It’s been nearly seven years since I first codified my personal core values. These were the things I felt were the principles that guided my life. I expected to refine them over time, but even looking back at them now, I don’t think they’ve substantially changed. Something that’s always bugged me, though, was how many I came up with. The original version had nine, while the ideal is usually about half that. Otherwise, it turns into…well…more.

Let’s start with the original list:

  • Always be learning
  • Don’t fear failure
  • Criticism is opportunity in disguise
  • Be constructive
  • Say what you mean, and mean what you say
  • Be transparent
  • Do what’s right
  • Take ownership
  • Take care of yourself

I still maintain that it’s a solid list (which is a testament to their power from the beginning), and I still see why I’ve kept them the way they are, but it’s always bugged me that there are so many of them. Most companies that enumerate their core values have 3-5, with 7 or more being rare. There’s something to be said when nearly 80% of companies fall within this range. That’s not to say I consider myself on par with them, but they usually have the resources to do research about the right balance between impactful, memorable, and comprehensive. It seems like a good model to follow, so that’s what I did.

I didn’t manage to get down into that sweet spot, but I did manage to pare down to six. It’s a nice number, I think, and each one is concise, yet encompasses the spirit of their derivatives from my original nine. I was also able to add linguistic throughlines between them, helping to make them more memorable.

So, what did I end up with?

Clarity Through Candor 

I consolidated “Say What You Mean, And Mean What You Say” and “Be Transparent,” since they are quite similar. While I still stand by both principles, the first was just straight-up wordy. For the second, while I do value transparency, I think candor gets more to the heart of what I value.

At the end of the day, the key here is fostering trust through straightforward, open, and honest communication.

Evolution Through Insight 

This one originated from “Be Constructive” and “Criticism is Opportunity In Disguise.” In this case, these are two sides of the same coin – give feedback constructively, and strive to take it constructively when possible.

We can only control our own actions and responses to others, so it’s good to try to make the most of even harsh criticism, as difficult as it may be (and I say this as someone who struggles with RSD, so “difficult” is an understatement for me), and do our best to be kind when providing feedback to others.

Growth Through Spirit 

Like the last two, this one consolidates “Always Be Learning” and “Don’t Fear Failure.” Failure is part of learning, so it made sense to put them together.

I also like the use of “spirit” here. Off and on for the past decade or so, I’ve practiced various ninjutsu schools (I might write about this at some point, but in short, it’s generally a blend of martial arts focus on self-protection; I like it, because it’s usually quite well-rounded), and despite the significant variance between them, all three of the ones I’ve attended have some element of “spirit” within them, teaching both to master one’s own spirit, and to manipulate that of others (kiai). (Other martial arts schools have this as well, and in fact, it’s where the karate shout comes from.)

This emphasis on spirit, like so many other things in these arts, is both internal and external. A practitioner, after all, has to be in command of their own spirit in order to be able to manipulate others’. And in order to have such command, one needs to always be willing and seeking to learn more. After all, a black belt is simply an indicator of having learned the basics.

Integrity Through Action 

Reworded from “Do What’s Right,” but in some ways, I think it encompasses a bit more. Our reputation is based on our actions and the impact they have. We can say we’re a good person, but if our actions are consistently harmful to others, then we’re probably not actually living up to the ideals by which we judge ourselves. So not only is this “do what’s right,” but it’s also “what we do determines our integrity.”

Impact Through Honor 

This is another reword; this time, from “Take Ownership.” Like Growth Through Spirit, this one harkens back to Japanese martial philosophy, and as well as other honor-based systems/cultures. It also goes hand in hand with Integrity Through Action.

To me, at least, being honorable is, in part, taking ownership. It takes humility to admit when we’re wrong, and so by doing so, we build our honor, and showing this vulnerability, especially as leaders, can make significant impact on those we lead.

Wellness Through Balance 

Finally, the updated version of “Take Care of Yourself.” This one, again, encompasses more than its predecessor, I think, largely because of its emphasis on balance. To be our best selves, we need to be balanced. When things are out of balance, we tend to not do well, be it physically, emotionally, or spiritually, resulting in things like burnout, illness, and negative feelings about something unbalancing us (aka, resentment).