One of the most challenging decisions young adults have to make is choosing their personal core values. In fact, society has its own way of telling them who they should be, what they are, and how they should contribute to it. But then, a lot of conflicts arise because there are teenagers who, deep down, know that they are more than what society tells them. That is where personal core values come in.
The personal core values of young adults determine their behaviors in any given situation. They help them know what they really want in life and who they want to be with. They are not thought of as something important as they actually are. But, they can definitely turn the life of a young adult into a better one. It is not easy for a teen to know his personal core values. Although, there are different sources that he can check.
The first thing that a youngster has to check is the parenting style he grew up in. Are my parents strict? Do they talk to me all the time? How do I feel about a certain family decision? Parents are the first role models of children. Hence, they have big impacts on a child’s perspectives. Another thing is for teenagers to look out for the behaviors they manifested that no one instructed them to. Later on, we will talk more about these things. But first, let us know what truly makes core values important.
Why are personal core values important?
Parents, as they were once teenagers, know that the teenage years are exciting but also demanding. It is the time where children are exposed to different personalities and changes in their bodies. A lot of them start to have doubts about their purpose, their life in college, and their ability to get there. Here is how core values can help young adults do these things.
Personal core values help in growing a teen’s sense of self.
In a world full of labelling, a teenager might get confused about who he really is. Discovering oneself does not happen in the blink of an eye. It is a gradual process of being patient and open to changes. Personal core values serve as the push for a young adult to know who he really is.
Of course, it is important to have support from parents and friends. But having personal core values indicate that a teen can share what he truly believes in rather than depend on what others do. Through this, he will be honest to himself and to the people around him.
Personal core values aid youngsters to find a reason in life.
Like all other discoveries, purpose in life is one of those that is hard to find. Even adults ask themselves about what is the reason for their life. The best way to do this is to first understand the importance of life. Values help in doing so by acting like tiny steps to the ladder of life purpose. Once a person knows what he truly values, that is when he will find out his true reason for living.
They increase self-esteem.
Youngsters help safe and secure when they know what they really want. Teenagers usually test certain situations out of being curious about their effects. This is normal because they do not know yet what will truly make them happy and satisfied. Once they succeed in this, that they will feel secure and stable. With this stability comes increased self-esteem. When a person knows what he wants, it does not matter if people approve of it. The only opinion that matters is his. If he knows the important things to focus on, he will not be swayed by the decision of others. He will be confident enough to stand for what he believes in because that is what truly matters.
They assist in settling things.
When it is time to make decisions, values allow a teenager to think rather than depend on his emotions alone. Personal core values support young adults by reminding them of what they really want to do. There is no need to ask for other people who experienced the same challenge. The only needed thing is to check for where a person stands and what he believes in.
Personal core values train teens to let go.
It is common for teenagers to act and behave the same way as other people to deal with the demands of this generation. It is hard to let go of things and people even when they are not helpful anymore. As a result, young adults end up being confused, doubtful, insecure and lonely. Values want to erase all of these. Instead, they want to train teens to let go of baggage that is not needed.
They teach children how to properly behave.
Teenagers know how to act in challenging situations because of their personal core values. They know when to understand others and when to speak their minds out. It is a helpful thing because young adults have a basis for their actions. They won’t just act on the spur of the moment. Instead, they will become more logical and proper.
Personal core values increase happiness level.
All these things result in feelings of happiness and contentment. A teenager who knows what he wants learns to be grateful of people and situations. On the other hand, he can let go of things and people when it is necessary. A young adult will also learn to have better thinking about the future. Values also give a sense of fulfillment and high self-esteem.
Personal Core Values List for Young Entrepreneurs
Now, we will talk about the top 10 personal core values list that teenagers can live by:
Personal Core Value List 1: Perseverance
The first thing that young entrepreneurs need to know about perseverance is that it is about never giving up. It is the core value that enables people to get what they want. It answers the “what if” question of people because of its ability to push them forward. Most of the time, people stop in the middle of their journey not knowing that they are actually near the finish line. It is like a coach that reminds trainees about how near they are in achieving their dreams.
Personal Core Value Example: The Perseverant Businessman, Jack Ma
Jack Ma is one of the richest persons in Asia who owns Alibaba. He did not succeed because he was the greatest. In fact, he applied for 30 different jobs but he still ended up being jobless. He was seen as an unintelligent man because of failed exams. He was told that he was not good by people he didn’t know.
Even so, Jack Ma remained a man who never gives up. He accepted who he is not but that does not mean that he will not think of what he can do. Jack Ma is a very curious guy. He never stops wanting to learn. Thanks to the Internet, he is now one of the most successful men. It is not through high intellectual functioning that Jack Ma succeeded. It is through his heart that never gives up despite failures and rejections.
Personal Core Value Exercise: Developing Perseverance
Parents could encourage their children about the effects of not giving up. They shall make them know what will happen if they do or do not do a certain thing. Aside from this, parents could help their children develop this value by praising their efforts especially when they are experiencing a difficult task.
