Find Your Why: The Power of Core Values in Career Fulfillment

At the heart of a fulfilling career lie your core values — the beliefs and motivations that shape your decisions and happiness. Living in alignment with your values significantly increases job satisfaction and well-being.

Values form early through phases called spongey (absorbing from caregivers), copy-cat (imitating role models), and rebel (testing and challenging beliefs). By early adulthood, these values solidify but can evolve with reflection.

Discovering your values involves reflecting on career highs and lows, identifying what matters most in work and relationships, and prioritizing resonant value words. Defining your values in your own words prevents misinterpretations and helps you communicate authentically.

Living your values means being yourself fully at work, building empathy, and making decisions that resonate deeply. It also requires navigating situations where values may conflict, with awareness and grace.

By embracing your values as a continual compass, you can navigate the twists and turns of your squiggly career with authenticity and confidence.

Next, we'll explore how to build lasting confidence by taming your inner gremlins — those limiting beliefs that hold you back.

Sources: Summary of The Squiggly Career by Helen Tupper & Sarah Ellis, Toby Sinclair Blog 1 ; Shortform Summary 2 ; Deep Notes 3