The Values Lab

In this episode, I explore the value of freedom with Penelope Barr. Penelope shares her 633 model focused on balancing work, travel and creation.  She talks about the importance of freedom within structure. We also discuss how conversations in Paris planted the seed for working and living differently. Penelope also shares her decision criteria for saying yes to work, how she helps others design th...

And that’s a wrap on Season 1 of The Values Lab! It’s been one of my highlights from the first half of the year. I’ve had such interesting and meaningful chats and walked away with lots of ideas about better integrating my own values into my life. In this episode, I reflect on the four most interesting themes from the season (value uniqueness, origin stories, the absence of AI and intentional livi...

In this episode, I explore the value of growth with Jen Ryder. Jen shares how growth evolved for her from accumulating knowledge to accumulating understanding, and how her father's lifelong learning shaped this value. We discuss seeking discomfort intentionally, from uncomfortable hikes to reading opposing viewpoints, and her morning learning ritual. Jen also shares how she creates space for...

In this episode, I explore how to put your values into action under pressure using mantras. I talk about where I first learned about mantras through sport psychology and self-talk, then walk through the live process of building one. I cover the guiding principles and share ideas for how to build your own one.  The Values Lab is brought to you by Viren Thakrar, Founder of Values Map - valuesmap.com

In this episode, I explore the value of humility with Adam Axon. Adam shares how humility means not always being the hero and accepting you're not the main character in the story of humanity. We discuss how an area manager asking "what does it look like when you're not here?" was a pivotal moment in shaping Adam's perspective on leadership. We also explored Adam's jou...

In this episode, I explore how both your peak moments and your low points can reveal your values. I share some prompts to help you reflect on your own peaks and pits, and how my own pit moment from a few years ago illuminated my achievement value. I also introduce Chris Voss's concept of "violating your values" and share how my disproportionate reactions in micro-moments give insigh...

In this episode, I explore the value of Best Self with Megan Trotter. Megan shares how both challenging and positive life experiences have helped develop her understanding of what this value means to her. We go in-depth into her daily intention-setting practice, which helps them show up in a more values-aligned way. Megan also talks about the concept of sequencing over prioritising as a way to ref...

In this episode, I explore how to bridge the gap between knowing your values and actually living them through intentional rituals. I talk about two types of rituals: intention-setting (a morning/weekly practice or my quarterly values check-in) and values-led rituals (daily or weekly actions that embody the value itself). I explore how to identfy and overcome barriers to rituals, like decision fati...

In this episode, I explore the value of kindness with Deepak, a founder and portfolio career professional who wears many hats. Deepak redefines kindness as different from softness and shares how it permeates all aspects of his life, from family and raising kids to the three lanes of his work. Links www.linkedin.com/in/deepaksinghhr www.missionandrhythm.com www.justsingout.com https://peoplestack.c...

In this episode, I explore how to do multiple things without being scattered by using your values as a lens. I share my own journey from offering too many services, to narrowing down, to now expanding again intentionally. I introduce the ecosystem concept - how different offerings can serve different customer types and delivery mechanisms while sharing a common values thread. I also share some que...

In this episode, I explore the value of courage with Ruhee, founder of Allied Collective. Ruhee shares the many faces of courage, going beyond just bravery. We discuss how courage has always been there, as a youngest sibling and household rebel, to launching her business and facing the question "who am I outside a paycheck?". We also explore how the yoga philosophy helps Ruhee channel he...

In this episode, I explore why living a values-led life requires trade-offs and how understanding what you're willing to give up makes values more useful in daily life. I share the positive trade-off principle that makes trade-off exploration more useful, and I also discuss what happens when your own values conflict. The Values Lab is brought to you by Viren Thakrar, Founder of Values Map - v...

In this episode, I chat with Nic Hinwood about the value of Community. We unpack the link between community and accountability and how it plays out with regional town dynamics. We also explore the concept of the 'greater good', and how approaching things with a genuinely helpful, supportive and bigger picture mindset helps us be more community-focused. We also talked about how Nic manage...

In this episode, I share a simple exercise for describing what each of your values actually means. By going beyond the word, we can get a much richer and detailed picture of our values, and express them in a way that makes them unique to us. I'll share the exercise along with a few prompters to help you go a little bit deeper. The Values Lab is brought to you by Viren Thakrar, Founder of Valu...

In this episode, I explore the value of sustainability with Shelley Flett. Shelley shares how her understanding of sustainability has evolved from avoiding feast-and-famine burnout to creating energy for abundance, creativity and freedom. We talk about the importance of embedding sustainability into her business so that she can be fully present for the moments that matter with her kids. Shelley al...

In this episode, I explore how to use your values to help decide which projects are a yay, and which ones are a nay. I discuss why some projects energise us while others drain us completely, and the hidden opportunity cost of working on values misaligned projects. I walk through my personal framework for evaluating project fit against my five values, along with the specific indicators I look for i...

In this episode, I explore the value of calm with Sasha Gilberg, founder of Sash Agency. Sasha shares how his value of calm was born from experiencing a severe low point in his early twenties, and how he used the question "what don't I want?" to design both his life and business. We discuss how he brings calm to one of the most stressful experiences in life - buying and selling prop...

In this episode, I explore how your values can become your competitive advantage as a business owner or portfolio career professional. I discuss why values-based differentiation is harder to copy than expertise or features, and walk through how I translated my personal values into business values. I also share how portfolio career professionals can use their values to differentiate on "what&a...

In this episode, I explore the value of authenticity with Suz Chadwick. Suz explains the difference between being unfiltered and being unprofessional, how authenticity shows up when she's in flow, and why filtering your personality actually prevents you from connecting with your ideal clients. We also discuss how values shift and change prominence through different life seasons, and how Suz h...

In this episode, I explore how your values shape your purpose. I challenge the idea that we need to find a singular purpose, and instead propose that we're all multi-purposed individuals. By combining our values, strengths and experiences, we can discover multiple purposes across our relationships, communities and work. I also share a few examples of how my values of fun and growth take shape...

In this episode, I explore the value of fun with Steph Clarke. Steph shares what fun really means to her as a personal value, how she uses "fun potential" as a filter when making decisions, and why fun often serves as an umbrella for deeper values like connection, curiosity and belonging. We also get into how Steph navigates periods of life that are genuinely unfun, and her current proje...

This week, I explore why reflection is essential for staying aligned with our values. Without regular reflection, it's easy to drift towards other people's priorities or what society expects of us. I share practical ways to build a reflection practice into your day, from simple daily scoring to values-specific check-ins, and how small course corrections can keep you on track.  The Values...

We're constantly told to "live in line with our values", but what does this even mean?" This question is the foundation for The Values Lab, a podcast series for founder and portofolio career professionals looking for ideas and inspiration to live a more values-led life. The Values Lab is brought to you by Viren Thakrar, Founder of Values Map - valuesmap.com

In this first guest episode I chat with my wife, Bridget, about her personal value of independence. We discuss Bridget's upbringing in New Zealand, the cultural influences that shaped her values, and how these values manifest in her personal and professional life. The conversation delves into the importance of instilling independence in our children, the role of Muay Thai in fostering self-re...

This week I explore the connection between our personal values and the movies we love. Discovering our values is an iterative process that can be enriched by reflecting on the things we love and gravitate towards, like movies. By analysing the themes, characters, and emotions in movies, we can gain deeper insights into what we truly value. Keywords values, personal growth, movies, self-discovery,...