12 Core Values To Consider

ALL POSTS PRIOR TO 2021 HAVE NOT BEEN REVIEWED NOR APPROVED BY ANY FIRM OR INSTITUTION, AND REFLECT ONLY THE PERSONAL VIEWS OF THE AUTHOR.

[This post is inspired by an article in Bob Veres' Inside Information publication, a rich resource for all those who provide financial and investment advice. In his Feb. 2019 issue, Bob relates "core values" that were shared by Tracey Beckes, who recently spoke at the AICPA PFP Summit. Some of the following "core values" are derived directly from this publication; others were contributed by this author.]

What values will guide your life? What principles will you follow?

There are many ways to list out your values. Here's a recent list I composed, that conveys not just values but how they should be practiced. Some additional resources are listed, to aid those to begin to explore these practices.

THE 3 WAYS IN WHICH WE SHOULD PERCEIVE THE WORLD AROUND US:

1. Listen, to be fully present whenever another person is speaking, be it a peer, colleague, friend or family member. Aspire to become one of the best listeners in the world. [Search YouTube for videos about empathetic listening.]
2. Be ever curious. Keep a beginner’s mind, and nurture the habits and attitudes that sustain a curious mind and an open heart. [Search YouTube for "How Important is it to be curious" - a short interview of Bill Gates.]
3. Embrace change, to create a mindset that seeks and welcomes opportunities for yourself and the members of any team or organization of which you are a part. [Read the book, "Who Moved My Cheese?"

THE 3 COMMITMENTS WE SHOULD MAKE TO OURSELVES AND TO OTHERS:

4. Seek mastery, to commit yourself to fully developing the skills, expertise and wisdom to excel in your profession. [And it all begins with excellent written and oral communication skills. See the YouTube video: "Communication Skills - How to Improve Communications Skills - 7 Unique Tips." Also see the YouTube video, "Big Talk" by Kalina.]
5. Be confident. Self-confidence is a skill. [See the YouTube video, "The skill of self confidence, Dr. Ivan Joseph. And if you are not self-confident in the moment, fake it to you make it! Also, remember to not let others tear you down, and avoid excessive self-judgment as well.]
6. Commit to radical responsibility. Make clear agreements with yourself, and with your peers and with others, and bind yourself to honoring those agreements. Practice, and master, self-control and grit - for they may well be the key factors in your success in life. [Watch the YouTube videos, "Sesame Street Tells You How to Get to Sunnier Days Financially," and "Grit: the power of passion and perseverance" by Angela Lee Duckworth.]

THE 3 PRACTICES WE SHOULD UNDERTAKE EACH DAY:

7. Practice gratitude, openly express thankfulness for the richness of your life and the gift of others both great and small. [Search for videos on YouTube: Oprah Winfrey Gratitude Journal.] 
8. Expand your comfort zone, by doing one thing each day that “scares you.” This is especially useful for introverts. [Watch the video: Marcus Taylor, Measuring Comfort Zones, on YouTube. Then watch, "100 days without fear" by Michelle Poler.]
9. Ask “How Can I Help?” If we were to treat everyone, each day, like they were hurting, then we wouldn’t miss by much. We can find much happiness in helping others. [For just one example, search YouTube for: "Happiness is helping others" - posted by Haytham Ibrahim]

THE 3 CORE VALUES WE SHOULD EMBRACE AT ALL TIMES:

10. Strive for positivity, because being positive and happy promotes greater learning, greater achievements, and greater success, in all aspects of life. [Watch the video, The happy secret to better work, by Shawn Achor.] 
11. Plan out and enjoy the journey. Live your life by design, not be default, to enjoy a happy and fulfilling life. [Watch these videos: "The Time You Have (in JellyBeans)", and any video about setting S.M.A.R.T. Goals.]
12. Most important - act with integrity, because all successful relationships are built on trust. And trust, when violated, can never be fully restored. [While teaching integrity requires more than short videos allow, there are many benefits from integrity - for an indication, watch the YouTube video by Kevin Lott, "Integrity Gets You Everything!"]