How to discover your values and avoid living by adopted values in your social impact career.
Have you ever felt unfulfilled in your social impact career, even when working toward a good cause?
You’re not alone. One reason this happens is that you might be living by adopted values — values that were handed to you by society, family, or the organisation you work for.
But when you discover and act according to your core values, you experience more fulfilment, purpose, and authenticity in your career.
In this article I explain:
Why values matter in your social impact career.
What core values are, and the difference between values and other concepts, such as beliefs, goals, social idealism, norms and morals.
What are adopted values, and why can they derail satisfaction with your social impact career. Plus: How to identify if you’re living by adopted values.
Whether we (should) have two values - one for work and one for personal life - or not.
Why values are critical during a career transition.
Explain the 5 steps to identify your values.
Answer questions, including: Can my values change over time in my career? How do I align my social impact career with my personal values?
Let’s dive in …
Why values matter in your social impact career?
Values are crucial in shaping a fulfilling and meaningful career.
Values bring us into the present moment and create coherence.
Values can be lived in each moment, irrespective of the situation. This ability to act on what we value brings a sense of groundedness and purpose to our daily lives. When our actions align with our core values, we experience a sense of "cognitive congruence" – our thoughts, words, and actions are in harmony, leading to greater inner peace and satisfaction.
Values act as a compass to guide decision-making.
They help us to define our boundaries and understand how to prioritise what truly matters to us. When faced with choices, big or small, our values provide a framework for evaluating options and selecting paths that align with what we believe is essential.
Values serve as a filter during challenging moments.
In moments of uncertainty or when facing tough choices, our values provide a clear lens through which to evaluate the situation and determine the most appropriate course of action, even when it's difficult.
Just like a life raft provides essential support during turbulent waters, our values offer a stable and dependable framework for navigating the complexities and challenges of life. They guide our actions, motivate our choices, and ultimately define who we are and how we want to live. Without a clear understanding of our values, we risk being adrift, driven by external pressures or fleeting goals that may not lead to lasting satisfaction or a life lived authentically.
What are core values? (And why they shape your social impact work)
I liken values to a compass. A ship without a compass drifts around without direction, unsure which way to go. Similarly, you might live by other people's values, influences, and opinions if you are unclear on your values. We may even shore up on the first island of opportunity that comes along, even if it's not somewhere we want to anchor down. Values support us to get the sense that we are going somewhere.
As eloquently put by Steven C. Hayes, who developed the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, "values are qualities of unfolding action that join together a string of moments into a meaningful path".”
Values are the principles and standards that guide your actions. Values define who we want to be: They are "what we most want to stand for in life". When we act according to our values, we behave authentically and follow our motivations and aspirations. This alignment fosters a strong sense of self and personal integrity.
The goal of understanding your values is to experience cognitive congruence, where your words and actions align with who you are at the deepest level.
Are core values and beliefs the same? Understanding the difference
Beliefs are thoughts with certainty behind them. They form your worldview. When you believe in something and consider it valid, you have a firm conviction about that thought. Beliefs shape your understanding of the world, yourself, and others. Examples of beliefs are "People are fundamentally good" or "The world is a dangerous and unfair place". Core beliefs act as the lens through which you view the world.
Values dictate how you perform and the choices you make. They are the standards that make you feel like you are living well. They are the measures used to attribute worth and find meaning in life. They are the governing concepts that help determine if your relationships, work, and daily decisions are true to who you are and how you want to live.
Beliefs are what you hold to be true.
Values are what you consider important and how you choose to act.
Beliefs can influence your values, yet they're distinct. For instance, you might believe that education is essential (a belief) and value lifelong learning (a value). Or you might believe education is necessary (a belief), but not have lifelong learning in your set of core values.
You might also value lifelong learning because you think you should; in this case it might be an "adopted value" rather than a genuinely internal one (more on adopted values below). Authentic values come from your inner self, independent of external pressures or adopted 'shoulds'.
Individuals may interpret each value differently based on their core beliefs, life experiences, and individual preferences.
