Values Clarification Exercise
[Link]
Instructions
1 Go through the list and choose seven values that are the most
important to you and write the numbers in the table below
2 Refer to the table ‘Choices and Values: Values Clarification’ and find
the numbers you have chosen and write the corresponding words on
the lines at the bottom of the page.
3
Choices and Values: What’s Important to Me?
Take a few minutes to think about the meaning of the items listed below. Mark the items that are
important to you.
1. A physical appearance to be proud of 22. A secure and positive family life
2. To graduate with a top score 23. An enjoyable, leisurely life
3. Being an honest person 24. Unlimited travel, fine foods,
entertainment, recreational, and cultural
4. To have political power opportunities
5. Being known as a “real” person 25. Getting things changed for the better
6. A meaningful relationship
26. A beautiful home in the setting of your choice
7. Self-confidence and personal growth
27. A chance to develop creativity/potential in any area
8. Enjoyment of nature and beauty
28. Owning a possession of great value
9. A life with meaning, purpose, fulfillment
29. To speak up for my personal beliefs
10. Continuing to learn and gain knowledge
30. To have better feelings about myself
11. A chance to help the sick and disadvantaged
31. To be needed and to be important to others
12. To be attractive to others
32. To become a good parent
13. Some honest and close friends
33. To have a better relationship with my parents
14. A long and healthy life
34. To be seen as attractive to others
15. A meaningful relationship with God
35. To persevere in what I am doing
16. A good marriage
36. Time for prayer
17. Satisfaction/success in the career of your choice
37. To give of myself freely in helping others
18. An equal opportunity for all people
38. A safe and secure environment
19. Freedom to live life as you want
20. A financially comfortable life 39. To be loved by a special few
21. Accomplishment of something worthwhile 40. To be trusted by others
List below the number of the seven items that are most important to you:
Choices Characteristics
Example 5 Sincerity
A- 10 Education, Intelligence, Wisdom
B- 14 Health, Personal safety, Security
C- 40 Honesty, Integrity
D- 17 Fulfillment, Intellectual and Vocational
achievement
E- 21 Same as 17
F- 9 Same as 17 & 21
G- 20 Financial security, Money, Status
When you have listed the seven items that are most important to you, refer to the “Value
Characteristics” sheet below and write the appropriate characteristics related to these numbers.
Student Handout
NAME Date_________ Period_______
Choices and Values; Value Characteristics
NUMBER CHARACTERISTIC
5 Sincerity
3, 40 Honesty, Integrity
7, 30 Emotional well-being, Stability
8 Artistic appreciation
2, 10 Education, Intelligence, Wisdom
11, 37, 18 (Altruism) Compassion, Fairness, Justice
1, 12, 34 Appearance, Beauty, Approval
6, 13, 31, 39 Love, Friendship, Personal closeness
14, 38 Health, Personal safety, Security
15, 36 Religion, Spirituality
16, 22, 32, 33 Family, Love, Emotional security
9, 17, 21, 27 Fulfillment, Intellectual and Vocational achievement
19 Personal freedom, Independence
20, 26, 28 Financial security, Money, Status
23, 24 Pleasure, Travel, Material satisfaction
4, 25 Power, Achievement
29 Courage
35 Perseverance
Complete the table on the previous page
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Student Handout Values Definition Table 43 of
4
Values Definition Table
Value Definition
Acceptance Having people receive you well
Accomplishment Doing or finishing something well
Accountability Feeling obligated to or being willing to accept responsibility
Adaptability Ability to change behavior to fit new situations
Adventurousness Tendency to do new and daring things
Allegiance Loyalty or feeling obligated to be loyal
Altruism Caring for others without regard to yourself
Ambition Eagerness or strong desire to achieve something
Appreciation Ability to see the quality and the importance of people and things
Aspiration Strong and persistent desire for high achievement
Assiduousness Quality of never quitting, being persistent, and working hard
Authenticity Quality of being trustworthy or genuine
Autonomy Quality of being independent
Benevolence Tendency to do kind and giving things
Camaraderie Goodwill and lighthearted connection to friends
Caring Feeling and showing concern for others
Changeability Ability to adapt to different circumstances
Charity Generosity toward others
Chastity Innocence and purity
Cheerfulness Quality of being lighthearted; lessening gloom
Citizenship Exercising the duties, rights, and privileges of being a citizen
Clear Thinking Acting intelligently without mental confusion
Collaboration Working cooperatively with others
Commitment Feeling bound in mind or heart to someone or doing something
Community Sharing, participation, and fellowship with others
Compassion Being deeply aware of and wanting to lessen the suffering of others
Competence Being qualified to do something
Competitiveness Doing something better than others
Composure Maintaining a peaceful or calm state of mind
Concern Taking an interest in someone or something
Conscientiousness Doing things very carefully and thoroughly
Consideration Thinking through things carefully, being thoughtful
Consistency Doing things reliably and in the same way
Constancy Remaining faithful to a person or an action in the face of change
Cooperation Working willingly with others to accomplish something
Courage Ability to face danger, fear, and obstacles with confidence
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Student Handout
NAME Date_________ Period_______
