# How to define your personal principles Once your [[Personal Value System]] is clearly defined, it’s also useful to identify your principles. Some personal principles are “automatic”, or unconscious. By looking back at your own story, and focusing on your behavior during important events, you should be able to identify some of your unconscious principles. **Each principle you identify should be summarized in one sentence**. Each should be plain and simple. Here are some examples, taken from an interesting TED Talk by [[Aly Somani]] (link in the references below) - Stand committed to the ethics of my faith - Challenge my assumptions (inspired by Adam Braun, Pencils of Promise) - Pursue knowledge, experiences, and company that inspires (inspired by Will Smith) - Come from and follow my heart (inspired by Paulo Coelho) - Stand in service to my family, community, and the global world (inspired by Gandhi) ## Where to start Take a look at your values and needs. Take some time to thin about the things and beliefs that are important to you. Identify the key elements in your life. What matters most to you? What principles do you want to govern your actions, thoughts and decisions? Reflect on your past decisions, and consider what motivated those. Think about the people, books, experiences and lessons that have had a significant impact on your life. Your principles will be influenced by those who have shaped the way you think. Explore your contradictions. Sometimes, your actions might be contradictory. It’s essential to recognize those contradictions and decide which principles are more central to and aligned with your identity. Consider who you want to become. The principles you identify should form the foundation for your future actions and decisions. ## Ask yourself the following questions The questions below can help you explore your beliefs, values, and principles, providing insight into the core principles that guide your life. Reflecting on these questions can be a valuable step in the process of self-discovery and personal development. 1. **What values are most important to me?** Consider the core values that you hold dear, such as honesty, compassion, integrity, or resilience. 2. **What principles have guided my past decisions and actions?** Reflect on the choices you've made and the underlying beliefs that influenced those decisions. 3. **Which people or role models have had a significant impact on my life?** Think about the individuals who have shaped your values and principles, and what you've learned from them. 4. **What causes or issues do I feel strongly about?** Consider the social, environmental, or ethical causes that matter to you, as they often align with your principles. 5. **What behaviors or actions in others do I admire and respect?** Identify the qualities or actions in others that you find admirable, as they might reflect your own principles. 6. **What are the non-negotiable boundaries in my life?** Determine the principles or values that you consider as your personal boundaries that you won't compromise. 7. **In what situations have I felt most authentic and true to myself?** Reflect on moments when you felt aligned with your principles, and consider why those situations felt so right. 8. **What principles would I want to pass on to future generations?** Think about the principles you'd like to instill in your children or those you mentor, as these are likely important to you. 9. **When have I experienced the most fulfillment and satisfaction in life?** Consider the situations where you felt the most content and fulfilled, as they may be linked to your guiding principles. 10. **What principles do I want to shape my future decisions and actions?** Envision the kind of person you want to be in the future and the principles that will guide your path. ## Write your principles down Writing down your principles is a personal and meaningful exercise. It can serve as a reminder of what you stand for and help you make decisions that align with your core beliefs. Your principles can be a powerful tool for personal growth and maintaining a strong sense of integrity in your actions and choices. Based on your introspection exercise, **write down at most 5 principles you want to live by**. More wouldn’t help much, and would just complicate your day-to-day life. Some guidance: - **Use clear and simple sentences** - **Be specific and actionable**: express each principle in a way that makes it actionable. Instead of vague statements, consider how you can manifest each principle in your daily life Once written down, those will become tangible. If you’re comfortable doing so, don’t hesitate to discuss those with your family, friends, and mentors. Store those safely, date them, and place a copy where you can (regularly) see them. Mine are displayed on top of my daily notes, so I get to see them every day. ## Use your principles Now that you have defined your top 5 principles, and as you go about daily life, use those as a guide for making decisions. Evaluate whether your choices align with your principles. ## Regularly review and revise your principles Regularly take time to evaluate your principles. Do you really live by those? Should any of those be revised or replaced? Don’t hesitate to seek feedback. Sometimes, we fool ourselves, and others can point out whether our actions actually reflect our principles or not. Your principles are not set in stone. They can evolve and change over time as you grow and learn. Make sure that they remain relevant to your life. ## Example I have documented my core values and personal principles here: [[AI Ghostwriter - My Core Values and Personal Principles]] I live by those principles. They reflect who I am, and how I want to live my life. They have evolved over the years, but the core remains the same. ## References -  ## Related - [[What are your personal principles]] - [[AI Ghostwriter - My Core Values and Personal Principles]]