Stay true to your Values

Six Steps to determine your Personal Values

Step 1:

Review the list of examples of core values below and write down every value that resonates with you. Add any you think of that are not on the list as well. Select the values that most accurately describe your feelings or behaviours.

Step 2: Consider the people you most admire

Values are typically personified in people whom we admire and love. Generally, when we admire a quality in others it’s because it’s something we value ourselves. Write down six people you admire, who are role models or valued connections for you.

For example, you could include a colleague because of their perseverance and dedication. You could include a family member because of their empathy. Try to include people you consider heroes as well. For example, you may admire Nelson Mandela because of his kindness to others and his commitment to fighting for social justice. Note the values that these six people embody.

Step 3: Consider your experiences

To learn about your values, think back to the best and most painful moments in your life. Consider what these experiences reveal about your core values. For example, if you won an award for teaching, it’s possible that motivating others and leadership are important values for you. A painful experience may have taught you that empathy and compassion are important to you.

Step 4: Categorise values into related groups

Now you have a master list of values. Next, review the list and see if you can group the values into categories. For example, you may have written down growth, learning and personal development. These values are all related and could be placed in one category. Another example is if you selected stability, reliability and punctuality. These values could all be grouped together.

Step 5: Identify the central theme

Once you have categorized your values, choose a word that best represents the group. You can leave the other words in the group in additions next to the central theme word to give the primary value more context.

Step 6: Choose your top core values

Rank the top values in order of importance. While the number of core values people have can vary, it’s typically best to narrow them down to five to 10. If you have more than 10, ask yourself what values are essential to your life. You may want to leave them for a day and come back to them later to see if they truly reflect your core values and if they are in the correct order.

Examples of Core Values

Everyone’s set of core values is unique and influenced by their life experiences. Professionals also recognise that it’s important to stay conscious of your values throughout your life because they can change as your career and personal life develops. To get a sense of what your values may be, it can be helpful to review a list of core values for ideas.

· Achievement · Caring · Charity · Creativity · Curiosity · Dependability · Encouragement · Enthusiasm · Learning · Love · Loyalty · Making a difference · Safety · Security · Self-control · Service · Spirituality · Stability · Success · Thankfulness · Traditionalism · Understanding · Wealth

​· Excellence · Fairness · Family · Friendships · Flexibility · Freedom · Fun · Generosity · Growth · Open-mindedness · Passion · Perfection · Performance · Ambition · Collaboration · Empathy · Ethics · Happiness · Leadership · Motivation · Optimism · Personal development

​· Health · Honesty · Humour · Individuality · Innovation · Intelligence · Intuition · Joy · Kindness · Knowledge · Popularity · Power · Professionalism · Punctuality · Quality · Recognition · Relationships · Wisdom · Reliability · Resilience · Risk-taking · Well-being