Have you ever felt unsure of what your core values are, or struggled to articulate them when asked? It’s a common experience, but it doesn’t have to be that way. By reverse engineering an experience, you can uncover the values that were at play and gain clarity on what truly matters to you.
What is reverse engineering an experience?
Reverse engineering an experience involves looking back at a past event or accomplishment and analyzing what values were present that made it fulfilling or successful. This process helps you identify your core values and understand what drives you.
To begin this process, think of an experience in which you felt fulfilled or successful. It could be a project you completed, a job you excelled at, or even a personal accomplishment. Then, break down the experience and identify the values that were present.
Ask yourself questions like:
What made this experience fulfilling or successful?
What strengths did I use to accomplish this experience?
What values were at play during this experience?
Example of Reverse Engineering an Experience
Let’s say you volunteered, at a local animal shelter and felt particularly fulfilled by the experience. By breaking down the experience and analyzing the values at play, you can identify your core values.
First, consider what made the experience fulfilling. Perhaps it was the satisfaction of helping animals find loving homes or the joy of interacting with the animals themselves. These are clues to the values at play.
Next, consider what strengths you used to accomplish the experience. Perhaps you utilized communication skills to promote adoption events, or you demonstrated leadership by organizing volunteer groups. These strengths further illuminate your core values and give insight into what areas you may excel in professionally.
Finally, ask yourself what values were present. In this example, values such as compassion, empathy, and service to others were likely present. These values may be core to who you are and what motivates you.
By reverse engineering this experience, you may have uncovered your core values of compassion, empathy, and service to others. With this understanding, you can make more intentional choices about your career and life goals, seeking out opportunities that align with these values.
Now let's use ChatGPT to Reverse Engineer the above Experience
If you’re struggling to identify the values present in a past experience, ChatGPT can be a helpful tool to prompt your thinking.
Simply input your experience by answering the first two questions:
What made this experience fulfilling or successful?
What strengths did I use to accomplish this experience?
and give Chat Gpt more details on the experience by answering the 5 W's:
Who was involved (if any or alone)
What were you doing?
Why were you doing it?
Where were you doing it? (physical, online, etc)
When and how long did it take?
After you input all this - ask ChatGPT to identify the values at play. You may be surprised by the insights you gain.
For example, if you input the details of the experience of volunteering at an animal shelter, ChatGPT may suggest values such as compassion, empathy, and service to others. These prompts can help you refine your thinking and gain deeper insights into your own values.
For another step by step example check out this post!
Benefits of Reverse Engineering an Experience
Reverse engineering an experience is a powerful tool for personal and professional development. Here are a few benefits:
Gain clarity on your core values: By analyzing past experiences, you can identify the values that are most important to you. This can help you make more intentional choices about your career, relationships, and personal growth.
Highlight your strengths: By understanding the strengths you utilized during an experience, you can better understand your own skillset and how it can be leveraged in future opportunities.
Gain confidence: Understanding your core values and strengths can give you greater confidence in your abilities and direction in life.
The importance of Values in the job search
Values help you figure out what kind of work you want to do and what type of work environment you want to be in.
When your values align with those of the company you're applying to, you're more likely to be engaged, motivated, and productive.
It's important to consider your values when looking for a job to avoid dissatisfaction and burnout.
The experiences you come up with through your values could be used as accomplishments in your story and resume.
Reverse engineering experiences is a powerful tool for uncovering your core values and gaining clarity on what truly matters to you. By breaking down past experiences and analyzing the values at play, you can make more intentional choices about your career and life goals. Once you have a good understanding of your values, you can start looking for companies and job listings that align with them. This will increase the likelihood of finding a job that will not only pay the bills but also provide a sense of fulfillment and purpose.
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