"He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how." — Friedrich Nietzsche
➡️ Who are you indeed when you’re alone?
➡️ What is your why?
Stop and ponder that for a moment.
Everyone wants to live a life that is true to themselves.
We don’t want to suffocate in a tiny box, conforming to societal norms and other people’s expectations.
We want to stick two fingers up to conventional wisdom.
We want autonomy.
“Freedom lies in being bold” — Robert Frost
Courage wilts in conformity yet soars in rebellion.
Most philosophers state the key to authenticity lies in self-discovery and making good choices by following core values.
“Know thyself.” — Socrates
"We are our choices.” — Jean-Paul Sartre
"Being true to oneself is a personal quest to find out what you already care about, what constitutes your identity, and then being true to that.” — Charles Taylor
Great, how do we do that?
The goal is to live a life aligned with our core values. Theoretically, the better choices we make, the better, unconventional and authentic lives we will live.
Three main benefits of core values:
➡️ Faster Decision-Making: Core values serve as an internal compass, a lens to make decisions aligned with things that deeply matter to us.
➡️ Enhanced Self-Awareness: Knowing one's core values helps better understand yourself. It fosters a strong sense of identity.
➡️ Inner peace: One of the main causes of burnout for multipotentialites is living a life — or doing work— that is not aligned with who you truly are.
Core values guide purpose and meaning.
The Big Problem
➡️ There are too many core values to choose from.
➡️ We are shit at making decisions.
➡️ We get overwhelmed with the paradox of choice.
When we are overwhelmed, we either:
➡️ Give up entirely
➡️ Or half ass core values that don’t resonate and are quickly forgotten.
The end result?
We never gain self-awareness or identity.
For example: James Clear (Atomic Habits) wrote this article which has 50 core values to choose from.
This article has a mind-bogglingly 200 core values to choose from.
It would take a whole day to go through them all properly.
Who has the time and patience to do that?!
That got me wondering.
How can we use AI to reduce the options available to make better choices that resonate with us?
ChatGPT ( 😆) is a tool to reduce options. Our biggest problem in life is we have too many options to choose from.
ChatGPT is the missing link we need to leverage our divergent thinking.
➡️ It reduces options and makes decision-making faster and easier
➡️ It prioritises tasks so we can start projects instead of being stuck spinning our wheels.
➡️ It focuses on the tiny details we miss so we can focus on big-picture thinking.
It’s a super organised personal assistant.
I gave Chat GPT the list of 50 core values from James Clear’s articles and asked it to create a 20-question multiple-choice quiz.
I told it to reduce options to make it easier for you to choose your core values.
It would then break down your answers from the quiz into:
➡️ Mostly A’s
➡️ Mostly B’s
➡️ Mostly C’s
➡️ Mostly D’s
➡️ Mostly E’s
Each 👆 final result will deliver ten potential core values based on your answers.
It’s much easier to pick five core values from a choice of 10 than 50. And it's definitely easier than trying to pick from 250 core values!!
Here’s the quiz.
Count the scores, i.e. mostly A’s/ B’s or whatever you get.
Reply to this email with your results, i.e., Mostly A’s or Mostly B’s etc, and I will email back with a description of your motivations and ten potential core values based on your answers.
Quiz: Discover Your Core Values
For each question, choose the answer that resonates with you the most. Be honest with yourself.
Question 1: How do you approach facing challenges in life?
A) I embrace them head-on.
B) I cautiously assess before taking action.
C) I often avoid challenges to prevent failure.
D) I seek guidance from others when facing challenges.
E) I rarely take risks, fearing failure.
Question 2: What is your attitude towards routine and stability in life?
A) I find comfort in routine and stability.
B) I value some routines but enjoy flexibility.
C) I avoid routine and seek constant change.
D) I prefer stability but can adapt when necessary.
E) Routine stifles my creativity and growth.
Question 3: What role does compassion play in your decision-making?
A) Compassion is at the heart of my choices.
B) I consider compassion, but it's not my primary focus.
C) I often prioritize self-interest over compassion.
D) Compassion influences some of my decisions.
E) Compassion rarely guides my choices.
Question 4: How do you view success in life?
A) Success is defined by personal fulfilment.
B) Success means achieving my goals and aspirations.
C) Success is about fame and recognition.
D) Success is relative; it varies for each person.
E) Success is elusive, and I often feel unsuccessful.
Question 5: What is your attitude towards learning and knowledge?
A) I have an insatiable thirst for knowledge.
B) I enjoy learning but don't obsess over it.
C) I rarely seek to expand my knowledge.
D) I value practical knowledge and skills.
E) Learning doesn't excite me; I prefer action.
Question 6: How do you approach your relationships with others?
A) I prioritize building deep, meaningful connections.
