I'm so excited to introduce you to my friend and coach, Martha Lynn Mangum. I have known Martha Lynn for over twenty years now and she has helped me learn and grow in ways that simply wouldn't have been possible without her. Martha Lynn is well trained with a B.S. degree in Applied Learning and Development from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master’s Degree in Spiritual Psychology from the University of Santa Monica. As an HPC (High Performing Culture) Certified Consultant, Martha Lynn also teaches and supports organizations to create high performing cultures. She can be found with Momentum Consulting and also has her own coaching and consulting business at MarthaLynnMangum.com
Of all the valuable wisdom I've gained from my time with Martha Lynn, one of the most important has been learning and understanding my core values. This has been an absolute eye opener, and in this podcast we'll explain how to identify your core values, explore why going through this exercise can give you such precious insight into yourself and others, and how you move through and interact with the greater world.
As we launch into a new year, this work can be so important as you design and define what you want to do in your life, as well as with your work in the coming year. Listen to this enlightening podcast on Spotify HERE or YouTube below, and discover and maximize your core values!
3 Ways Our Core Values Become Locked in
For the majority of the population, core vales are formed by the time we're twelve years old. Core values are non-negotiables that are responsible for our thoughts, words, feelings and behaviors and come come from:
Personal Influence
Defining Moments
Self Discovery
In the podcast, Martha Lynn explains each of these and talks about how an understanding of the origin of a core value can give even more weight and insight.
"Our core values tell us not just how we are in the world, but here's the kicker...they tell us how we expect EVERYONE ELSE in the world to be as well."
6 Things We know to be True About Values
In case you were wondering, yes, there is a difference between your values and your Core Values. Values are things that:
Anchor us to life
Shape our particular reality
Determine what matters most to us
Describe what we think
Are the standards by which we judge others and ourselves
May change over time
"We react to people bases on what we thing they should be doing, based on our core values."
7 Ways that Core Values Differ from Values
If you're familiar with your Love Language or the Enneagram, you'll see some similarities because these things all get to the root of who you are and what is most important to you. There are many truths about Core Values and how they're different then our values. Core Values:
Stay with us for life, and they are usually formed early, by the time we are young adults
Are so fundamental to our core, we see them as the way we should live our lives and how the world should operate
Are non-negotiable, and people typically have 3 to 6
Have a unique meaning to each of us
Do not inherently conflict with the Core Values of others
If perceived to be violated, can result in many of the disappointments we encounter in life
Come from a Person of Influence, Defining Moment, or by Self Discovery
"Once you've defined your Core Values, write them down and put them someplace you'll see every day. Practice being aware of them."
Core Value Printables
You can identify your Core Values by answering the questions on these three printables provided by Momentum Consulting. Click HERE for printables.
Create a Vision Board and Include Your Core Values
One of my favorite things to do in the new year is create a vision board and I highly recommend everyone do this, as we are 42% more likely to achieve what you want when you create it (like a vision board) or write it down. When I created my most recent vision board, I included my Core Values for the first time. So that I could get even more specific, I described what living in my Core Values was, and I then organized my Vision Board into Core Value categories--adding visual of what it looked like to live out and live in alignment with my Core Values. I have made many vision boards, but due to the specificity and organization, this vision board was my favorite!
Podcasts We Think You'll Enjoy in the New Year
Okay, one of my core values is understanding, and if you want to understand yourself better, this podcast is A MUST! Martha Lynn helps you understand why we need to know our core values, how to identify them, and how they impact the way we show up in the world and relate to others. If you do anything to propel yourself forward into 2024, you should listen to this podcast, print off the materials, and hone in on your core values. We are all work in progress, and this is some of the most insightful work you can do!