In SEO, everything starts with keywords.
They help search engines understand what a website is about.
They guide the right people to the right place at the right time.
But when it comes to your real life—your choices, your work, your relationships—what are you optimizing for?
Because whether you realize it or not, your life already has keywords. They show up in what you care about, how you spend your time, and how others experience you.
Keywords = Core Values
Think of your values like the foundational keywords of your life:
They shape your decisions They help others understand what you’re about And they act as filters when life throws too much your way
Just like bad SEO can confuse your visitors, unclear or unaligned values can lead to burnout, indecision, and friction in your daily life.
What Are You Really Ranking For?
Many people live their lives unintentionally ranking for things like:
“Always available” “Puts others first” “Busy but reliable” “Won’t say no”
But are those the results you want to appear for?
If not, it’s time to revisit the values you actually want to be known for—your real-life target keywords.
Try this:
Write down three to five words or short phrases that reflect your true values.
These should be qualities or goals that align with your long-term self—not just what you default to on busy days.
Examples might be:
“Creative problem-solver” “Grounded and dependable” “Curious learner” “Protects margin” “Encourages others”
Make Your Values Visible
In SEO, keywords work best when they’re used naturally and consistently across the site. Not spammed. Not hidden.
Same goes for your values.
Look for quiet, repeatable ways to show what you’re about:
The way you open a meeting The things you say yes or no to The tone of your messages and emails The kinds of people you collaborate with
When you live your values with clarity, you reduce confusion.
And clarity builds trust.
Recommended Resource
If you’re ready to make your values more actionable, I recommend Atomic Habits by James Clear (affiliate link).
It’s one of the best guides out there for turning internal intentions into consistent, visible action—exactly what good personal SEO is all about.
Real World Personal SEO – Full Series
Day 1: What If You Were the Website?
Day 2: Core Values Are Your Keywords
Day 3: Your Content Is You
Day 4: Site Speed and You
Day 5: Your Backlinks Are Your People
Day 6: Systems Are Your Technical SEO
Day 7: Analytics for Humans
