What Values Do You Try to Live Your Life By?

Values are guiding principles for our lives that are endless pursuits. We cannot achieve a value in the same way we can accomplish a goal. However, at any point in time, you can connect with them, act in accordance to them, and receive the vitality, energy, improved self-worth, greater emotional well-being and happiness that are often the result of living consistently with our values.

To figure out your most important values, first write if each value in the list below is very important to you (V), quite important to you (Q), or not important to you (N).

It is essential that we choose the values that feel right to us, rather than pick the values that we think our parents or society might want us to follow.

Then, for only your very important values, score from (0-10) how much you have been living according to this value over the past month, with:

0 = not following this value over the past month,

1 – 3 = following this value occasionally,

4 – 6 = following this value sometimes,

7 – 9 = following this value often, and

10 = always living by this value.

VALUES LIST

1. Connecting with Nature: Importance of value to you (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency with value if it is very important to you (0-10?) = _________
2. Gaining wisdom: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
3. Creating beauty (in any domain, including arts, dancing, gardening): Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
4. Promoting justice and caring for the weak: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
5. Being loyal to friends, family and/or my group: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
6. Being Honest: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
7. Helping others: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
8. Being sexually desirable: Importance (V, Q, N?) = _____, Consistency (0-10?) = ________
9. Having genuine and close friends: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ____, Consistency (0-10?) = _____
10. Having relationships involving love and affection: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
11. Being ambitious and hard working: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ____, Consistency (0-10?) = ____
12. Being competent and effective: Importance (V, Q, N?) = _____, Consistency (0-10?) = ______
13. Having a sense of accomplishment and making a lasting contribution: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
14. Having an exciting life: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
15. Having a life filled with adventure: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ____, Consistency (0-10?) = ______
16. Having a life filled with novelty and change: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
17. Being physically fit: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
18. Eating healthy food: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
19. Engaging in sporting activities: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ____, Consistency (0-10?) = ______
20. Acting consistently with my religious faith and beliefs: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
21. Being at one with God: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
22. Showing respect for tradition: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ____, Consistency (0-10?) = _____
23. Being self-disciplined and resisting temptation: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
24. Showing respect to parents and elders: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ____, Consistency (0-10?) =____
25. Meeting my obligations: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ______, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
26. Maintaining the safety and security of my loved ones: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
27. Making sure to repay favours and not be indebted to people: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ______, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
28. Being safe from danger: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ______, Consistency (0-10?) = _______
29. Being wealthy: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
30. Having authority, being in charge: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ____, Consistency (0-10?) = ____
31. Having influence over other people: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ____, Consistency (0-10?) = ____
32. Having an enjoyable, leisurely life: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ____, Consistency (0-10?) = ____
33. Enjoying food and drink: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ______, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
34. Being sexually active: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
35. Being creative: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
36. Being self-sufficient: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
37. Being curious, discovering new things: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ______, Consistency (0-10?) = ______
38. Figuring things out, solving problems: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ______, Consistency (0-10?) =______
39. Striving to be a better person: Importance (V, Q, N?) = _____, Consistency (0-10?) = ______
40. Experiencing positive mood states: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ____, Consistency (0-10?) = ______
41. Feeling good about myself: Importance (V, Q, N?) = _______, Consistency (0-10?) = ______
42. Leading a stress-free life: Importance (V, Q, N?) = _______, Consistency (0-10?) = _______
43. Enjoying music, art or drama: Importance (V, Q, N?) = _____, Consistency (0-10?) = ______
44. Designing things: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
45. Teaching others: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
46. Resolving disputes: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
47. Building and repairing things: Importance (V, Q, N?) = _____, Consistency (0-10?) = ______
48. Working with my hands: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = ______
49. Organising things: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
50. Engaging in clearly defined work: Importance (V, Q, N?) = _____, Consistency (0-10?) =_____
51. Researching things: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
52. Competing with others: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _______
53. Being admired by many people: Importance (V, Q, N?) = _____, Consistency (0-10?) = _____
54. Acting with courage: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
55. Caring for others: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
56. Accepting others as they are: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ____, Consistency (0-10?) = _______
57. Working on practical tasks: Importance (V, Q, N?) = _____, Consistency (0-10?) = ________
58. Seeking pleasure: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
59. Avoiding distress: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
60. Avoiding self-doubt: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________

It will be difficult/impossible to always live by all of our very important values, because some values will come into conflict with each other. However, if you are have scored it a 5 or below in your consistency rating, then try to set a goal for the next month of how you can live more consistently with this value.

Dr Damon Ashworth

Clinical Psychologist

PLEASE NOTE: These value descriptions were taken from a values cards exercise that I did during my doctoral degree. I am not sure who developed it, but will happily give credit to them if anyone can let me know who did.