In Principles We Trust
According to the Google, a principle is defined as
“a fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behavior or for a chain of reasoning.”
For example, “People disappoint, bacon is eternal.” OK, that is not really a core principle, but it makes a strong case.
Ray Dalio, a successful billionaire who founded the world’s largest hedge fund Bridgewater Associates, wrote a book called Principles: Life and Work that serves as a cautionary tale about his experience starting and building Bridgewater, failing, and then re-setting based on a newfound principles-based approach. Dalio attributes much of the success he achieved at Bridgewater Associates to his pivot to principles-based decision making and ultimately being true to who he was/is as a professional and person.
According to Dalio:
“Principles are fundamental truths that serve as the foundations for behavior that gets you what you want out of life. They can be applied again and again in similar situations to help you achieve your goals.”
His book is highly recommended reading and potentially transformative. At least it was for me. Dalio doesn’t advocate that you adopt his principles, although most are quite sound. However, he does encourage defining your own core guiding principles to help you navigate life, both professionally and personally, in order to achieve optimal outcomes. I wholeheartedly agree.
Your belief system is the foundation upon which you build your life. If you currently feel lost, unhappy, or you simply find yourself lacking in any area, pause from making tactical decisions in the moment and start thinking strategically about the principle(s) that influenced your actions and the consequences (both positive and negative) that transpired.
If you are not grounded in strong morals, or you lack conviction in execution, it will translate and manifest itself into negative outcomes and experiences, e.g., the time you took one too many tequila shots knowing you really don’t like tequila.
Take a moment to pause, reset, understand, and ground yourself in your personal values and worldview in order to establish a solid foundation for success. By extension, establishing your core principles will also define your boundaries and enable you to ultimately make optimal decisions and achieve outcomes that are in alignment with your true self. The process will do you good.