If the responses to last month's column are indicative of the mood of American employees, it's clear that the majority of you need to make a change - and soon. Some of you had workplace tales that were downright disturbing; others shared stories of repeated layoffs and general career malaise. The common question in your communications was, "How do I get out of my moribund rut and into something I really love?"

In this series of career transition columns, my objective is to assist you in getting unstuck and, at the very least, moving forward in a positive direction. I will do my best to give you the information you need; it's your responsibility to keep the momentum going.

This month, the focus is on values. While the topic may sound trite, your values are your career compass. They will direct you exactly where you need to be and, if you learn to trust our value system implicitly, you'll no longer be second-guessing yourself in your decisions or choosing jobs that don't fit because you don't know what else to do.

If you've never honed in on your values - your deepest core beliefs and principles - now is the time. Here are some exercises to get you started:

1) Think about your deepest values. What do you stand for? What would you fight for? What compels you? Give yourself time to really think about these questions. Now, create a visual symbol that represents your deepest core value. Perhaps it's the sun, representing your value of strength and courage. Or, maybe it's the American flag, representing your core values of freedom and liberty. Mine is the Statue of Liberty; she represents to me my core values of independence and personal power.

Your personal symbol could be a flower, a baby carriage or a fourteen-wheeler. Doesn't matter, as long as it feels right to you. Start thinking of your symbol as your trademark, your own personal brand.

2) If you were given five different lives, what would you do / who would you be in each of those lives? A poet? An astronaut? A politician? An inventor? An actor? What similarities can you identify? A lot of folks discover that their five lives revolve around a common theme: artistic or creative, scientific, investigative, expressive, environmental, political, spiritual, or social change. Even if your five lives seem completely discrete, that's perfectly okay. This exercise provides a valuable and revealing peek into your true career passions.

3) Look at your surroundings and describe your home environment in detail. Are you neat, messy, somewhere in between? What is your color scheme? Do you have knick knacks that reflect your hobbies or interests? How does your personal environment reflect your personality, interests and values? Again, this exercise provides clear insight into who you really are and what is important to you.

4) Following is a personal values assessment. Look over the list and then select the five that are the most compelling to you.

What I really want from life is:

____ Power
____ Recognition
____ To help others
____ Love and affection
____ Validation from others
____ Money
____ A sense of importance
____ A feeling of self worth
____ Personal freedom, self expression
____ To get married
____ To have a family
____ The opportunity to travel, glamour
____ The chance to express myself spiritually
____ A change
____ A relationship
____ To invent and innovate
____ A sense of being needed
____ The chance to express myself artistically
____ To improve my body
____ The chance to improve society

What clues did you uncover? Frequently, when clients complete this exercise, they discover not only their core values, but also their list of unmet needs. For example, let's say Sally, who works as a mortgage lender, chose these five values: (1) The opportunity to travel, glamour, (2) The chance to express myself artistically, (3) Recognition, (4) Personal freedom, self expression, and (5) A change. Do you see the disconnect? Sally's job in a conservative, "left-brained" environment does not meet her needs for self expression, creativity and recognition. Chances are, she is frustrated, unfulfilled and living for the weekend.

Sally should take a look at other careers in such fields as museum administration, arts fund raising, fashion or interior design, performing, photography, or professional speaking. In careers like these, she will be living congruently with her value system and experiencing work as her livelihood, instead of just a job.

Over the years I've worked with countless individuals who started feeling ill and depressed every Sunday afternoon, knowing that they had to return to their job on Monday morning. They spent every extra penny buying speed boats, jet skis, and motor homes as a way to escape their eight-to-five drudgery. While the expensive toys provided a fleeting diversion, the unpaid credit cards kept them trapped in the very job from which they were trying to leave.

Money is the single most important value for many people. And while money can provide a certain sense of security, the fear of not having it prevents a lot of folks from breaking out and starting their own business or taking other positive risks that could truly benefit their career. If, by chance, you fall into this category, I'd encourage you to consider downsizing to a point where you could feel comfortable without a high-paying steady income. I can hear your protests, but consider this: If you were pursuing a career that fulfilled you, that you truly loved, that didn't feel like "work", would you really miss the jet skis, the speed boat or the motor home while you got yourself up and running?

In a nutshell, your ideal career is one that fits you, your personality and your value system. It should be a natural extension of who you are as a human being. When you get up in the morning, you should simply be who you are - not someone who is constantly trying to fit into someone else's job description.

As you mull over the exercises in this month's column, think about who you really are. Are you an artist? A leader? A motivator? An originator? A problem solver? How might you combine the five lives you chose into a dynamic, multifaceted career that never leaves you bored, keeps you stimulated and fulfilled, and enables you to feel productive and full of self worth?

Tomorrow morning when you wake up, try living the day as the person you know you really are. Say to yourself, "I am an artist." Or, "I am a leader." How would you behave, what decisions would you make, and how would you feel as the true authentic person you are? Take note of how different tomorrow becomes as you begin to live authentically.

There are myriad possibilities when it comes to creating your best career. What you must remember is that you are in charge of writing your own perfect job description. Next month, we'll zero in on your right livelihood, and start putting together your personal action plan for success.

Debra Davenport, PhD, is a Master Professional Mentor and the president of DavenportFolio, a licensed firm with offices in Los Angeles and Phoenix that mentors entrepreneurs and professionals. She is the creator of the Certified Professional Mentor® designation and certification program and the author of The Ten Commitments of Highly Successful People. debra@davenportfolio.com or (866) 232-6492.