Personal Core Value List 2: Consistency
This core value is somehow related to the first one. Both of them work together as a team. This value is about finishing what you started with the same or greater level of effort until you get what you want. It is about staying true to what you have planned even through challenging situations. It does not include being good today than bad tomorrow. Instead, it is about striving to be the best. Moreover, it includes seeing success as a process so it helps people work even more than what they are supposed to do.
Personal Core Value Example: The Consistent Player, Stephen Curry
Stephen Curry is one of the great basketball players because of his shooting skills. It is always emphasized that he came from a family of players which makes him an awesome player. But, he has his own story to tell. Curry did not receive any offer for financial support from any major college basketball programs. Even so, he did not stop. Instead, he worked hard and made his college school proud. Curry believes that the key to his success is shooting the same way every time. Sounds simple, right?
Personal Core Value Exercise: Developing Consistency
The first thing for parents is to show that they are consistent with what they say and do. If a parent says that a child cannot buy a toy, he should stick to it and show that he is a man of honor. In turn, children will know the need for it and how it can affect their decisions.
Personal Core Value List 3: Accountability
Young entrepreneurs need to know that in life and in business, commitment is very important. This core value is the one that pushes people to do what they have committed to do. Also, teenagers need to know that mistakes can happen. What they have to do is to own what gone wrong and do something right to fix it.
Accountability starts within a person’s mind. If he is willing, he is able to do act on this core value. It is about accepting failures and allowing self to stand again. This core value is actually one of the keys why many businesses improve and last in the industry. In this world, it is hard to admit that you are wrong or you did not do something. Those who can are the ones who are open to growth and corrections.
Personal Core Value Example: The Accountable Umpire, Jim Joyce
Jim Joyce is a former American baseball umpire – officiator of the game. He was the one who states the rules of the game, make judgment calls and handle disciplinary actions. Jim became known because of the incident with Armando Galarraga. He did a wrong safe call which cost Galarraga a perfect game. Jim did not think that this will happen. He was unaware that he did a mistake until people were reacting in a negative way.
It was a stressful event for Joyce because after it, he received threats. His family also had to deal with what had happened. He felt really bad after reflecting on what he had done. But he did not allow his feeling to get the best out of him. He asked for Galarraga’s time so they could talk it over. Jim apologized and owned what he did. He accepted and overcome all the negative things after the incident.
Personal Core Value Exercise: Developing Accountability
The key to developing this value is for parents to set consequences. Set rules that children should follow. When children do not live up to their set roles, they should receive a certain punishment. This way, they will learn to follow and be responsible for their actions. They will eventually bring this mentally even in the future.
Personal Core Value List 4: Honesty
As with the last value, honesty can take a teen to different places in life. It promotes freedom from lies and pretension. In this age, it is common to project a perfect life in social media. Even so, the most important thing is who a person is without the publicity and other people’s opinions. Honesty is more than just telling the truth. It is about living life according to what really makes a person happy. It is being true to oneself in order to be true to others as well. A free life is a happier life.
Personal Core Value Example: The Honest President, Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was a former US President who people call “Honest Abe.” He was recognized as such because of his honesty when he was working as a young store clerk. What happened was, he gave a wrong amount of change to a customer. To correct it, he walked to deliver the correct amount to the said customer. Through his career, Abraham proved that there were still individuals who people can trust.
Personal Core Value Exercise: Developing Honesty
Parents can encourage the development of this value by building trust with their children. When there is trust between, children will learn to open up more. Parents can also discuss why children need to be honest and the effects of lying.
Personal Core Value List 5: Innovation
One of the keys to a successful life or business is expecting changes. People always say this but it is true that nothing is permanent except change. Innovation is having fresh ideas and putting them into action to improve a current state. It is better to know trends, challenges around, and the target market when it comes to business. In life, however, it is still valuable as it determines how people can cope with the changes in their surroundings. It also involves taking risks when necessary. This core value is a good way for teenagers to discover what they can do more. Remember that skills are revealed especially during difficult times.
Personal Core Value Example: The Innovative Chef, David Chang
David Chang is a chef and the owner of the Momofuku restaurant group. He is known for being a bad boy in the kitchen. David’s success did not happen easily. In fact, his father did not want him to be a chef. Even so, he proved him wrong. Although there are failed decisions, David continued to come up with new ideas which resulted in his victories.
Personal Core Value Exercise: Developing Innovation
Parents can use different activities that would not only spark joy to their children but also open up their imaginations. The element is not to force children to do what a parent wants but to allow them to discover things on their own.
Personal Core Value List 6: Enthusiasm
Imagine being in a cold place with nothing but a plank of wood and you need to light a fire so you could survive the coldness. Enthusiasm is the wood, and fire is the goal. It is best to have this value as it can motivate people to reach the finish line. It is nice for teens to have this value because it attracts good vibes which also affects other people.