What is the difference between core values and goals in a career?
Values cannot be achieved; they are ongoing commitments. Unlike goals that can be met, living by a value is a continuous process. For example, while losing weight can be achieved, acting on the value of health is an ongoing commitment.
The difference between values and social idealism, morals and norms
Social idealisms are socially acceptable ways of thinking, and norms are societal rules for behaviour. Values are personal. What is essential to one person may be of little significance to another.
Morals are based on social concepts and are more defined by good or bad. For all their worth, morals lack individualism, which separates them from values. Values are guidelines by which an individual lives and makes decisions.
What are adopted values, and why can they derail satisfaction with your social impact career?
Many social impact professionals are guided by values like contribution, compassion, justice, equity, integrity, service, dignity, and respect for human rights in their values. I might call these the values of the sector and the cause we work for.
These might be important but not your top 1-2 personal values.
They might be your "adopted values, i.e. taken on as your own from external sources rather than your authentic inner selves.
Adopted values don’t necessarily reflect what a person finds essential or aligns with their identity.
Operating from "adopted values" can lead to cognitive dissonance, an internal conflict arising from inconsistency between your values and actions. If your actions in social impact work contradict your deeply held personal values, this internal conflict can be psychologically taxing, lead to disengagement and be unsustainable in the long run. If you’re making decisions or taking actions in your social impact work that conflict with a top personal value of yours, you may experience this as a lack of fulfilment, even if the work is ostensibly for a good cause.
From the perspective of career fulfilment, values are paramount. Values are the principles and standards that guide your actions and dictate how you perform in your work. Operating according to your values leads to career fulfilment because you act according to what you deem important.
How do I know if I'm living by adopted values instead of my own?
Here are a few symptoms to look for:
The presence of "shoulds" or "oughts": When you use words like "should" or "ought" with your values (e.g., "I value education because I should go to school"), it's more likely that you’ve adopted the values of others. Your values are typically driven by a deeper, intrinsic sense of what is important to you, rather than a feeling of obligation.
Lack of genuine resonance: Adopted values may not truly resonate with you at a deep level. You might intellectually understand or agree with them, but they don't evoke a strong emotional connection or a sense of personal truth.
Considering external influences: Think about how you came to hold these values. Did you adopt them from your parents, cultural norms, social expectations, or previous experiences without really questioning if they align with who you are at your core? Your values are more likely to be identified through introspection and reflection on what truly matters to you.
Do we have a different set of values at work than in our personal life?
No. Our set of core values guides us in all life aspects.
Operating from two sets of values (one in your personal and one in your professional life), can feel like having two different people—one at work and one at home.
Brene Brown's research shows that values are "among the most ferocious, unseen drivers of disengagement at work. That almost is not fixable if there's no alignment between a person’s and the organisation's values."
This highlights the negative consequences of feeling disconnected from your values.
While we might feel pressure to adopt or prioritise specific values in a professional setting, your core values should remain consistent throughout your life. A significant discrepancy between your personal and professional values can be a source of stress and disengagement. Therefore, understanding and striving for alignment with your authentic values in all areas of your life, including your career, is vital for overall well-being and fulfilment.
Pursuing a 'greater good' at the expense of personal values can be a slippery slope. It raises questions about whose definition of the 'greater good' is prioritised and whether the means justify the ends. If the methods employed in the social impact work require you to act in ways that violate your values, it can undermine the integrity of the 'good' you are trying to achieve. If your values are consistently compromised in your work, you will likely become less motivated and experience increased stress and dissatisfaction.
Why you should reflect on your core values during a social impact career transition
Reflecting on your values during a career transition encourages honesty with yourself about what you genuinely care about, rather than being swayed by external pressures or perceived 'shoulds'.
It helps you "be who you are, not who you think you should be" in your career.
It helps you determine if the potential new career path aligns with what truly motivates you in the long term rather than being driven by goals that might feel empty once achieved.
