What are personal values? A guide to understanding and living your core values
What are personal values and why are they important?
Have you ever felt like something’s missing in your life? Discovering your personal values can bring clarity, purpose and alignment to your daily decisions.
Values are guiding principles. Getting clear on your personal values, or your core values, is a very powerful exercise, and one that has been extremely impactful on my own personal development journey.
Your values serve as a compass, helping you navigate relationships, make career choices, and set meaningful goals.
A typical life coaching exercise is to look at a list of values, and then determine from the list which values resonate most. We’re going to get into this… keep reading!
Oh, and if you’re interested, my personal values are family, community, generosity, nature and creativity. And new to the list is ‘fun’.
Why do your personal values matter?
You might be wondering why it is important to know your personal values. Well, here are my thoughts on this -
Better decision making: personal values act as a guide for making choices that feel right. Well defined values can reduce mental clutter and simplify complex decisions.
Increased motivation: knowing what inspires you can help you stay focused and driven.
Fulfillment and alignment: living according to your values creates a sense of purpose. And conversely, I can feel out of sorts if I am in conflict with my values.
Stronger relationships: when you’re clear about your values, it’s easier to build meaningful connections with people who share or respect them. IT can also help with setting boundaries.
Confidence: being in alignment with your values can boost confidence and can help you embrace your authentic self.
Work-life: as a small business owner, I use my personal values to shape my business. Being in alignment means that my work feels good.
A personal values coaching exercise.
Carve out some time to ponder these questions. You might want to write out your answers in a journal or notebook, maybe talk through your thoughts into a voice recorder (sometimes saying things out loud can be useful). I personally like to write, as I think there’s something nice about the sensory experience of writing in a book… the weight of the pen in your hand, the feel of the paper etc.
Reflect on your identity values
How would you describe yourself and the type of person you are?
Identify traits you admire in others
What characteristics describe your friends that are closest to you? What do you admire in them?
Note what annoys you (pet peeves often highlight misalignment with your values)
What are your pet peeves? What annoys you?
Use a values list to clarify your priorities
Have a look at the Values Lists below, what resonates most with you at this time?
What are you grateful for?
Review your journal, do the values you've selected align with your Gratitude Lists (if this is a practice that you follow)? What themes are apparent from your Gratitude Lists?
Living in alignment with your personal values
Hopefully now you have a better understanding of what your personal values are, and can then determine if you are living in alignment with them or not. Start being mindful about decisions you make, and use your values to help guide you.
Align daily decisions with your values
Regularly review your values to ensure they reflect you current priorities
Set goals that align with your top values
For example, if ‘creativity’ is one of your core values, you might schedule time for creative pursuits or ask yourself how can I you make your task more creative.
The scientist in me likes to look for the evidence of our personal or core values. Have a look at this more recent blog post for three ways that I do this with my time management coaching clients.
“Living in alignment with your values is the key to a fulfilled life”
Looking for more?
Ready to align your life with your core values? Explore my 1-to-1 time management coaching here or download my free resources to get started on your time management journey.
FAQ
What are examples of personal values?
Personal values are guiding principles that influence your behaviour and decisions. Examples might include honesty, integrity, compassion, creativity, family, ambition and sustainability. Values can vary widely from person to person, and they typically reflect what you prioritise most in life.
How do personal values influence decisions?
Personal values can act as a compass, helping you make decisions and prioritise. When faced with a decision, you can align your choice with your values to ensure it feels authentic and right for you.
Why is it important to identify your personal values?
Knowing your values helps with clarity, purpose and alignment. Without clear values you might feel stuck or directionless, or conflicted when making choices.
Can personal values change over time?
Yes, personally values may evolve as you grow and experience new things. Revisit your values periodically, as part of an annual or quarterly review.