Keep Fueling Your Drive: How Values Keep You Moving
Last month, a client—a startup founder—came to me drained. Her business was wobbling, and she felt her motivation slipping away.
Basic needs like financial security and stability were shaky. She was stuck.
During our session, she had a breakthrough. Reflecting on her core value—impact—she realized it could anchor her through the chaos.
This wasn’t about ignoring her struggles. It was about leaning into what mattered most to her.
Her realization opened my eyes, too. Values like integrity or growth can fuel us when life’s needs falter.
Research supports this: aligning actions with personal values boosts resilience and motivation, even in tough times. Your values are an inner compass, guiding you forward.
Let’s explore how to tap into them to stay driven, no matter what.
Stat
Some Research: A 2022 study showed that individuals who align their goals with personal values report 25% higher motivation and 18% greater resilience during stress.1
My Take: Values don’t just guide us—they’re a renewable source of inner strength.
Myth
The Myth: Motivation depends on having all your basic needs met first.
The Reality: Core values can drive you forward even when external needs like security or comfort are shaky.
Assess
Question 1: What’s one value (e.g., integrity, growth) that defines you, and how does it show up in your daily choices?
Question 2: Where in your life are you acting out of alignment with your values, and what’s one step to realign?
Shift
Your Thinking: Stop waiting for perfect conditions to feel motivated; let your values be your fuel.
Your Behavior: This week, write down your top three values, then choose one goal that reflects them—take one small action toward it.
Hunch
Quote: “What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly.” —Thomas Paine
My Hunch: Paine reminds us that values, hard-won through reflection, give us purpose that cheap fixes can’t match.
Schwartz, S. H., & Sortheix, F. M. (2022). Values and well-being: The mediating role of goal attainment. Journal of Personality, 90(3), 352-369. https://doi.org/10.1111/jopy.12654