Understanding someone’s core values is a great way to figure out if you fit together. Here are my top 10.

Purpose

Sometimes finding your purpose is as much about figuring out what you don’t want as it is about figuring out what you do. After nearly two decades of soul searching and stripping away the things I had come to realise I didn’t want, I was left with my love of words and moreover, my love of communicating and storytelling with those words. When other people started to see the value in what I could do for them, I began to realise that my ability to solve problems for people--with this talent I loved using--was adding value to their business experience in myriad ways. This gave me a passion and purpose, over and above that of just ‘doing business’. It was a form of personal connection. In my old life, I used to dream of nothing more than retiring from my soul-destroying corporate job (a job that I was extremely good at). Towards the end, running away seemed to be all I could think of. In this life, I can never imagine giving it up. I finally know what I want to be when I grow up.

“If you go into business just to make money, you won't.
Give your business purpose.”
- Sir Richard Branson -

Integrity

If you do the right thing for the right reasons, without any expectation of how it will benefit you, then that’s integrity. Acting with integrity builds trust. My mother was a woman of great integrity. She taught me that if a shop assistant gives you too much change, you give it straight back. So when the metaphorical shopkeeper of life tests your character, choose to act with integrity. As with sunscreen, apply that shit everywhere.

“Trust is big in every corner of our lives,
and it’s absolutely vital in modern business.”
- Marie Forleo -

Gratitude

So much is written about gratitude, but it’s really dead simple. Instead of always wishing for more, remember to be grateful for what you already have. Make it your priority.


“You radiate and generate more goodness for yourself when you're aware of all you have”
- Oprah Winfrey -

Passion

You’ll know your passion when you find it, because it talks to you at a soul level. It gets you out of bed in the morning. Your enthusiasm for what you do will be reflected in the people and situations you attract.

“Working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress. Working hard for something we love is called passion.”
- Simon Sinek -

Tenacity

Tenacity is the determination to do it my own way. This requires an element of self-belief. I don't think about what I do as a competition or comparison with anyone else. I am resolute in my doggedness to follow my path, wherever that leads.

“Let your dreams guide your path.
Screw business as usual,
and do things your own way.”
- Sir Richard Branson -

Creativity

Creativity for me is closely related to innovation. It’s about imagining the possibilities of what could be, asking why it is this way, and then taking it one step further by applying your creativity to put the wheels in motion to turn those ideas and dreams into reality. When you combine creativity with inspiration, innovation and collaboration, then you’re really cooking with gas.


“Q: What is creativity?
A: The relationship between a human being and the mysteries of inspiration.”
- Elizabeth Gilbert -

Intuition

Making decisions and problem solving is something we all do every day. I am learning to let my intuition guide my decision making more and more. If it means delaying acting on an impulse that doesn’t feel right in some way, then I sit back and pause to reflect. If it means taking a leap of faith because it does feel right, then I’m learning to jump. I listen to that inner voice. It hasn’t let me down yet.

"Have the courage to follow your heart
and intuition. They somehow already know
what you truly want to become.
Everything else is secondary."
- Steve Jobs -

Innovation

Innovation can seem a little daunting. By its very definition, to innovate requires a degree of change. This means changing what is, or doing something entirely new. Sometimes the challenge is recognising that you have a problem in the first place. So innovation to me is about recognising problems, seeing them as opportunities, and acting on it.


“The solution is at hand. Wherever the great dilemma exists is where the great growth is too.”
- Oprah Winfrey -

Humour

I take my work seriously, but not myself. I try to approach things with a sense of fun and have a laugh along the way. Life’s too ridiculous not to laugh at it. I like to think that having a sense of humour gives my writing a sense of authenticity, and people can relate to that. It also allows me to go off on creative tangents in my work and come up with spontaneous ideas that I might never have thought of had I not been thinking about something entirely left field. Humour is also life’s little icebreaker, and people want to be around others who put them in a better mood. When you’re making people laugh, they tend to relax. When people are at ease, they tend to reveal the most authentic and interesting parts of themselves to you. When people open up, you learn invaluable things that you can use in your writing.




“Humour establishes a fertile environment for innovation
because people are more inspired when they are relaxed.”
- Lynn Taylor -

Candor

I’m often told that I’m forthright, direct, and I say what everyone else is thinking. Sometimes I am brutally honest, but never without seeking justice or the truth as my raison d'être. I’m not just about opening my mouth and blurting out whatever opinion comes forth. If you ask for my opinion, I will give it to you. Honestly. I like to play the Devil’s advocate and see what’s on the flipside. I won’t glamourise a shit sandwich when I see one, but then mine is only one opinion. If you ask for my ideas, I will tell you. I will also be frank about whether we fit together. Being candid and frank is about building a relationship on a stable foundation. It’s not about being blunt and outrageous for its own sake. It’s about being real and staying real. It’s about openly collaborating on ideas and solutions that will bring something better to pass. It’s about sharing what I have with you, and if you like it that’s great. Most importantly, we need to be honest with ourselves (that’s the hard part), but you’ll be your most important ally because of it.

“Being honest may not get you many friends,
but it’ll get you the right ones.”
- John Lennon -