Vision, Values & Legacy: Designing a Career Worth Sharing

When you regale your family about the work you’ve done in your career 20 years from now, what will you be sharing? What meaningful impact will you highlight?

As you contemplate this, what is your vision for your career? Your vision should be exciting. After all, we dedicate much of our time to our work. Take time to craft your vision and keep it nearby so you can reference it routinely. What keeps you inspired to move your vision forward?

Brainstorm on the values that define you. To ensure you start with a broad list of values, ask AI to help! Pick ten, then narrow it down to five. Which three of those values are nonnegotiable? If you do the same exercise for your organization, how do your values and those of the organization align? How do the results of the comparison sit with you?

Reflect on how your values align with your vision. This will give you clarity about what is important to you and why. How are you demonstrating your values? Where could you do better?

This is a powerful exercise. As an executive coach, I’ve seen how taking time to reflect on these questions through dialogue can provide clarity, especially if you are at a crossroads with your career. Consider where you are, where you want to be, and how your vision and values align may provide clarity as you consider your next step.