This isn't actually an article about what our core values are. I have a few “ideas'' listed on my website, and those are "Trust" "Teamwork" and "Curiosity". I'm trying to work on what that actually means though and I keep tripping over my over analytical mind.
I'm told it should represent who we are at our core, as an organization. Right now this organization is me and a few others that I know and trust very well, and we keep track of people's debits and credits. But why we do it, and how we do it are quite special.
I'm thinking about this because eventually, my team will grow, and I feel like understanding and articulating these values will become important in the future. Ideally, I'd like to meet like-minded people to be part of this organization both internally and as customers. And an accurate introduction seems like the normal thing to do.
And here is the stumbling block I'm having. I am NOT NORMAL!! Ask any of my clients. I'm a little bit like that hilarious quote "It's like porn. You can't really explain it to someone, but they'll know it when they see it".
"Core Values" aren't supposed to be - for lack of a better way to articulate this - "verbs" or "adjectives" but the things that are underneath those descriptions. For instance, what is trust really? It's a way of being that demonstrates that you believe I will follow through with my stated commitment to you. And I demonstrate that I believe you will follow through with your stated commitments to me. But that feels so much like our "Contract". Which I find to be a quasi-necessary part of the company bureaucracy that I simultaneously reject, but also I have a contract that I use.
I am a walking contradiction. But these contradictions make sense. I've stopped seeing them as the weights on the opposite side of the scale and more like a symphony of energies that slide past each other on a day-to-day basis. A harmonic dance, if you will. I hate that contracts have to exist, but I also now see them as a way to respect others, and ensure they understand how I'm here for them.
But back to "core values". The way I see it - I am just being "Amanda". My work is just another form in which I get to express myself to others. I am no different in business than I am as a friend, or a mom, or a wife. I am a harmony of strange ideas. Here are some of them.
I believe we live in a world of abundance, and we chose to see it, or we chose not to.
I believe that a person is responsible for themselves and it is up to them to learn. Learning is assisted by having teachers, but it isn't impossible without them. I know some things - I can help you learn about them as we work on them together, while we simultaneously take our chosen paths in life. So, I'm a type of teacher. I also believe the ultimate teacher is this life and paying attention as we navigate through it.
I believe in freedom. Freedom in the way it was intended by God. (Whoever you refer to God as) I also believe that with that kind of freedom comes great responsibility. Freedom without Responsibility is not "Freedom" but "Recklessness". Responsibility requires education. Education leads to wisdom. Wisdom leads to optimal choices. Each area of your life can embody more true freedom as you acquire more and more truthful education. False education can lead to more and more self-inflicted imprisonment. Both of these educations come from living life. Work is just a small part of our life. Our "work" should not consume the largest part of our day.
This is why I believe that 5 hours of applied effort is "enough" for work. We have a 25-hour cap on the workweek here at Momentum. "Applied effort" is emphasized in italics because it is focused attention. Not just sitting around clock-watching. So after 5 hours of applied effort, go do you! Too much momentum will lead to a crash, after all. See! Wisdom - Ha!
But seriously, We are all Free to invest our energy in many areas of life. Not just working in business. We are here to learn, feel and give love, explore cleaning hacks, find the joy of cooking, and even to get mesmerized as we watch bugs crawl around. We are not here to exist for any one boss, business, or task.
So I will continue trying to identify what it is that "Momentum" represents, just because I feel this is mentally stimulating to reflect on. But for now, just know that we're a team of people who know some things and want more than anything to help you with those things since you don't know - so you can focus on what lights you up - whatever that may be, because that's what lights us up.
