What does strength mean as a core value?
Strength as a core value means building the physical, mental and emotional capacity to carry weight, hold steady under pressure and be someone others can lean on.
You want to be someone who can carry weight, literally and otherwise. That might mean a body you’ve trained, a mind that holds up under pressure, or the steadiness to be the person others lean on in a crisis. For you, being strong means being able to withstand what life throws at you and still come out ahead. You admire it in others and you work at it in yourself, often quietly and over years.
What does strength look like in practice?
- You train your body regularly, whether that’s lifting, running or a physical job done well.
- You take on the heaviest part of a problem so the rest of the team can keep moving.
- You keep your composure in an emergency when others are panicking.
- You finish what you’ve started, even when it gets hard.
- You’re the person family or colleagues call when something goes wrong, and you take that seriously.
When is strength overplayed?
When strength becomes part of your identity, struggle can feel like something to hide. You carry too much alone, dismiss your own exhaustion or grief, and find it hard to accept help. Others may feel they can’t admit weakness around you. Knowing your limits is a form of strength too, and letting people support you often makes you stronger. Try handing one heavy thing to someone else this week, and notice what happens.
Often confused with
Strength vs Resilience
Resilience is how you recover after being knocked down. Strength is about not being knocked down as easily, and holding firm while the pressure is on.
Strength vs Power
Power is the ability to make things happen, often through or over others. Strength is your own capacity to bear weight and prevail.
Strength vs Courage
Courage is acting despite fear. Strength is the capacity that makes the action possible, whether or not fear is involved.
Questions to sit with
- What are you carrying alone right now that someone else would willingly help with?
- Where did you learn that being strong meant not showing struggle?
- Which kind of strength, physical, mental or emotional, have you neglected, and what has it cost?
More values in Strength
Courage, resilience and staying power.
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 Strength 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