When Values are Clear, Decisions are Easy

Posted on May 30, 2021 by Cole Crum, One of Thousands of Business Coaches on Noomii.

When we are faced with an abundance of options, and our values are not clear, those options can represent our downfall as opposed to the key to our success. Clear expectations lead to clear results. Our core values operate as the roadmap by which we navigate our day-to-day decisions. Without that map, it is all too easy to get lost.

Have you ever stopped in the grocery store to pick out a loaf of bread and become paralyzed by the sheer volume of options in front of you? White bread, wheat bread, gluten-free, multigrain, ancient grain, seven grain, sourdough, rye, ciabatta, focaccia, baguette…

Cue mental breakdown.

Oftentimes, instead of looking inward for the answer to our desires, we hand our decision over to someone else. “I know! I’ll text a few friends and see what they like.” Every single person writes back a different answer, and two people write back with options you didn’t even know existed. “Llonguet?! Chapati?!?! WHAT???”. Not only that, but everyone also tells you what they most enjoy about their choice of bread. Your friends provided reasons that ranged from low cost, to great flavor, to reminding them of the bread their mother used to make on Sunday afternoons.

While this is overly exaggerated for effect, this is a prime example of what happens to us when our values are not clearly defined. Our shopper didn’t take the time to establish what they’re looking for in a loaf of bread. Whereas, all of their friends that texted back, did have a clear choice and reasoning to back up their choice. But their reasons and experiences cannot be yours. We build our values based on our life experiences, and in the absence of your value roadmap, you may just find yourself saying,

“FAK IT! I’ll just get tortillas.”

While choosing bread was a remedial task of value-based decision, let us look at a higher-level example from the excursion of a year…2020. During the COVID-19 pandemic that started that escalated in 2020, over 20 million people lost their jobs in the US alone. In the first 3 months of the pandemic, people who had lost their job were faced with a difficult decision about their likelihood. Do they wait this out and hope for the best, or, do they take vital steps to transition into new careers? Just like our shopper trying to choose a loaf of bread, people were burdened by the abundance of opportunities that awaited them. For those that decided to outright change careers, they were left intimidated with the decision of “What’s next for me?”. While many others had decisions that were swayed by opportunities or by the experience of circumstance, there was still an overwhelming abundance of options that plagued each decision.

Many of the thoughts that were shared ranged widely, but a few that have resonated were:
“I could go back to school and finish my previous degree to open more doors.”
“I could move to another state where my previous role is still active and/or hiring.”
“That book I’ve been putting off for 10 years, this is my time to shine!”
“I could start my own business!”

Understanding one’s core values on what matters most in our lives is imperative to every fundamental decision. When we take this most recent example of transitioning careers, what are some of the core values we should know before exploring our options? One of the most important thoughts to consider during this transition is, “what am I truly passionate about in a profession?”. When beginning a new career, the allure of a high salary, or free lunch Fridays, may sound attractive, but are far from sustainable. If you allow yourself to be blinded by shiny offerings, instead of approaching your decision from a value-based perspective, you may find yourself shoveling shit after the honeymoon goggles come off. And hey, if that’s your end-goal, you go ahead and enjoy that free lunch Friday. Just make sure to wash your hands first.

No matter what decision you’re facing, set yourself up for success by clarifying your values. Build the roadmap that will help you navigate the small day-to-day decisions and the life-altering changes you will encounter. Identify what is most important to you in your life, your core values, and hold those values sacred.

Getting started on identifying your core values can happen exactly where you are right now. I challenge you to write down one thing you’re unhappy about in your life as it is right now. Got it? Good. Now write out the 5 most important changes you want to make about that one thing, and why. Really dig deep here. If you can’t think of a logical reason why you want to make one of your changes, challenge yourself to decide if that change is really worth your investment.

When your values are clear, decisions are easy.