Identify your values
Values are what drive our thoughts, behaviours, actions and decisions. They define who we
are and what we want to be. Our values are usually positive and aspirational, and they
motivate us through life. They set the direction we want to follow like a compass.
When we don't meet our values, it may feel like something is not quite right. It can lead to
unhappiness.
Values are usually pretty stable. However, they can change over time, depending on life
experiences, relationships and events. Their level of priority might change too at different
times of your life.
This exercise will enable you to clarify what your values are, and
help you plan how you will integrate them into your life and career.
1. Start by answering these powerful questions that will take you back to key moments in
your life and will put you in the right mindset for this exercise.
2. In the 2-page list, highlight the values that resonate with you. Highlight as many as you
want.
3. Bundle values that are connected to each other into categories or themes, and give
each group a name that makes sense for you. You should aim for 3 to 5 categories.
4. In the table, write your categories in the first column. Then write a statement that
describes them. In the third column, decide how much you're satisfied that you are
aligned with each value. Finally, in the last column, write an action that will help you live
up to that value even more, especially if you've given that value a satisfaction level of 6 or
lower.
7. Finally, answer a few more reflection questions to help you think about you will protect
your values.
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Go back to a time(s) when you were happy: what was the situation? What were you
doing? Who were you sharing it with? What contributed to the happiness you felt?
Go back to a time(s) when you were proud: what was the situation? What were you
doing? Who were you sharing it with? What contributed to the pride you felt?
Who inspires you? Think of people - famous or not - that you admire for what they've
done, and explore the reasons why you'd love to know them or do the same than them.
What makes you angry and frustrated? Look around you - in your community and the
wider world - and think about what makes you angry and that you'd love to change.
What legacy do you want to leave? Visualise yourself towards the end of your life, and
think about what you'd like to leave as a legacy, what you'd like to be remembered for.
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Acceptance Compassion Equality
Accomplishment Competence Ethical
Accountability Concentration Excellence
Accuracy Confidence Experience
Achievement Connection Exploration
Adaptability Consciousness Expressive
Alertness Consistency Fairness
Altruism Contentment Family
Ambition Contribution Famous
Amusement Control Fearless
Assertiveness Conviction Feelings
Attentive Cooperation Ferocious
Awareness Courage Fidelity
Balance Courtesy Focus
Beauty Creation Foresight
Boldness Creativity Fortitude
Bravery Credibility Freedom
Brilliance Curiosity Friendship
Calm Decisive Fun
Candor Decisiveness Generosity
Capable Dedication Genius
Careful Dependability Giving
Certainty Determination Goodness
Challenge Development Grace
Charity Devotion Gratitude
Cleanliness Dignity Greatness
Clear Discipline Growth
Clever Discovery Happiness
Comfort Drive Hard work
Commitment Effectiveness Harmony
Common sense Efficiency Health
Communication Empathy Honesty
Community Empower Honor
Endurance Hope
Energy Humility
Enjoyment Imagination
Enthusiasm Improvement 3
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Independence Performance Spirit
Individuality Persistence Spirituality
Innovation Playfulness Spontaneous
Inquisitive Poise Stability
Insightful Potential Status
Inspiring Power Stewardship
Integrity Present Strength
Intelligence Productivity Structure
Intensity Professionalism Success
Intuitive Prosperity Support
Irreverent Purpose Surprise
Joy Quality Sustainability
Justice Realistic Talent
Kindness Reason Teamwork
Knowledge Recognition Temperance
Lawful Recreation Thankful
Leadership Reflective Thorough
Learning Respect Thoughtful
Liberty Responsibility Timeliness
Logic Restraint Tolerance
Love Results-oriented Toughness
Loyalty Reverence Traditional
Mastery Rigor Tranquility
Maturity Risk Transparency
Meaning Satisfaction Trust
Moderation Security Trustworthy
Motivation Self-reliance Truth
Openness Selfless Understanding
Optimism Sensitivity Uniqueness
Order Serenity Unity
Organization Service Valor
Originality Sharing Victory
Passion Significance Vigor
Patience Silence Vision
Peace Simplicity Vitality
Sincerity Wealth
Skill Welcoming
Skillfulness Winning
Smart Wisdom
Solitude Wonder 4
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Level of Action to increase
Name of your
Definition satisfaction alignment to the
value
(1 to 10) value
How will you support and protect your values?
How will you know that you're not aligned with your values? What are past examples of
red flags and behaviours when you were dissatisfied?
Now that your values are clear, what was a time when you embodied your most
important values? Use it to anchor your values into a real example.
www.peopleatheartcoaching.com · catherine@peopleatheartcoaching.com · @peopleatheartcoaching
How to fill this worksheet
If you can't or don't want to print the workbook, you can use this FREE function available
in Adobe Acrobat Reader (which I believe most people will have on their computers!)
The "Fill & Sign" function
Click anywhere on the page to add a text box. You can also add other elements (crosses,
ticks...), as well as circle or underline words. And don't forget to save!
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