B) I value my relationships but need my space.
C) I tend to keep my distance from others.
D) Relationships are important, but I'm not overly invested.
E) I often struggle in my relationships.
Question 7: What role does adventure play in your life?
A) Adventure is essential; I seek it often.
B) I enjoy occasional adventures but prefer stability.
C) Adventure scares me; I prefer the familiar.
D) I'm open to adventure but don't actively seek it.
E) Adventure isn't appealing; it's too risky.
Question 8: How do you feel about your impact on the world?
A) I want to leave a positive mark on the world.
B) I aim to make a difference, but it's not my sole focus.
C) I'm mostly concerned with my own well-being.
D) I hope to contribute positively, but I'm not sure how.
E) I don't think much about my impact.
Question 9: What is your relationship with creativity?
A) I thrive on creative expression.
B) I appreciate creativity but don't prioritize it.
C) Creativity doesn't play a significant role in my life.
D) I'm open to creativity but don't actively pursue it.
E) Creativity feels foreign to me.
Question 10: How do you view authority and rules?
A) I question authority and value autonomy.
B) I respect authority but can challenge when necessary.
C) I conform to authority to avoid conflict.
D) I follow authority without much resistance.
E) I often rebel against authority.
Question 11: How do you handle adversity and setbacks in your life?
A) I see them as opportunities for growth.
B) I navigate them with resilience and determination.
C) I avoid risks to prevent adversity.
D) I seek guidance to overcome challenges.
E) I often feel overwhelmed by adversity.
Question 12: What role does personal happiness play in your decision-making?
A) My happiness is a top priority.
B) I consider my happiness but also others'.
C) I prioritize practicality over personal happiness.
D) Happiness influences some of my choices.
E) I rarely think about my own happiness.
Question 13: How do you approach your pursuit of knowledge and wisdom?
A) I constantly seek to expand my understanding.
B) I value knowledge but don't obsess over it.
C) Knowledge isn't a significant focus in my life.
D) I seek guidance from knowledgeable sources.
E) Learning doesn't excite me much.
Question 14: What do you value most in your relationships with others?
A) Deep emotional connections and authenticity.
B) Mutual respect and support.
C) Convenience and ease in interactions.
D) Shared interests and goals.
E) Independence and personal space.
Question 15: How do you feel about taking on leadership roles?
A) I enjoy and actively seek leadership positions.
B) I'm open to leadership but don't pursue it aggressively.
C) I prefer following to leading.
D) I can lead when necessary but don't seek it.
E) I avoid leadership roles.
Question 16: What is your attitude toward personal growth and self-improvement?
A) I'm always striving for self-improvement.
B) I value personal growth but don't obsess over it.
C) Self-improvement isn't a top priority for me.
D) I seek guidance for self-improvement.
E) I'm content with who I am; little room for growth.
Question 17: How do you approach challenges that require creativity?
A) I thrive on creative problem-solving.
B) I can be creative when needed but prefer structure.
C) I avoid creative challenges when possible.
D) I seek creative solutions from others.
E) Creativity is not my strong suit.
Question 18: What role do kindness and empathy play in your interactions?
A) I prioritise kindness and empathy in all interactions.
B) I value kindness but sometimes prioritise other factors.
C) I focus on practicality over kindness.
D) Kindness influences some of my interactions.
E) I'm not particularly focused on kindness.
Question 19: How do you view your relationship with society and community?
A) I actively engage in community and societal matters.
B) I participate in the community but don't lead.
C) I keep a distance from community involvement.
D) I engage when necessary but don't actively seek it.
E) I prefer a solitary lifestyle.
Question 20: What is your approach to living authentically and true to yourself?
A) Authenticity is paramount; I always stay true to myself.
B) I strive for authenticity but adapt when needed.
C) I conform to societal expectations to avoid conflict.
D) Authenticity matters but is sometimes compromised.
E) I often struggle to be authentic.
Scoring: Count how many times you selected each answer (A, B, C, D, E).
Reply to this email with your results, and I’ll email back ten potential core values based on your answers.
Hope this helps
✌️ Out
If you liked reading this and got some value, feel free to click the ❤️ button below to help fellow multipotentialites discover it on Substack 🙏
And Finally👇
Dyslexia is part of my neurospiciness. I misspell shit. I make grammatical errors. I fuck up names.
Grammerly corrects most of them, but occasionally, one or two fall through the cracks.
Shouting at dyslexics for misspelling shit is like shouting at blind people for bumping into you.
Futile.
If misspelling shit pisses you off, simply unsubscribe and get on with your life. 😀👍
A-4
B-4
D-12
Damn this was deep. 20 is an even number so it’s an AB 7 even. 4 Es and 2Cs for me 😅