how to truly identify your core values

The Five-Point Test

Have you ever wondered why you tend to lose steam when pursuing a dream? It can be discouraging, and it can make us doubt ourselves when we want to try again, or try something else. There could be a bazillion reasons why we don’t quite make it to our “finish-line” in these cases. I won’t try to write all of the reasons today. But I would love to share insight from a Five-Point Test that I use with my clients when I take them through the DreamBuilder program.

The key: We may be asking ourselves, “Am I worthy of my dream?,” when really we need to dare to ask ourselves, “Is my dream worthy of me.”

How many times have you thought of what you would love to do, be, have, or give and then you start thinking about the logical parts of why it could be hard or impossible? Without consistent training, this is a natural response for most people. It’s normal. But what if we want to break out of the norm? And to start leaning into a life we would love living, and that means shaking things up a bit.

Anything that is worth our time and attention will ALWAYS come with a risk. On the flip-side, staying where we are at ALSO comes with a big risk of regret and an unfulfilled life. We just have to decide if we want to invest in ourselves and grow. Or to make peace with where we are at. Each one of us gets to make that decision on a daily basis. There is no judgement on which direction you choose because it is ultimately about what aligns with your core values and your desire for what you want out of life.

I am excited to share with you one of the test questions from the Five-Point Test that you can use to discover if the dream you have is worthy of you. Why is it important for your dream to be worthy of you in regards to your success? This is because if your dream does not align with the Five-Point Test, the chances of you achieving your dream is going to be in question. And I will explain why as we go.

Does Your Dream Align With Your Core Values?

Your commitment to your dreams will be the strongest when they align with your core values. This is what will create sustainability over time. Think about an experience you had with a friend, situation, or a job that prompted you to protect your values because they had different values than you did. What happened in the end with that situation?

Now think about a time when you had a conversation with someone or you had a job and you were on the same page — everything clicked and you felt a sense of belonging and understanding. They resonated with you and it made it that much easier to hang out with that person or work for that employer. Most likely this is because your values aligned. You felt expansive.

One of my core values is family. I previously worked for a company that had values that didn’t match mine in many ways. At some point they put me on the shift I requested not to have because it was an opposite shift to my loved one. And it meant not seeing them all week, except on Saturday. And they said it would remain that way for the unforeseeable future. They had a need for someone to fill that spot. And I get it. But I also chose to make a decision based on my value system. So I decided to leave my promotion and take a pay cut to go back to my old schedule and my old position. Family time is one of my core values and making sure my dreams and decisions align with this is key for me in achieving my dreams. My core values are my compass.

Your Lifework:

An important step in making sure your dream aligns with your core values, is knowing what your core values are in the first place.

Take time to write down three of your core values and what each one means to you. Other than family, another example could be that you value travel and you write, “I make travel a priority and for me this means taking 3 vacations a year.” Once you have these written down, it will be easier for you to see if the dream you are envisioning is a good match and worthy of you. Because if your dream is to work at a specific company you have in mind, but they value people who work overtime and you want lots of vacation time — this wouldn’t be a good match to your core values. And at some point if you did get that job, it wouldn’t be long before you were unhappy with your dream and you would lose your motivation.

Understanding your core values is one key for testing your dream. And it can help you stay on track and boost your results! Let’s build a cushion around you that can protect you and your dream while you are building a life you love living. And this is one crucial part of the Five-Point Test that will support you on that journey.