This is a question I often ask others and freely share about myself. It gives you immediate insight on what is important to that person. It is also a quick conversation starter and a great way to accelerate getting to know each other. Try it the next time you are interviewing someone, establishing a new mentor to mentee relationship, or possibly as a team building exercise.
I have two phrases that encapsulates the beliefs and ideals that guide my life: “Do the right things and good things will happen.” The second one is “Believe in the possible,” which is how I live my life—and I have my mom to thank for that.
My mom graduated high school at 18 and had four children by the time she was 25 years old. She never had the opportunity to go to college. Over the course of the next several years, she reigned as the Women’s Island Champion of Golf in Puerto Rico, while she ran my dad’s medical office. Not even divorce could keep her down. She opened the first skateboard park in Puerto Rico, moved the entire family to the United States, became a bookkeeper for a restaurant and later became a CFO in her mid-40s. From her I learned that when you work hard, with commitment and perseverance, and tap into your resiliency when you encounter road blocks, anything is possible.
I also have found that my beliefs sustain me during challenging times. I often write them down or think about them when faced with tough decisions or troublesome situations to guide my decisions.
Take a few minutes and write down the phrases that come to mind that best represent the beliefs or ideals that guide your life. Ask others you work with to do the same. Try it. It will help you establish deeper, more meaningful relationships at work.