Enthusiasm makes planning light and fun even though it is actually stressful. When people have this value, they become hopeful about their lives. People who think that there is hope are the ones who can do things beyond their limitations.
Personal Core Value Example: The Enthusiastic Cartoonist, Walt Disney
Walt Disney is a businessman, animator, and film producer. Like everyone else, he experienced challenging situations in life. He started as an ambulance driver and worked as a newspaper editor. He was fired, later on, as an editor due to lack of good ideas. But he kept the fire burning and took negative comments as blessings for him to grow. Now, he built the name in cartoon series through never giving up on his dreams.
Personal Core Value Exercise: Developing Enthusiasm
Children tend to be happy when they do things they actually love. Hence, parents are encouraged to discover what can truly make their children happy. They can also help their children discover what they are passionate about. Responding in a happy manner also sets the mood of enthusiasm to children.
Personal Core Value List 7: Resilience
People have their own ways to deal with difficult events and changes in their lives. Teenagers tend to react to such events with strong emotions. This usually results in failed decisions or further problems. How to avoid these things from happening? People need to focus on this core value which is the ability to face hardships and challenges with a forward-looking approach. It is needed in major areas of life as it enables people to stand up again even after a painful fall.
Personal Core Value Example: The Resilient Writer, J.K. Rowling
One of the people who stood up again after a fall was the author of Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling. She started as a researcher, secretary, and English teacher but ended up feeling unsatisfied with how these jobs could provide for her. Her first ideas about Harry Potter was pulled away by some problems encountered with her family. Although she already had an idea, she was not able to finish Harry Potter. She had a divorce and had to raise her child alone. Did she give up? No. Instead, she used her remaining energy to the only thing that truly mattered to her – writing.
Personal Core Value Exercise: Developing Resilience
Parents should let their children know that they support them. This results in the feeling of having a stronger ability to face the challenges in life. Moreover, they can teach children of coping styles to deal with stress and hardships.
Personal Core Value List 8: Respect
Parents share to young adults that they need to respect themselves as well as other people. They do this for a very good reason. One is that respect means paying attention to other people and also to self. Another thing is respect serves as the thing that attaches people to others effectively. Also, it enables teenagers to keep their feet on the ground no matter how high they have already reached. It is one of the key core values that build trust, safety, and a better atmosphere.
Personal Core Value Example: The Respectful Actor, Keanu Reeves
Keanu is an actor and musician who is known for his awesome films such as Matrix and John Wick. There was this one happening where he had shown how he respected his team despite him being a famous actor. Instead of taking his profit from the Matrix sequels, he gave the money to the team responsible for the special effects and costume design. He believes that these are the people who worked really hard for the film and that they deserve to be recognized.
Personal Core Value Exercise: Developing Respect
To teach respect, parents need to know that they should also show respect to their children. One good example is when a child commits mistakes in public. To show respect, parents should not shout in front of many people but to talk to their children in private instead to avoid humiliation.
Personal Core Value List 9: Empathy
Teenagers have to realize that as they grow older, they need to think of other people’s feelings as well. It is more than just embracing the feelings of someone. Instead, it is about accepting a feeling with someone. It results in having the ability to truly understand where a person is coming from. Moreover, it includes the ability to help other people think in a more positive way.
Personal Core Value Example: The Empathic Nun, Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa was one of the nuns who dedicated their lives to help the poor and lacking people around the world. She had founded a missionary group which is focused on helping those in great need. Her acts are amazing examples of the core value empathy. She did not just accept the fact that the world needs help but she acted on it through doing mission programs and understanding what people need.
Personal Core Value Exercise: Developing Empathy
Parents should expose their children in situations that will test their actions. They can teach children to check on their friends’ feelings every now and then. They can also tell stories that promote this value.
Personal Core Value List 10: Balance
In the end, the most helpful thing is for young entrepreneurs to learn when to continue and when to stop. It is definitely a good thing to aim for goals and dreams but taking a rest is also a key to be successful. Balance means being able to find the right blend between all aspects of life such as work, fun, and other activities. It is a key to success because it enables people to be on top without drowning themselves under the stresses of life.
Personal Core Value Example: The Balanced Life of Mark Zuckerberg
Mark is the co-founder and CEO of Facebook who is also a father. What’s so good about him is that he took advantage of the paternity leave policy to take care of his family and be with his newly born daughter. He was willing to take a step back and view the other part of his life as an important one than work.
Personal Core Value Exercise: Developing Balance
Parents can help in developing balance by training their children how to set a time for school or work and for fun. It will also help if they could let their children know that there is a time to be active and a time to rest.
Takeaway
Young adults grew up in different surroundings with different types of people. The key to discovering their personal core values lies from their experiences, the people around them, and the support they get. There is no one set of personal core values that can be applied to all of the people in this world. In the end, what matters are the values that help people live a happy and fun life.
