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Identify and Define Your Personal Values

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
30 views5 pages

Identify and Define Your Personal Values

Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Defining Your Values

Personal values, also known as core values, are ideas or convictions a person strongly believes. A personal
value is a worthwhile idea or behavior that guides short-term decisions and long-term goals. Personal values
may include integrity, compassion, stewardship, and authenticity. When you define your personal values, you
discover what's truly important to you for example if you value kindness, compassion you may be unhappy working in an
aggressive work environment. A good way of starting to do this is to look back on your life – to identify when you felt really
good, and really confident that you were making good choices.

Your values are the things that you believe are important in the way you live and work. Values exist, whether you recognize
them or not. Life can be much easier when you acknowledge your values – and when you make plans and decisions that
honor them.
They (should) determine your priorities, and, deep down, they're probably the measures you use to tell if your life is turning
out the way you want it to.
When the things that you do and the way you behave match your values, life is usually good – you're satisfied and content.
But when these don't align with your personal values, that's when things feel... wrong. This can be a real source of
unhappiness.
Common Personal Values
Personal Values List
1. Knowledge:To pursue and learn about new things and ideas; to search for truth, or information; to be known by others as an intelligent person and to feel
intelligent.

2. Wisdom:To understand and frame for myself a meaning of life, perceiving experience from a broad frame of reference.
3. Power:To lead and direct others, to influence or control others, that is to get them to do what I want them to do.
4. Aesthetic Pleasure: To enjoy and respect the things from which I derive pleasure-art, nature, work people.
5. Ethical standards: To believe in and maintain a code of ethics, a sense of right and wrong; to be moral; to conform to the standards of society, my family
or spouse, my profession, and my personal beliefs.

6. Independence: To achieve my own goals in the manner best suited to me to have freedom to come and go as I wish; to be myself at all times, to control
my own actions.

7. Accomplishment: To achieve my personal objectives with a sense that I've done something as well as, if not better than, someone else would have; to
experience self-satisfaction when I rise to a challenge, accomplish a task or a job, or solve a problem.

8. Recognition:To receive attention, notice, approval, or respect from others, enjoying their camaraderie; to join groups for companionship; to look forward
to and enjoy social relations

9. Courage:To be entrepreneurial and thus take risks, reach beyond boundaries, and experiment.
10. Responsibility: To be held accountable to others or to organisations to which I belong for a job or task, to process something and care for it.
11. Creativity: To be free to and have the ability and desire to develop new ideas, solutions to problems, improvements in products or procedures, or designs of
things or plans; to be mentally challenged; to be first to innovate or create.

12. Security: To possess the basic wherewithal for living; to feel safe; to have self-confidence; to have job security and continuity of income.
13. Dedication: To be loyal to a company or to a supervisor, my family, social and political groups, and others, to give devotion, commitment, or friendship to
others.

14. Justice and parity: To receive rewards and recognition for my contributions and achievements in proportion to my efforts and comparable to those
received by other people.

15. Growth: To advance, to expand my life through the improvement of my status at work or in the community; to increase my work-and non work-related
knowledge or skill; to find fulfilment in the groups in which I work and live; to mature personally and professionally.

16. Integrity: To be consistently open, honest, ethical and genuine


17. Religiousness: To believe in a supreme being; to relate my belief to other people and let it guide my actions; to lead others in line with the teachings of
my faith.

18. Love: To experience warmth, feelings of affection, a sense of caring, enthusiasm for, attachment to, devotion to, and interest in something or in another
person, especially someone to whom I can make a commitment.

19. Challenge: To feel good about what I do, its degree of difficulty, and the complexity or demands on my creativity; to have opportunities to apply my
knowledge and skills effectively and easily.

20. Faith:To have self-confidence and to believe in my abilities and skills, in the goodness and value of life, and in the goals and objectives of my company or
social organisations; to feel secure in the availability of help from others and to recognise help received.
21. Passion To use my drive and commitment to energize, engage and inspire others.
22. Health (physical/mental): To feel energetic and free of physical pain from injury, disease, or infection; to feel free from worry and anxiety and of
emotional blocks to success in all aspects of my life; to have peace of mind.

23. Money: To have sufficient income or other assets to use as I wish, to be materially comfortable or well off.
24. Good time/pleasure: To have fun, to enjoy myself; to do things I like to do rather than only things I have to do.
25. Being loved: To experience warmth, feelings of affection, and a sense of caring from other people, especially from someone from whom I can expect a
commitment.

26. Helpfulness: To provide assistance, support, empathy, or protection to others; to be open responsive, and generous.
27. Friendship: To have many friends, to work with others enjoying their camaraderie; to join groups for companionship; to look forward to and enjoy social
relations.

28. Self-Esteem:To be someone of value in my own eyes and in the eyes of others; to be accepted as a person rather than as a non-entity or as a means to an
end; to feel useful and wanted by other people; to be a leader; to be appreciated by others.