A significant career transition is a juncture where you can avoid repeating past mistakes of pursuing promotions or roles you didn't care about. It is a chance to prioritise personally meaningful goals and what truly matters to you. A career transition is an opportune moment to examine these deeper motivations.
Self-awareness is essential for making choices that lead to a more fulfilling and authentic professional life.
In addition:
A career transition moment is a period filled with choices and uncertainty. Your core values serve as the rules that help you make decisions. They allow you to evaluate different options and prioritise.
Values provide a stable and ongoing motivation during a career transition when goals might be uncertain or far off. Values can be lived in each moment, irrespective of the situation. This means that even amidst the challenges and uncertainties of a career change, acting by your values can provide a sense of purpose and direction.
How do I identify my values?
Identifying your values is a deeply personal process. It requires honesty about what you genuinely care about, not just ideals that might sound good.
Examining how you spend your time and react in different work scenarios can reveal your values.
Here is a synthesis of these methods:
1. Start with an initial exploration with a list of values.
If using a list of values, begin by reviewing the list and circling words that speak to you, perhaps around 10 to 15 initially . This helps to broaden your awareness of different potential values.
Distinguish between authentic and adopted values: Consider whether the values you think you hold are yours or if they are values you have adopted from others, such as your parents or societal expectations. If you did not care what other people think, were not affected by criticism, and did not make decisions to maintain peace in relationships: What would be important to you? This can help you uncover your actual value.
Reflect on what you want to be remembered for. What principles you wish to represent. Values are what you most want to stand for.
Consider values as umbrellas: Some core values might act as umbrellas for other related values that are also important to you. This can help alleviate the pressure of choosing a single perfect word when multiple related concepts resonate.
2. Narrow down to 1-2 core values
From your initial selection, identify the one or two values where everything else is forged. Ask yourself:
Does this value truly define me?
Is this who I am at my best?
Is this a filter that I use to make hard decisions?
It can be challenging to narrow down to just one or two. Still, Brene Brown's research suggests that those with the clearest sense of their values often identify a tiny number. Some sources suggest aiming for around five core values.
3. Define your interpretation of each value
Recognise that values can have complicated applications, and individuals might interpret them differently based on their beliefs and experiences. Defining what each chosen value means to you and how it manifests in your life is crucial.
For example, what does 'honesty' or 'service' look like in your daily actions?
4. Operationalise values into behaviours:
Thats the critical bit!
Move beyond abstract words and consider the specific, observable behaviours that support your chosen values.
What are one or two specific, observable behaviours that demonstrate this value in action?
What are one or two "slippery behaviours" that would indicate you are acting outside of this value?
5. Reflect on Your Actions and Reactions:
Examine how you currently spend your time and analyse how you react in various scenarios, particularly those where values are upheld or threatened. Really look at what you did in those situations, not just how you felt. This can reveal your underlying values through your actual behaviour.
What does it feel like when living in alignment with your values? What are the signals that you’re moving away from them?
The key to this process is unflinching honesty. It benefits no one if you choose ideals you don't care about.
Can my values change over time in my career?
Your core 10-15 values can remain somewhat consistent, but you might swap the top 1-2 values depending on your life season.
Values might evolve or become more specific as you grow and experience life changes. It can be helpful to revisit your values periodically, especially during times of significant transition.
By engaging in these steps, you can move towards a clearer understanding of your core values, which can serve as a compass in your life and career decisions.
How do I align my social impact career with my core values?
If you are in employment, evaluate how well your current job aligns with these values by examining your daily tasks, workplace culture, growth opportunities, and the impact of your work. Identify any gaps or disconnects. If you identify a misalignment, create a plan to transition to a more value-aligned role. You can do this through job crafting in your current role. If that is not possible, you might consider changing jobs or careers.
During a career change process, spend sufficient time talking to people within the industry you’re looking at and/or the organisations you want to work for to identify whether your personal value aligns with the company culture.
During job interviews, prepare specific questions to help you identify whether the company culture will support your values or if there is a disconnect.
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