How to define values - use this template.

Define your Values with this #veryfuckingsimple 3-step exercise.

This exercise is from the first chapter of Brand Character Playbook. By the end of the exercise, you will have your Top5.

From Wikipedia:

"Personal values provide an internal reference for what is good, beneficial, important, useful, beautiful, desirable and constructive. Values generate behaviour and influence the choices made by an individual."

This means that our actions, behaviours and decisions are based on our personal values. Hard to make a decision? Maybe it’s worth checking in with your values?

So, what are your values right now in your life?

Find a paper and pen or download and print the template.

Step 1

What non-tangible things are most important to you? Pick around 10 values from the examples below (you can also add your own), that you find most relevant to yourself and care about the most. Note them down.

advancement, adventure, autonomy, awareness, balance, beauty, collaboration, comfort, communication, compassion, contribution, creativity, dynamism, efficiency, expression, experimentation, fairness, faith, flexibility, fun, freedom, glory, health, honesty, honour, inspiration, intelligence, joy, justice, knowledge, love, legacy, mastery, mindfulness, passion, play, power, prestige, purpose, respect, risk, safety, sharing, simplicity, splendour, stability, support, sustainability, temperance, tradition, trust, unity, understanding, usefulness, victory, wealth, wellbeing, wisdom ... etc

Step 2

Pick the 5 most important out of the 10 and create a Top5.

1.

2.

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4.

5.

Step 3

Add a short description to each Top5 value of how you bring these values to life through your actions.

Try using nouns and verbs. Avoid adjectives. Here is an example:

1. EXPERIMENTATION - To be a magician. To mix and remix. To test, learn & share. To create. To show new ways of looking at the world.

2. TRANSFORMATION - To transform boring into fun, long into short, text into visuals. To take what is and make it more awesome. To learn & grow in the process. To inspire with example.

etc.

The suggestion to use nouns and adjectives comes from my friend and mentor Jonathan Howard who’s been in advertising for many years and now is a creativity trainer for best agencies in the world. He explains that nouns and verbs have more meaning than most adjectives, for example edgy & modern does not really say anything... He says that measurable adjectives are OK to use (soft, fast, long etc)

so remember this when coming up with the descriptions.

I have my values posted on my website page The Values. I put them there so that anyone who wants to collaborate with me can learn more about my character. :)

I’d love to hear yours! Leave your comments below.

Til next time!

x Arta