Accountability Excellence Perfection

Accuracy Excitement Piety

Achievement Expertise Positivity

Adventurousness Exploration Practicality

Altruism Expressiveness Preparedness

Ambition Fairness Professionalism

Assertiveness Faith Prudence

Balance Family-orientedness Quality-orientation

Being the best Fidelity Reliability

Belonging Fitness Resourcefulness

Boldness Fluency Restraint

Calmness Focus Results-oriented

Carefulness Freedom Rigor

Challenge Fun Security

Cheerfulness Generosity Self-actualization

Clear-mindedness Goodness Self-control

Commitment Grace Selflessness

Community Growth Self-reliance

Compassion Happiness Sensitivity

Competitiveness Hard work Serenity


Consistency Health Service

Contentment Helping society Shrewdness

Continuous Holiness Simplicity

Improvement Honesty Soundness

Contribution Honor Speed

Control Humility Spontaneity

Cooperation Independence Stability

Correctness Ingenuity Strategic

Courtesy Inner harmony Strength

Creativity Inquisitiveness Structure

Curiosity Insightfulness Success

Decisiveness Intelligence Support

Democraticness Intellectual status Teamwork

Dependability Intuition Temperance

Determination Joy Thankfulness

Devoutness Justice Thoroughness

Diligence Leadership Thoughtfulness

Discipline Legacy Timeliness

Discretion Love Tolerance

Diversity Loyalty Traditionalism

Dynamism Making a difference Trustworthiness

Economy Mastery Truth-seeking

Effectiveness Merit Understanding

Efficiency Obedience Uniqueness

Elegance Openness Unity

Empathy Order Usefulness


Enjoyment Originality Vision Vitality

Enthusiasm Patriotism

Equality

Identification of your values

Just select 10 of your top values from the above by using the criteria below. Once you have chosen 10, then rate each
value on the scale of 1-10. This will give you, your highest value.

Step 1: Identify the times when you were happiest


Find examples from both your career and personal life. This will ensure some balance in your answers.

 What were you doing?


 Were you with other people? Who?
 What other factors contributed to your happiness?

Step 2: Identify the times when you were most proud


Use examples from your career and personal life.

 Why were you proud?


 Did other people share your pride? Who?
 What other factors contributed to your feelings of pride?

Step 3: Identify the times when you were most fulfilled and satisfied
Again, use both work and personal examples.

 What need or desire was fulfilled?


 How and why did the experience give your life meaning?
 What other factors contributed to your feelings of fulfillment?

Step 4: Determine your top values, based on your experiences of happiness, pride, and
fulfillment
Why is each experience truly important and memorable? Use the following list of common personal values to help you get
started – and aim for about 10 top values. (As you work through, you may find that some of these naturally combine. For
instance, if you value philanthropy, community, and generosity, you might say that service to others is one of your top
values.)

Number one being least important and number 10 most important.

Common questions

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Personal values impact the choice of forming relationships or joining social groups by dictating compatibility and comfort in these settings. Values such as companionship, recognition, and friendship influence the desire to engage with people or groups that align with one's beliefs and values. These interactions provide a sense of belonging and validation, as they are grounded in mutual respect and shared principles .

Personal values significantly influence career satisfaction and decision-making by aligning one's work with what they consider important. Values like kindness and compassion can lead to dissatisfaction if the work environment is aggressive, as there is a misalignment with core values . Conversely, when work aligns with personal values, it enhances job satisfaction and decision-making becomes more confident and aligned with one's beliefs, leading to a more fulfilling career .

Personal values contribute to one's sense of integrity and ethical behavior by serving as a moral framework that guides actions and decisions. Values like honesty, fairness, and accountability foster a consistent ethical standard, enabling individuals to act congruently with their beliefs, even under pressure. This alignment of actions with inner convictions strengthens the sense of integrity and fosters trustworthiness and ethical relations with others .

Experiences of happiness and fulfillment play a critical role in establishing one's core values as they highlight moments when a person's actions and circumstances are most aligned with their innermost beliefs. These instances provide insights into what truly satisfies and fulfills an individual, serving as a guide for identifying which values are essential in leading a content and purposeful life .

Identifying top personal values enhances personal growth by providing a clear framework for setting goals and making decisions that are true to oneself. It promotes self-awareness and guides individuals in prioritizing actions that lead to meaningful advancement, both personally and professionally. This clarity helps people focus on areas that promote growth, such as knowledge, creativity, and integrity, ultimately fostering a life of greater fulfillment and maturity .

Personal values are deeply interconnected with feelings of fulfillment and happiness because they guide actions and decisions towards what is considered truly important. Experiences that align with these values contribute to feelings of happiness, pride, and fulfillment, while those that do not can result in dissatisfaction and a sense of discontent . Recognizing and honoring personal values can thus be a pathway to achieving a satisfying and meaningful life .

A misalignment between personal values and the work environment can contribute to job dissatisfaction by creating a conflict between one's beliefs and the actions required by the job. For example, if a person values compassion but works in a competitive and aggressive environment, their inability to act in accordance with their core values can lead to frustration and unhappiness. This discordance affects motivation and contentment, resulting in a reduced sense of purpose and engagement at work .

Times of pride can be significant in determining personal values because they highlight moments when one's actions and achievements align closely with their core principles, thereby providing a sense of self-satisfaction and recognition. These experiences often reflect deeper personal beliefs and priorities, revealing what a person values most in both their professional and personal lives .

Clearly defining personal values when planning long-term goals is crucial because values act as a compass, guiding individuals through complex decision-making processes. They ensure that goals are not only achievable but are also meaningful and rewarding. By aligning goals with personal values, individuals are more likely to pursue objectives that resonate deeply with what they find important, leading to sustained motivation and satisfaction over time .

In the context of personal growth and self-development, it is crucial for individuals to occasionally reassess their core values as they evolve over time with new experiences and insights. Regular reassessment helps ensure that one's actions and goals remain aligned with their current beliefs, fostering continued growth and avoiding stagnation. This process allows individuals to adapt to changing circumstances and maintain a clear sense of purpose and fulfillment throughout their lives .

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