Got Principles? (Why you should write them down)

1. Got Principles? (Why you should write them down) People write down goals all the time. But rarely do you hear about them writing down their life principles, which is like your internal code of conduct or your beliefs translated into operating procedures. I was recently encouraged to write down my principles, and after I agreed to do it, I quickly realized the task was far more difficult than I initially anticipated when I began staring at a blank piece of paper. But eventually, one principle jumped into my mind, and this ended up being the first thing I wrote down: “Always do the right thing.” It’s a vague statement, I know. The “right thing” may have significantly different meanings to you than it does to me, but internally, we usually know what action is the “right thing.” Still, sometimes we talk ourselves out of it, or come up with brilliant excuses of why avoiding the “right thing” in this particular instance is the best decision. (Deep down, we likely know that it’s a bullshit story we are telling ourselves, so we don’t feel bad about not doing the “right thing.”) So once I recognized how vague my first principle was, I added more context to it, to describe what it meant to me, and how I believed I should follow that principle. And that ended up being the tip of the iceberg for me, because once I started writing out my first principle in detail, other necessary principles started flowing out of me.

2. So I wrote, and I wrote, and I wrote. I would run out of time or out of ideas one day, and then a few days later, be waiting in line to pay for a coffee, and another principle would come to mind, and I would quickly make a note of it on my phone so could flesh it out later. I worked on this document for months off and on. I came up with dozens of principles that articulated my code of conduct of how I wanted to live my life. I’m not sure how many in total there are because I decided that it would remain a working document, one which could and should evolve as I learn new things, make new mistakes, and experience new thoughts. The best thing about having this book of principles is that I can reflect on it regularly and assess how I’m doing. My book of principles holds me accountable to myself. Nobody knows better than me if my daily actions and decisions are fully aligning with my principles or not. I am proud to report that I’ve been maintaining a solid track record with my commitment to live and lead my life based on my principles. In fact, this is one area of my life that I am most proud of because it influences every aspect of it, including how I work, raise my kids, connect with my wife, and impact my community. Please don’t assume I am saying I have everything figured out because I most certainly do not. Many parts of my life are very much a work in progress (just ask my wife). But, when it comes down to my day to day actions, they align very well with my principles, which, as I said before, brings me a greater sense of pride than just about anything else I do. Which gets me back to the point of why I believe everyone should write down their principles. There may be times when you feel like something is off in your life, but you just can’t put your finger on exactly what that is. It’s a good chance that “something” is you are not living a life congruent with your principles; some principle is being ignored, and you are not sure what it is because you don’t have a list of them to refer back to. Once you have your list of life principles, you can often see what you are ignoring and have your “ah-ha” moment so you can get yourself back on track. And I’m telling you right now when you write out your list of life principles, and routinely refer back to it to help you stay aligned with the life you want to lead, it brings on a new kind of

3. happiness and confidence that you may not have felt before, knowing for certain you are living the life you were meant to live. HOW TO GET STARTED Start on it right now by taking a moment to stop multi-tasking, pull up a blank page, and think about a principle you want to always live by. Write down the first thing that comes to mind. It doesn’t matter if it’s perfect or if you don’t always live by that principle currently. Like I said before, this is a working document that can and should be edited as you learn new things about yourself and the world. But it’s critical that you write something. Get started. Once you write your first principle, others will come to you right away or in time. Once you write a principle, be sure to define it. This can happen over time, but ultimately, you’ll want to provide context to the principle to make it clear. Initially, a little vagueness is ok until you are confident about what it means to you, but don’t skip defining it. For example, if you say one of your principles is “Family First,” this could mean many different things to different people. So, what does it mean to you? What does it look like to you if you were following this principle? What decisions would you routinely make and not make? For some, family first means being present and off their screens when they get home from work or during specific hours which they have scheduled for family time. Or it may simply mean that your top priority each day is going to your daughter’s soccer game, no matter how busy you are and how crappy the weather is. But the more context and details of what it means to you, the better you’ll know how to follow your own principles and live a fulfilling life. If you think this exercise is futile or not necessary, it’s ok, you don’t have to do it, you don’t have to change, you don’t have to grow or become your best self, you can stay as you are. But for those of you who feel a pull within you to be more, to become a greater version of you… take a chance on yourself, open up a blank page, and see what happens. Cheers to You and Yours Mike Turner Co-Founder of BusinessofUs.com and ImpactClubBoise.com Engage with Mike and other like-minded thinkers and doers at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SweetLifePrinciples