = Top CareersTop careers seem elusive because people are looking in the wrong place for them. Choosing a career is seen as a decision about situations ‘out there’. However, the opposite is true. The best career choices are an expression of who you really are inside. You cannot reach the top of any field by ‘faking it’. There will always be someone else for whom that career is in alignment with what is most important to them. It is these people with genuine passion and enthusiasm that will rise to the top. Through this article you will gain insights into how your values are already at work in your life. This awareness creates the possibility of making new decisions, in alignment with your values. By playing to your personal 'aces' your top careers can emerge.
What are values?‘What is important for you to be you?’, the answers to these questions are your values. They are your personal rulebook that dictates how you interpret and react to events in your life. Values are expressed very concisely in just one or two words like ‘love’ or ‘self-expression’.People tend to have different sets of values for different areas of their life. For instance ‘financial reward’ may rank in your top careers values, but it is unlikely to make your top 3 relationship values. Having and BeingAn important distinction to make is between having-values and being-values. Having lots of money is important for many people, but money doesn’t have any innate value. It is a means to an end, otherwise known as a having-value.So why is having money a value for so many people? Maybe it is a means to ‘being comfortable’ or ‘being secure’; it depends on the person. Whatever the intention, these reasons which underlie having-values are called being-values. Being-values are internal states that cannot be fulfilled by external things like money. They are only fulfilled when you express who you really are through your decisions. There was a point after university where I realised that my job hunt was not working. I wanted to have success. At the time I thought meant enrolling in a graduate scheme. An inner conflict arose because there were no graduate schemes that could fulfil my values of self-expression and integrity. To abandon seeking a graduate scheme seemed like I was giving up on success, but I also knew I would be miserable if I did join one. Despite the uncertain circumstances it created I chose to focus on my values. Thankfully, instead of abandoning success I created the possibility of a fulfilling career that is pushing out my limits. The real success from this experience is not in what I have now vs what I could have had with a graduate scheme. It lies in the fact I am living in alignment with what is most important to me. These are my being values. Decision MakingDiscovering your top values is like being given a map to being more of who you really are. Values are the ultimate decision making criteria.When you make decisions in alignment with your values you are expressing yourself authentically and so will feel fulfilled. Opting against your values will result in distress and internal conflict. Choosing to be in situation where you are limited from expressing your full potential is like deciding to be in prison. Discovering your values, will show the prison for what it really is, and be a source of inspiration to break free. Your decisions are your only jailer. A common barrier to finding a career is a lack of clarity between long term career objectives and easier short-term options that provide a quick feel-good pay-off. Values create a sharp distinction between fulfilling and unfulfilling options. By seeing the bigger picture, it is possible to be decisive and confident when choosing a career. Goal SettingDiscovering your values is essential when it comes to creating your career objectives. If your goals are not in line with your values then it is unlikely that you will achieve them.Values give meaning to your career objectives. When a goal is not in line with what is important to you, it is meaningless. It will not inspire or motivate you to be proactive and so it will not be achieved. On the other-hand if the goal is aligned with your values the achievement process will be a joy. Abraham Maslow identified a hierarchy of 6 core human needs for how to succeed in life. The 2nd highest of these needs was the need for meaning. Gaining awareness of your values enables you to craft a career of maximum meaning and fulfilment for you. Staying CommittedWhen you start to pursue top careers there will be periods of uncertainty as your life re-aligns itself with your new more authentic self. During periods of outer struggle it is easy to second guess your decisions, or even give up.However, it is possible to simultaneously experience this outer struggle whilst maintaining inner peace. Values provide a solid rock of knowledge about who you are. By holding onto your values you can become aware that present distress will pass. All you have to do is stay true to your values. MotivationYou may also face motivational challenges whilst pursuing your career objectives. Personally I found completing job applications particularly soul-destroying. It is a necessary part of job seeking, but at the time a million and one other, less painful, tasks also seemed important.In these situations values serve as a source of inspiration. Top careers that are in alignment with your values will fill you with genuine passion and enthusiasm. This does not make the particular task any more appealing, but you will be drawn to them by the vision of what is most important to you. Values are a decision-making tool, a source of inspiration, and a map to fulfilment. Top careers are only possible when you are expressing your values. By expressing who you really are, you will access the genuine enthusiasm and passion that will see you succeed in life. This focus on what is important to you will keep you committed and motivated during uncertain times. Top careers and top values go hand in hand, so reach out and hold yours close. Return to Career Objectives
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