"I got away from my core values" - Coulda told ya Tiger

By Cindy Yantis

That's what Tiger said in one of his five minute interviews this week when asked how he could have done what he did.  "I got away from my core values."  To me that says everything.

I believe when you live your core values the results take care of themselves.  What I mean by that is when you are connected to, stick to and live by your simple truths, otherwise known as your core values, your life sets itself correctly on your right path. 

To Tiger Woods, his core values connect to his Buddhist principles, which at the heart of it are simple truths we can likely all relate to, whether you're a Buddhist or not, they are common sense core values.  They are:

1. view reality as it is, not just as it appears to be.
2. intention of renunciation, freedom and harmlessness.
3. speaking in a truthful and non-hurtful way
4. acting in a non-harmful way
5. a non-harmful livelihood
6. making an effort to improve
7. see things for what they are with clear consciousness, being aware of the present reality within oneself, without any craving or aversion
8. correct meditation or concentration

I was teaching a seminar on personal branding at the time the news first broke about Tiger and I discussed his separation from his core values with the class, so to hear him actually use those words this week really struck a chord with how vital a value-based life and career really are.  Without a clear knowledge and awareness of your own core values - what drives you - it's not hard to fathom how you can get off course, or never really get on track to begin with. 

Successful brands know and operate by their core values and simple truths.  Your core values then become the lens through which you look at every opportunity and the barometer with you measure every decision.  When you connect to these simple truths, your life and career make sense.

Here are some things for you to do to help clarify and solidify your core values:

• Pay attention to your own physical reactions as you say yes or no to an opportunity or suggestion.  When you learn to truly trust your gut you become clear on what drives you.  Make note of the actual words you use to describe these reactions.
• What words of wisdom have you been speaking all of your life?  Those, many times, come from simple, core truths.
• What's most important to you: Recognition, Respect, Fame, Wealth or Love?  Take your top response and write in 3 simple sentences about what that word means to you.  Out of that, your core values and simple truths come to the surface.
• Write a definition of your own moral code.  It has to be based on your sense of truth and out of that your core values emerge.

Remember that truth is empowerment; empowerment is truth.  Once you clarify and solidify your truth, your right course of action, in nearly all circumstances, organically starts to take shape.