Values Clarification Exercise
What do I value?
Exploring your core values can be an extremely useful activity and is something that you can do on a regular basis. As you grow and change, your values can grow and change with you!
When people use the term “values,” they can mean many different things. Our values can include objects, people, experiences, actions, personal characteristics, and abstract ideas. In their essence, however, values shape our choices, our feelings, and how we relate to the world around us (just as these things can shape our values in turn). Thus, for example, a person could say that her highest values include dogs, family, world travel, personal fitness, and independence. People’s values represent their priorities in life, and priorities can shift over time and circumstances. Consequently, when you consider your highest values at work, your list might be a little different than it would be if you were considering your highest values outside of work.
The most important thing to realize is that no one can tell you what your values are. Only you can do that. The exercise below is designed to help you explore what you prioritize in life. If you want to do this exercise with your current workplace in mind, that’s fine, but it is also fine if you don’t. You can do this exercise with another context or no specific context in mind. It’s completely up to you. They are your values, after all, and this exercise is meant to serve your needs.
Let’s go!