Personal and Business Values
They are not one in the same!
How to Use Both So You Don’t Lose Yourself
You ever find yourself looking at an opportunity—maybe a dream client, a big speaking gig, or that project that checks all the boxes—and think:
“This makes strategic sense… and it might also emotionally break me.”
Yup. Been there.
That’s the tension between your personal values and your business values.
It’s not a sign that something’s wrong with you. It’s a sign you’re human—and a leader who cares.
Because if you’ve ever chased what “should” work while your nervous system quietly drafts a resignation letter, you know the cost of ignoring your values.
So let’s talk about how to blend them with awareness—so you can keep growing without abandoning yourself.
Personal Values: The Soul Stuff
Your personal values are the non-negotiables that make life feel like your life.
They come from your lived experience. Your body. Your boundaries.
They show up in how you relate, rest, recover, and reclaim your time.
Examples:
Freedom
Presence
Creativity
Rest
Compassion
Play
Integrity
Truth
These aren’t “soft” values. They’re structural. They hold up everything else—if you let them.
Business Values: The Strategy Stuff
Your business values are the map and scaffolding for how you grow, lead, and deliver your work. They’re about how your ideas move in the world—and how others experience them.
Examples:
Clarity
Innovation
Sustainability
Service
Excellence
Efficiency
Impact
Growth
They help you stay focused, even when you’re tired or tangled in decision fatigue. They keep your mission from floating off into the clouds.
When They Clash: The Risk of Blending Without Awareness
Some of your values will show up in both places. That’s not the issue.
The issue is when you blend them by default instead of by design.
That’s when things get blurry.
You start making business decisions based on emotional guilt.
Or you use hustle logic to judge your own worth.
Or you say yes to the "perfect" opportunity… and end up resenting it the whole way through.
Here’s the difference:
Blending by Default:
You say yes because it “looks good,” even when it feels off
You override your need for rest with deadlines and pressure
You personalize every piece of feedback
You confuse urgency with importance
You spiral after decisions instead of feeling grounded in them
Blending with Awareness:
You pause before responding
You ask: “Who’s leading this decision—strategy or soul?”
You hold both truths: This matters. And I need support to do it well.
You create boundaries that honor both the mission and the human behind it
You trust that slower can still be sustainable—and smart
Real-Life Example: The Spiral
Let’s say I get invited to speak at a high-profile event. Right audience. Paid. Great exposure. All green lights on paper.
My business values say:
Visibility? Yep.
Impact? Absolutely.
Growth? LET’S GO.
But my personal values whisper:
You’re already maxed.
You need rest, not more travel.
Your nervous system is not on board.
Here’s where things used to go sideways:
I’d say yes out of obligation. Then crash.
Or I’d say no out of fear, and tell myself I was “protecting my peace”—but still secretly wonder if I was shrinking. This time, I paused and asked:
“Can I honor the opportunity without violating my well-being?”
That one question changed everything.
✅ I asked for a later date
✅ I checked if I could show up with ease—not just effort
✅ And when I said yes, I built in recovery time on both sides
And if the answer had been no? That would’ve been okay too—because it would’ve come from clarity, not fear.
How to Know If You're Using Both (Without Losing Yourself)
Here’s your gut-check guide to value-aligned decision-making:
Blending with Awareness:
You feel clear after you decide—not foggy or defensive
You can name both what matters and what you need
You don’t over-explain your boundaries
You allow both your intuition and your plan to have a say
You give yourself space to pivot without guilt
Blending by Default:
You say yes out of guilt or fear of missing out
You treat every opportunity like a lifeboat
You ignore your personal capacity for the sake of “the bigger picture”
You justify, explain, and spiral after you say no
You keep pushing—hoping clarity will show up after the burnout
Try This Tool: The “Who’s Driving?” Check-In
Next time you're faced with a high-stakes decision, ask yourself:
“Which value is leading this—my desire for growth or my need for grounding?”
Then ask: “Can both be honored here—or do I need to choose?”
You’re not choosing between values. You’re choosing who gets the mic right now.
That choice? That’s leadership.
Your Values Are Your Root System
They’re not just for branding. They’re how you stay whole while things change.
When you blend them with intention:
You don’t have to choose between momentum and meaning
You stop outsourcing your worth to the next big “yes”
You build a life that’s aligned with your business—and a business that respects your life
That’s not just sustainable. That’s regenerative leadership.
Want to Get Clear on Your Values (Without the Spreadsheet Spiral)?
Inside The Creative Return, you’ll walk through a guided process to name your values and put them into practice—so they become anchors, not just affirmations.
We’re not just organizing your to-do list. We’re building your clarity toolkit—one that supports both your nervous system and your next big idea.
