Brenda Nolen

These are steps one and two of defining who you are from The Complete Guide to Building Your Personal Brand.

This one has been particularly difficult.  The goal is to define your values, then prioritize them.  That tiny list of values on their page did nothing for me.  I really had no idea what was required of me.  So, a-Googling I went.

Creating And Living by Your Own List of Values

And

What Are Your Values? (This one has a list of 100 values to choose from)

So, what are my values?  They are things I never equated to values.  The first thing that popped into my head when I read the word “Values” was the Bible but did any one example show itself?  Nope.  I obviously have never thought of values.  Here is the initial list I wrote down.  It’s pretty much alphabetical.

Initial List of Values:

• Achievement
• Competence
• Challenging Problems
• Decisiveness (which is a difficult one for me, since I tend to weigh the pros and cons of so many of the decisions I make that by the time I make a decision, it’s either too late or I’ve lost interest)
• Efficiency
• Growth
• My Husband
• Honesty
• Influencing Others
• Responsibility and Accountability
• Knowledge
• Personal Development
• Quality of What I Take Part In
• Stability

So, now I have to whittle this list down.  Not just that, I also have to put whatever list I end up with in order of importance!  Now is when you get to see how my brain works.  See, I think Competence and Efficiency should go hand in hand (so I can just move those to a single entry 🙂 ).  Also, Honesty should go hand in hand with Responsibility and Accountability because if you are blaming others for something you are at fault for, isn’t that lying (not only to others but yourself)?  I do not like the term “Influencing Others”.  In my brain, that sounds pushy, like I’m trying to be Obi Wan Kenobi (I love this image, from the presentation: Neuromarketing: The Brain Science of Web Marketing)

Doesn’t “Educating Others” sound better?  So, that would go with Knowledge, right?  😀  See what I mean about how my brain works?  There never is a single ‘correct’ answer.  I will delete (yes, remove) Stability.  While I love Stability (especially financial … knowing I will be able to continue to pay bills is wonderful), embarking on this life-altering mission of discovery has (or will) upset the apple cart.  Now, to prioritize.

Here’s my new list, in order of importance:

1. My Husband (who is wonderfully accepting of all my tangents/projects/changes I’ve already made in my life)
2. Competence, Efficiency and Quality
3. Knowledge and Educating Others
4. Responsibility, Accountability and Honesty
5. Growth

So, that’s it!  My brain’s exhausted.  I haven’t used it this much since I was learning to meditate (yeah, you read that right.  It was truly exhausting teaching my brain to stop fidgeting).  Are you ready to truly look at yourself and figure out what values you hold in highest regard?

Tomorrow, I’m onto Step Three (and possibly Four, depending on how long it takes me to complete Step Three) of defining who you are from The Complete Guide to Building Your Personal Brand.  I’ll see you then!