The 3 Pillars of Self-Worth: Core Values

In my last post, I talked about Character as one of the 3 Pillars of Self-Worth. In a nutshell, Character means doing the right thing and living according to you Core Values. (If you missed the other posts in this Pillars of Self-Worth series, you can find them: Intro,  Competence, and Character.)

To determine you Core Values, start by asking yourself these questions:

• What deeply held principles and beliefs you want to be known for?
• Which qualities do you want people to see in you?
• What character traits do you want to teach your children?

Most people’s answers include traits like honesty, generosity, creativity, a commitment to excellence, the importance of family, or a belief in God.

Core Values are one of the 3 Pillars of Self-Worth.

Quite simply, your self-esteem suffers if you don’t live according to you Core Values.

Our drive-by, anything-goes American culture pushes a superficial brand of self-esteem that’s more fluff than substance.

It often fails to recognize this important truth:

The way you live directly affects the way you feel about yourself.

When you don’t live in accordance with your core values, you’re compromising and being hypocritical. That erodes self-esteem.

But when your life and decisions align with your core values, you feel better about yourself. You have more confidence when you know you’re living authentically. Being true to yourself. NOT being a fraud.

When I work more closely with people to reveal their brilliance and reclaim their worth, one of the first things we do is uncover their Core Values. We also identify the ways their lives both reflect and conflict with those beliefs.

Core Values in action

Nick Vujicic is a great example of Core Values in action. He was born without arms or legs. When he was a toddler, the “experts” suggested that his parents put him in a playgroup with other special needs children.

In his book, Life Without Limits, he writes,

“My parents had great love and empathy for other special needs kids and their families, but they didn’t think any child should be limited to one group of playmates. They held on to the conviction that my life would have no limits, and they fought to keep that dream alive. My mother, bless her, made an important decision at an early stage of my life. ‘Nicholas, you need to play with normal children because you are normal. You just have a few bits and pieces missing, that’s all,’ she said, setting the tone for years to come. She didn’t want me to feel less than normal or restricted in any way. She didn’t want me to become introverted, shy, or insecure just because I was different physically.”

His parents’ commitment to living and making decisions based on their Core Values significantly influenced Nick and his self-esteem. Their support enabled Nick to live by his own Core Values, exemplified in his first book title, Life Without Limits.

He now travels the world speaking and inspiring thousands of people with a message of hope and self-acceptance. He says, “I promise you for every disability you have, you are blessed with enough abilities to overcome your challenges.” He struggled a lot with self-esteem as a child – he’s very open about that in his book. But after figuring out his identity and his fundamental worth, he is a living example of Core Values in action.

Need help figuring out your Core Values?

Often, I find that people have a vague idea what they believe in. But few people take the time to deep-dive and figure out all their Core Values – from a soul level. If you want help figuring out your Core Values, check out my popular course, Reveal Your Masterpiece. In just minutes a day, you’ll strip off the layers of identity that have been “put on you” by other people. You’ll discover what you truly like want and believe.

What are your Core Values, and how do you live them? Leave a comment below!