Coach Shows How Core Values Unlock Tough Decisions

Staring down a major life decision can feel paralyzing, whether it's changing careers, ending a relationship, or choosing an entirely new path. But coach Louise Janovsky has discovered that the answer isn't in predicting the perfect outcome—it's in remembering who you are at your core.

Janovsky uses a powerful exercise with her clients: complete one sentence with five personal values. "I choose to live my life (value 1) and (value 2), with (value 3) and (value 4), always remembering to be (value 5)." The result might look like "I choose to live my life calmly and creatively, with discipline and consideration, always remembering to be grateful."

The approach is grounded in Schwartz theory, which describes values as beliefs that become charged with emotion when activated. Someone who values independence, for example, feels inflamed when it's threatened and joyful when it's honored.

Values work like an internal GPS, Janovsky explains. They form an ordered system of priorities that guide attitudes and behaviors, especially when choices conflict with what matters most.

The method helps people shift their focus from finding the perfect next step to identifying the principles that should guide it. Instead of trying to forecast exactly how life will unfold, people learn to accept that change is coming and focus on staying grounded in their values.

Janovsky adds meaning-making exercises too: "I would like to be the best that I can be in my work by..." and "I would like to be respected for being..." These prompts help create the mindset to move forward positively, whether experimenting with a business venture, improving workplace effectiveness, or strengthening relationships.

Why This Inspires

This approach offers something rare in our anxiety-filled world: a way to feel certain about your direction even when the future seems unpredictable. It transforms decision-making from a search for guarantees into an act of self-honoring. The five-word sentence becomes a calm center, a declaration of purpose that travels with you through every crossroads.

As Stephen Covey argued in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, lasting solutions develop from the inside out. When you lead with values instead of fear, every choice becomes clearer and more confident.

The next time you face a fork in the road, Janovsky suggests pausing to realign with your inner compass—then moving forward knowing your decision reflects the clarity at your core.