BRAVE • FOCUSED • BRILLIANT Your Values Are Your Compass They go beyond mere beliefs, and they help you make good decisions. Do you know what they are?

What if the real secret to creative power is not adding layers, but tearing them away to reveal more of who you already are?

This week on Daily Creative, I sat down with Robert Glazier, entrepreneur and author of The Compass Within, and veteran actor and teacher Josh Pais, creator of Committed Impulse and author of Lose Your Mind. We explored why authentic impact doesn’t come from more polish or more careful curation, but from clarity about our core values and the surges of emotion that come with actually putting ourselves on the line.

Robert dug into how our true core values act as a compass for the big (and small) choices in life, while Josh made the provocative case that nervousness and fear aren’t signals to freeze or flee, but actually raw creative fuel. Together, their insights offer a radical roadmap for living and leading authentically, especially when modern life pulls us in a thousand distracting directions.

1. Core values aren’t just lofty words—they’re decision-making engines.

Your true core values aren’t the motivational blurbs you hang on the wall or slap on a website. According to Robert Glazier, these values are non-negotiable principles, baked deep into who you are, and they guide your behavior, especially when the stakes are high.

So, for example, instead of just calling “family” a value, drill down—what does that really mean for you in lived actions? Maybe it means “always be present for those who matter, no matter what.” Once you get clear, your values act like a personal GPS in life and work.

Which value actually shapes your choices when it’s uncomfortable?

2. Congruence between your values and your environment is non-optional (unless you like a life of a thousand paper cuts).

Robert put it bluntly: if you’re living out of sync with what really matters to you—in your work, relationships, or community—you’ll feel the friction either as constant, draining discomfort, or as a delayed explosion when you finally hit a breaking point. Sometimes burnout isn’t about overwork, but about spending time in ways that cut against your own grain.

The fix isn’t always easy, but it starts with awareness: figure out where your reality and values diverge, and aim to close the gap.

Where do you feel that chronic friction right now, and what would aligning your environment look like?

3. Your biggest life decisions have outsized impact. Don’t sleepwalk through them.

Robert's “big three”: your vocation, your partner, and your community. These defining choices set a vector for much of what will follow in your life. You don’t need perfection, but you do need alignment on the essentials (especially core values) for your energy and creativity to flow freely.

So if you’re considering a move, a change of job, or a new relationship, look past the surface stuff and get real about deep compatibility on what truly matters.

Of the “big three,” which is feeling most aligned (or most misaligned) for you right now?

4. Emotions aren’t good or bad—they’re just energy you can use.

In his own acting journey, Josh Pais realized something quietly radical. What if all those intense, jittery sensations before an important moment aren’t “bad,” but just vibrating energy in your system—like creative kindling, not a warning light?

By tuning in and experiencing sensations without the “good/bad” overlay, you stay present, more alive, and paradoxically calm. The biggest myth of modern life—especially creative life—is that we can (or should) only feel certain feelings. Instead, increase your tolerance for all of it, and use it as fuel.

When do you find yourself trying to “manage away” emotion, rather than letting it move through?

5. Presence is practical, not mystical: noticing, breathing, and allowing.

Josh walks through simple, actionable tools: connect visually with your environment, feel the raw sensation in your body, and keep your breath flowing (don’t hold it to tamp down nerves). Each is an access point to being present—not in some abstract sense, but as a direct channel to more honest expression and braver action.

If you’re regularly “in your head,” these tricks are deceptively powerful for showing up, speaking up, and actually feeling alive in the work.

What’s one immediate way you could connect more fully to your present moment when stress hits?

In a world obsessed with optimization, maybe the real opportunity is not yet another tactic—but a return, again and again, to your core.

As Josh puts it: “Everything is creative fuel. Everything is there to help you.”

Anchor yourself in what matters, embrace what arises (especially the messy stuff), and let authenticity do the heavy lifting for your creative work this week. You've got what you need. Trust your compass and let the fuel flow.

P.S. If you'd like to hear our full episodes and interviews, they're free at DailyCreativePlus.com. Sign up and you'll get your own private podcast feed featuring bonus content and full interviews with all of our guests.

Todd Henry teaches leaders and teams how to be brave, focused, and brilliant. He is the author of seven books, and speaks internationally on creativity, leadership, and passion for work. ​TODDHENRY.COM​ ​​​​​

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