On this episode of the BIGG Success show: Calm the Chaos. Use Your Values as Your Compass.

BIGG Success with The Professor and Mary-Lynn.

It happens all the time. A star is born, an unknown becomes known. They're on the top of the world. And it all happened overnight, or so it seems.

But as time goes by, you hear stories in the news. And it's not the type of story you want. Another bright talent has lost his or her way and they hit rock bottom and they're left with a sense of emptiness. A void.

How can you avoid this down and out? By living out your values. That's what we're going to talk about on this podcast episode.

Welcome to the BIGG Success Show where we help you create the life you want. Hi, I'm Mary- Lynn.

And I'm George, "The Professor". In our last two episodes, we talked about Your Baseline: where you are, and Your Vision: where you're going.

Today is Step 3 of the Life Map course: Your values - The compass that keeps you on course and out of the chaos as you move toward your vision. So, George, why do values matter so much?

Oh, man. They're the linchpin of this whole system, right? When you're clear on your values, the decisions get easier. Every choice becomes simple when you can ask, "Does this align with what matters most to me?"

In the Life Map course, Professor, you talk about how values keep you from drifting. How so?

Well, they protect your boundaries, guide how you spend your time, and help you focus your energy where it counts. And here's the best part. When you live in alignment with your values, you feel more fulfilled day to day, not just when you hit a BIGG goal.

And that's BIGG with two Gs!

You got that right. And values also help in tough times...times when life throws you curve balls. Values give you a compass so you know what to hold on to first.

So what are some strategies to identify your core values?

Well, Mary-Lynn, you can start by looking at the times you felt the most fulfilled. Maybe it was leading a project at work or just being present with your family. Those peak moments point to the values that matter most. On the flip side, think about what frustrates you. That usually means your values are being violated. For example, if you hate being micromanaged, independence might be a value. Once you spend a little time brainstorming, narrow it down to 3 to 5. Keep it simple and don't just write down a word. Define what it means to you.

Okay, so let's just say, Professor, your value is health.

Okay.

That could mean having the energy to play with your kids not just hitting the gym, right?

Absolutely. and, you know, it's so important, Mary-Lynn, you're highlighting this: is to make it personal and practical. That's how you'll actually use your values every single day.

Perfect. All right, so now that you've named your values, the key is to put them into practice. Otherwise, they're just nice words on a piece of paper. So how can we do that, Professor?

One way is to ask, where will this value show up in my week? If family is the top value, maybe that means blocking out dinner time. If growth is a value, carve out 20 minutes to read, listen to a podcast, or take a class.

And remember, you don't have to overhaul your life overnight. Just start small.

Yeah, overhaul overnight. Those two words just don't go together. No, the key thing is to pick one value and commit to a simple action this week. Even 10 minutes a day can make a BIGG difference in how aligned you feel.

Here are three common pitfalls regarding values and how you can avoid them. One is picking too many values.

Yeah. If you list 10, you won't use them. Focus on the 3 to 5 that really matter to you. Right now.

The 3 to 5 is pretty key, right?

You better believe it.

Probably 3 better than 5.

Yes, 3 better than 5 because it's more memorable.

Another pitfall is when values conflict. For example, career and family can sometimes tug in different directions.

And the way through it is to decide which gets priority in this season of life. You can always re-balance later.

And finally, don't just borrow values because they sound good.

Oh, yes, it's so tempting to do, but if it doesn't affect your decisions and how you spend your time, it's not really your value. It's someone else's. Your values need to be true to you.

And because it's so important that your values are personal, we've created a free download to go with this episode. And this one-sheet asks short reflection questions that bring your core values into focus. And you can find the link to download with the show notes.

And don't forget, your BIGG assignment this week is to pick your top 3 to 5 values and write down what they mean to you. Then choose 1 and live it out in a small, simple way.

Well, that's very doable, Professor. Thank you. And so far in our Life Map Course series, we've talked about your Baseline, your Vision, and now your Values. Together, these give you clarity on where you are, where you're going, and what keeps you true along the way.

And next time, boy, we've got a good one for you. We're going to cover step four. Your Mission. It's Your Why. Okay. Why is it so important? Tune in to see because that's the fuel that's going to keep you moving forward, even when the road gets rough.

Thank you so much for listening today. We're looking forward to that next episode, and we hope to see you right here. And until then...

Here's to your BIGG Success!

Find BIGG Success at BIGGSUCCESS.COM