Core value · Freedom family
Freedom
Few constraints on how you live
Also covers Liberty
What does freedom mean as a core value?
Freedom as a core value means having room to choose how you live: few limits, options left open, and the ability to change your mind, say no or walk away.
The thought of being locked in, by a contract, a mortgage, a dress code or a fixed five-year plan, makes you uneasy. What you value is room: space to change your mind, move on, say no and live in a way that fits you, whatever others expect. You may not use all that room. What matters is knowing it’s there. Liberty for others matters to you too, and you bristle at rules that seem to exist mainly to limit people.
What does freedom look like in practice?
- You think twice before signing up to anything with a long notice period.
- You keep enough savings to walk away from a job if you had to.
- You push back on rules that don’t have a good reason behind them.
- You pick the flexible ticket or the rolling contract, even when it costs more.
- You give the people you manage or raise as much room as you’d want yourself.
When is freedom overplayed?
Keeping every door open can mean never walking through one. You might avoid commitments that would bring real depth, whether a relationship, a leadership role or a place to settle, because they feel like a cage. Others can experience your need for exits as unreliability. The grounded version sees that choosing a constraint freely is itself an act of freedom. One way in is to list the options you’re keeping open, then let go of one you haven’t touched in a year.
Often confused with
Freedom vs Autonomy
Autonomy is being the one who decides, even inside tight limits. Freedom is about having few limits in the first place, including the option to leave.
Freedom vs Independence
Independence is not needing to rely on others. You can depend on people a great deal and still feel free, as long as nothing has you locked in.
Freedom vs Spontaneity
Spontaneity is acting on impulse. Freedom is having the options open, whether or not you ever use them.
Questions to sit with
- What commitment have you avoided because it felt like a loss of freedom, and what might it have given you?
- Which constraints in your life right now did you choose, and which were chosen for you?
- Who pays the price for the flexibility you keep?
More values in Freedom
Independence, choice and room to be yourself.
About the author
Matt Rutherford is a Career and Leadership Coach. The Values Finder is the same exercise he uses with his coaching clients. He also writes Stuff that MattRs, a weekly newsletter with practical ideas to help you think clearer and work better.
Find your own
Is Freedom one of your core values?
Choose from 155 values, narrow them down to the few that matter most, and get a personal report to keep. Free, and it takes about 15 minutes.
Find your core values