Values - Your Pathway to Fulfillment

Special points of interest:

> Many people are looking for more enjoyment and satisfaction in their work.

> Outside pressures can keep you from seeing what is most important.

> To fix the disconnect, the most powerful place to look is at your values.

> When we bring this power to our businesses, careers and lives, we can do things we might not otherwise believe possible.

Volume 3, Issue 1

April 19, 2003

Beyond Success Newsletter

Values - Your Pathway to Fulfillment

by Trish Pratt

Where do you find your fulfillment? This is, as you might expect, an issue that often comes up with coaching clients. I am reminded of the line in the movie "Three Amigos" when Curly suggests he knows the secret of life. He will only say "It's just one thing." "What?" the others ask. "Just this." My take on his answer is that the answer simply lies in the question. If you simply ask yourself "What is important?" and answer it for yourself, you've tapped into the secret of life for YOU and that's the one that matters. That's where you get what's most important to you - your values.

When working with clients who are looking to find a job they are more suited for, they will often mention that they are looking for more enjoyment or satisfaction in their work. They will sometimes remark that they have considered their passions but aren't sure what those are. They only know that they are not feeling any passion in their current job.

Business owners and managers will sometimes mention that the business is no longer satisfying for them. "I'm not sure I want to be doing this three years from now." Or, "I used to enjoy this more, but something is missing." Sometimes the reason for this is a business growth issue. In growing into the next stage, the manager or owner can feel that the business is consuming too much of his or her life. They know there must be a better way of managing it all but haven't gotten there just yet. Sometimes the parts of the business that they have connected to in the past have gotten lost in the shuffle of things such as managing expanded product lines, more employees, tighter budgets, or new marketing strategies.

If your work isn't about something you value then how can it be fulfilling? The good news in many cases is that the values are often there but have simply been covered up with day-to-day life or business concerns. Sometimes pressures from the outside (or inside) to increase income, manage tighter schedules, sort out problems, etc. can cloud your view and keep you from seeing what is most important. After some amount of time you forget what that is and experience a "disconnect" with your career or business, or maybe even with yourself.

There are many places to look in supporting individuals in getting to decisions that will give them more fulfillment or satisfaction. There are many tools and assessments I use when working with individuals looking to make a career shift. There are plenty of strategies to consider when looking to make managing a business easier and/or more affective. But typically the first place to look (the most powerful place) is at your values. What is most important to you about your job? What is most important to you about your business? And where does that tie in with what is most important to you about life? When you are clear as to what your values are, you can use them to support you in your business and career decisions, and in doing so, stay connected with your fulfillment.

And why is fulfillment so important? Nothing is as empowering as connecting to our values. We've all heard the stories of the mother who with nothing but her own strength and sheer will lifts a car up to free her child who is trapped underneath. Did she know she could do that? Had she been lifting weights for a few years? Or was she was simply coming from what she most cared about? Our connection to ourselves is powerful. And when we bring this power to our businesses, careers, and lives we can do things we might not otherwise consider or even believe possible.

As many of the world's societies have developed, they have come to a place where people have the opportunity to make more meaningful choices. We find ourselves with many more options. We can change jobs, start businesses or for some with the financial means, simply choose to not "work" - not a luxury that was seen by many of our forefathers. But whatever the choices we make, there is a greater need today than ever before for connection to ourselves - a connection that grounds us to our source. It not only empowers us, but brings out the best of who we are and supports us in offering this "best" to the world.

To achieve greater clarity on your values and notice where you connect to "you," print out the Values Assessment at http://www.momentumcoaching.com/values.html and take ten minutes or so to identify what's most important to you. And, if you struggle with it or have questions on where you stand with your values, please take me up on my complimentary coaching session offer.

Wishing you success and fulfillment,
- Trish

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About Trish

Trish Pratt is a professional certified coach and consultant. She is also a certified PaperRoom coach trained in pattern recognition (see www.momentumcoaching.com/paperroom.html for more details). Trish helps managers and other professionals bring their best clarity, communication and leadership to their work. She does this with one-on-one coaching, training/workshops, and through articles she writes. Contact Trish today for a complimentary consultation at: 978-635-0603 or via email at: trish@momentumcoaching.com.

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