Have you ever noticed how a crisis can bring out the best, or the worst, in us?
Sometimes it galvanizes us into taking decisive action. We don’t overthink; we just do. The outcome might not be our most polished work, but it works. We show up fully, stay true to ourselves, and support the people around us.
And sometimes the opposite is true. We feel unsure of ourselves, freeze, act out, or just opt out. We don’t know where to start, so we put our heads down and wait for it to pass.
If you’ve been feeling anxious, even paralyzed, lately and it’s showing up in your business as scarcity or fear, here are 3 ways to help you identify and lean on your values as you navigate whatever is on your professional path.
1) Identify your values
Too often, declaring our professional values is more about appearing to do the right thing than actually doing it. But when we’re willing to get honest about what truly matters to us—and walk our talk, even when it’s the harder choice—we build transparent, trusting relationships with our clients and communities.
Action step: Identify your 3 core values. If you’re not sure where to start, Brené Brown’s values list from Dare to Lead is a great jumping-off point. Be warned, trying to distill the 27 you have circled down to 3 will feel unnecessarily ruthless, but that’s where the real gold is. Finding the distinction between “integrity,” “honesty,” and “transparency” will shed light on what really matters to you and why.
2) Operationalize Your Values
Identifying your values is just the first step. Sure, you could slap ‘em up on the wall and be done with it, but when we truly walk and talk our values, we signal to the world how we show up, what we stand for, and what it looks and feels like to work with us.
What better way to build connection and trust?
One way you can operationalize your values is to identify what each one looks like on the inside (personally) and on the outside (professionally). For example, if one of your values is “respect,” living it internally might mean honoring yourself through self-care, personal growth, and self-discipline. Externally, it might look like always showing up 5 minutes early, following through even when it’s inconvenient, and never sharing what someone told you in confidence.
Here’s what those values look like in practice:
Action step: Create your own chart and share it with your clients. (And if you want to see mine in full, you can check it out here.)
3) Identify Clients Who Share Your Values
Have you ever worked with a client who made you miserable, simply because you didn’t want to turn down the money? I have. In my days representing creative talent, we’d often have frank conversations about how much a difficult client would have to pay to make it worth it. No matter the number, it never was.
When I started my coaching practice, I made a deliberate choice: I would only work with clients I was genuinely aligned with on values, expectations, and how we both showed up to the process. I knew that was the only way a relationship that intimate and co-creative could actually be safe, supportive, and successful.
Of course, figuring out who I was right for—and who was right for me—didn’t happen overnight. But each time something went well (or didn’t), I paid attention. The clearer I got, the more I was able to design my services, business, and messaging around that clarity. The result? I’m excited by, and thrilled to work with, every single one of my clients.
Action step: Take a moment to grade your past clients and projects. What made them great? What made them hard? When did you feel valued and where did you not? What conditions helped you do your best work?
As you identify the patterns, you’ll be able to more intentionally create offers, messaging, and processes that ensure your values guide the way to a fulfilling and profitable creative business.