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
- Connecting with Nature: Importance of value to you (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency with value if it is very important to you (0-10?) = _________
- Gaining wisdom: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
- Creating beauty (in any domain, including arts, dancing, gardening): Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
- Promoting justice and caring for the weak: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
- Being loyal to friends, family and/or my group: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
- Being Honest: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
- Helping others: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
- Being sexually desirable: Importance (V, Q, N?) = _____, Consistency (0-10?) = ________
- Having genuine and close friends: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ____, Consistency (0-10?) = _____
- Having relationships involving love and affection: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
- Being ambitious and hard working: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ____, Consistency (0-10?) = ____
- Being competent and effective: Importance (V, Q, N?) = _____, Consistency (0-10?) = ______
- Having a sense of accomplishment and making a lasting contribution: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
- Having an exciting life: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
- Having a life filled with adventure: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ____, Consistency (0-10?) = ______
- Having a life filled with novelty and change: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
- Being physically fit: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
- Eating healthy food: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
- Engaging in sporting activities: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ____, Consistency (0-10?) = ______
- Acting consistently with my religious faith and beliefs: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
- Being at one with God: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
- Showing respect for tradition: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ____, Consistency (0-10?) = _____
- Being self-disciplined and resisting temptation: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
- Showing respect to parents and elders: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ____, Consistency (0-10?) =____
- Meeting my obligations: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ______, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
- Maintaining the safety and security of my loved ones: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
- Making sure to repay favours and not be indebted to people: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ______, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
- Being safe from danger: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ______, Consistency (0-10?) = _______
- Being wealthy: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
- Having authority, being in charge: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ____, Consistency (0-10?) = ____
- Having influence over other people: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ____, Consistency (0-10?) = ____
- Having an enjoyable, leisurely life: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ____, Consistency (0-10?) = ____
- Enjoying food and drink: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ______, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
- Being sexually active: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
- Being creative: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
- Being self-sufficient: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
- Being curious, discovering new things: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ______, Consistency (0-10?) = ______
- Figuring things out, solving problems: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ______, Consistency (0-10?) =______
- Striving to be a better person: Importance (V, Q, N?) = _____, Consistency (0-10?) = ______
- Experiencing positive mood states: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ____, Consistency (0-10?) = ______
- Feeling good about myself: Importance (V, Q, N?) = _______, Consistency (0-10?) = ______
- Leading a stress-free life: Importance (V, Q, N?) = _______, Consistency (0-10?) = _______
- Enjoying music, art or drama: Importance (V, Q, N?) = _____, Consistency (0-10?) = ______
- Designing things: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
- Teaching others: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
- Resolving disputes: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
- Building and repairing things: Importance (V, Q, N?) = _____, Consistency (0-10?) = ______
- Working with my hands: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = ______
- Organising things: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
- Engaging in clearly defined work: Importance (V, Q, N?) = _____, Consistency (0-10?) =_____
- Researching things: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
- Competing with others: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _______
- Being admired by many people: Importance (V, Q, N?) = _____, Consistency (0-10?) = _____
- Acting with courage: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
- Caring for others: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
- Accepting others as they are: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ____, Consistency (0-10?) = _______
- Working on practical tasks: Importance (V, Q, N?) = _____, Consistency (0-10?) = ________
- Seeking pleasure: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
- Avoiding distress: Importance (V, Q, N?) = ________, Consistency (0-10?) = _________
- 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.
An interesting exercise. For most people, happiness is like health: we don’t think about it very much unless we feel that we lack it. But “happiness” is kind of big and amorphous, so your questionnaire is a good way to identify specific things that are lacking.
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Yes I agree. I’ve found it quite helpful for people who are feeling stuck or dissatisfied with things but aren’t exactly sure why
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Really great post emphasizing what we value in our lives! I feel that more people should actively consider what it is that they value on a deep level and try to live out those values on a regular basis. This is why I find the field of positive psychology to be so fascinating, which is a topic that I write about in my own posts. This field asks what it means to live a meaningful and fulfilling life. Feel free to check it out sometime and I welcome any contributions that you may have. Great post, keep up the good work, and I hope that you are doing well!
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Thank you! Yes positive psychology is great, and a much needed change from just focusing on disorders!
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Yes, I absolutely agree!
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Interesting. I took the survey but sure how to total them up. I can tell you that my faith, being at one with God, being disciplined, seeking wisdom, and caring for others are my top 5.
Loved the pictures Are those your kids or relatives? They could pass for models. 🙂
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Thanks for the feedback. I get all the photos off pexels.com, which allows you to put up the pictures for free. I will make the scoring of the survey a little clearer. Basically, for any very important value that you are not living consistently with, see if you can set a goal to live more consistently with this over the next month. This is especially true for your top 5 values!
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Lord wiling, I will do my best. I pray I always do. 🙂 Thank you!
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A good questionnaire, makes you look inside yourself. It made me think. Re-evaluate my priorities
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That was fun, long but fun 🙂 I learned about myself that’s important
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I found this post interesting.
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