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Do you have things you like to do for yourself, your business, your job, or school that you never waiver on? Things that make you more productive, more successful, and keep you on task? These are your daily non-negotiables, things you accomplish to keep the needle moving towards your greater goals. How are non-negotiables different from habits? The word habits holds a more broad definition. We can have good habits, and we can have bad habits. When we’re living intentionally, we have our personal set of positive impact habits. But, your non-negotiables encompass your habits. Non-negotiables can include an entire routine while also including one small habit you do daily that’s motivational. Non-negotiables are habits and beliefs born from our values and principles that allow us to keep to our personal “True North.”

So, the first question you should be asking yourself is, “What is my True North? Where do my values and principles align with my daily performance? Can I sit down and identify my values?” If you’re unable to answer each of those questions, then you’ve found the right piece to assist you in repositioning those non-negotiables in your life. On the Do the Damn Thing Podcast, I recently discussed an exercise out of the 6-Minute Diary Success journal. In the episode How to Shock Your System & Change Your Routine, I explain how the exercise aids you in identifying your five core values in life and re-incorporating them into your day-to-day in a more intentional and purposeful way. When you’re able to identify your values and their significance in your life, you’re then able to create a list of daily non-negotiables that assist you in fulfilling those values every day.

Identify Your Values 

I found that the exercise in the 6-Minute Diary Success Journal was able to really put things into perspective once I was able to identify what my core values are. If you’d like to purchase the diary and begin your 6-Minute success journey, you can do so, here. To begin the exercise, you start with a list of about 50 core values most people identify with. The list is similar to the one provided here by James Clear, author of Atomic Habits. Take a moment to look over the list and print it out if needed; choose ten values that you feel you’re currently living up to. Note that you’re not supposed to choose values that you wish you were living up to or think you may in the future. For example, you may not be a parent now but would like to be in the future; the values of responsibility and security may not be as important to you now as they might be in the future.

If you feel the list doesn’t provide enough options, you’re welcome to add additional values if needed. The list in the journal didn’t include intentionality, and personally, I felt that was certainly one of my core values, so I used the space provided to add it. Once you’ve got your ten values, choose five of the ten that you feel are the most important. Five poignant values that you feel culminate you and your life well. These are the values from which you will build your non-negotiables. These can be statements in which you live by or habits you complete every day. Simply put, your non-negotiables are energy vibrations put into a day-to-day routine, illustrating how you live up to your True North.

Building Your Non-Negotiables 

Once you’ve got your core values down and understand them, you can begin building out your non-negotiables. These will be things you can implement into your day-to-day, standards you hold yourself to, standards you hold other people to. Whatever you feel is essential to you. It’s easiest to begin with daily habits that fulfill these values, and these will become positive impact habits into your day. If you’re new to La.Rue, positive impact habits is a term I coined to describe highly impactful and motivational habits that have long-term benefits and effects on your physical being and mindset. Start by asking yourself, “What habits can I implement that will assist me in being more mindful of this value?”

For example, one of your core values may be creativity. Ask yourself what activity can you add to your daily routine that will allow you to express that creativity? One of my core values is love. I understand this value to be love I express to others as well as self-love. I see self-love expressed in my day-to-day through my morning and evening routines in moments where I am making time for myself, doing things I love, and practicing self-care. Be mindful of the values you feel you may not be living up to as well as you could be. This will help you in implementing those powerful positive impact habits. By knowing that these habits are born from the values and principles you live, you’ll understand their significance in your life; therefore, feel more motivated to see them through.

Why are Non-Negotiables Important?

Your True North is not something you can necessarily change about yourself. People evolve and learn over time, but who we are at our core is who we will always be. We simply either hold courage to seek new opportunity and change within ourself, or we don’t. Which is exactly how I discovered Intentional living and how it’s become a core value in my life. I believe that at my core, I am the same person I was before. Now, however, I have simply discovered an entirely new world of spirituality, intentionality, and power that I didn’t know existed in me. This is the power of change when you solidify your non-negotiables and begin incorporating daily habits, routines, and mantras into your life which you live by and hold yourself to.