Value Definition
Courtesy Consideration for others
Credibility Having people believe you
Decency Conforming to the standards of proper or modest behavior
Dedication Devoting energy and time without concern for yourself
Democracy Believing that everyone deserves the same rights and respect
Dependability Being reliable
Determination Having strong will, purpose, or character
Diversity Respecting and wanting difference and variety
Easiness Being relaxed and informal in attitude or standards
Education Gathering and growing knowledge or skill through learning
Efficiency Ability to make things happen with a reasonable amount of effort
Empathy Ability to identify with other people’s situations and feelings
Encouragement Ability to get others to take action
Equality Believing that everyone deserves the same treatment
Equity Wanting things to be just, impartial, and fair
Excellence Having qualities to an unusual degree
Fairness Doing things consistently with rules, logic, and ethics
Faith Confident and complete belief in someone or something
Faithfulness Sticking firmly and devotedly to someone or something
Fidelity Faithfulness, loyalty, or devotion
Flexibility Ability to respond to change
Forgiveness Willingness to stop blaming or being angry with someone
Fortitude Ability to face danger, pain, or obstacle with calm resolve
Friendship Having a relationship based on mutual respect and good will
Generosity Willingness and desire to give
Gentleness Being mild, calm, and docile
Genuine Being true and not fake
Giving Offering knowledge or things without expecting anything in return
Goodness Being kind, thoughtful, or honest
Goodwill Friendly attitude that says you wish good things to happen to others
Gratitude Feeling thankful for or appreciating things, people, or their actions
Hardworking Working hard, well, and tirelessly
Helpfulness Giving useful help or advice in a friendly way
Honesty Acting straightforwardly and fairly
Honor Being upright in character and having personal integrity
Hope Feeling that something you want can be yours or will happen
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Student Handout Values Definition Table 3 of 4
Value Definition
Humility Feeling that you are not better than others
Industriousness Working hard and regularly
Ingenuity Having inventive skill or imagination
Initiative Ability to energetically start and follow through with a plan or task
Integrity Strictly following what you believe is right and good
Joy Intense happiness
Justice Strictly following what you believe is fair and just
Kindness Wanting to be good, kind, and giving to others
Law-Abiding Following all the rules and laws of society
Liberty Choosing freely to act, believe, or express yourself in your own way
Love Feeling strong desire or attraction toward a person or idea
Loyalty Feeling devotion, attachment, and affection toward a person or idea
Mercy Forgiving someone even though you have the power to punish them
Moderation Having neither too little nor too much of anything
Morals Your own belief about what is right or wrong that guides your actions
Obedience Following the rules of what is required in a given situation
Optimism Expecting the best possible outcome with bright hope
Patience Waiting and withstanding without complaining or getting angry
Peace Being free of conflict and violence
Perseverance Sticking firmly and consistently to a course of action or belief
Promise-Keeping Keeping your word that you will certainly do something
Prudence Doing something right because it is the right thing to do
Punctuality Adherance to the exact time of a commitment or event
Purity Having done no wrong
Reason Ability to think through and make good decisions
Recognition Having people see and give you credit for all you have done
Reliability Doing things consistently so that others can depend and trust you
Repentance Feeling sorry and wanting to right past wrongs
Resilience Ability to bounce back quickly from change or bad circumstances
Resourcefulness Ability to act effectively and creatively, especially in tough situations
Respect Showing polite attitude toward people or things that are important
Responsibility Being accountable and answerable for something
Righteousness Being without guilt or sin
Sacrifice Willingness to give up a thing for something else more important
Self-Control Being able to control your emotions, desires, or actions
Self-Discipline Ability to make yourself do something even if you don’t want to
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Student Handout Values Definition Table 4 of 4
Value Definition
Sensitivity Being aware of the needs and emotions of others
Serenity Being calm in mind and even in temper
Sharing Wanting others to take part, enjoy, or use together or in turns
Sincerity Genuineness and honesty; not fake
Sobriety Being calm, cool, and serious; freedom from extreme passions
Stamina Having the physical or mental strength to do something for an extended period
Stewardship Carefully conducting, supervising, or managing something
Supportive Giving support and help
Thoughtfulness Tendency to anticipate people’s needs or wishes
Tolerance Recognizing and respecting the beliefs and practices of others
Tranquility Being calm and peaceful
Trustworthiness Having people believe you and have confidence in you
Understanding Having a positive, truthful relationship with others
Wisdom Ability to make good decisions based on experience and learning
Additional Values
List adapted from [Link] This is NOT a complete list of values, as
a true list would be almost endless. When in doubt, see if the quality in question is a value by checking with the
seven criteria for values (‘What is a Value?’ Handout)