Core Values List: 150+ Awesome Examples of Personal Values

Generosity – This may be a core value of yours if you cherish people who will give their time and resources to people in need. You may consider yourself to be a generous person if you find joy and meaning in giving to others. Compassion – A compassionate person is someone who prioritizes caring for others and feeling sympathetic for people in need of help and protection.

Who are the People you Admire?

You value your ability to work toward a common goal as part of a team; meaningful collaboration is central to your mission. Without a deep, personal connection, you can’t feel attracted to someone. You have unshakable faith in your own powers or rightness of purpose or a strong desire to feel that faith. You make time to enjoy everything you perceive with your senses that makes you feel an inexplicable surge of happiness.

Creativity can also be helpful in determining your values. Note that sometimes your choice is not between right and wrong but between two cherished values, as in my situation above. Maintaining what are your values a healthy sense of self-worth and self-confidence, acknowledging one’s value, strengths, and accomplishments without arrogance or self-deprecation. Demonstrating modesty and a willingness to learn from others, recognizing one’s limitations and shortcomings without self-deprecation. Valuing personal autonomy and independence, advocating for the rights and liberties of oneself and others. Treating others with equality, impartiality, and respect, advocating for justice and equal opportunities for all.

• As soon as you become conscious that you’re not investing any time and energy in something important to you, you can make specific decisions and take action.
• When you adapt, you will become ready to take on any challenges.
• Some examples might include responsibility, creativity, integrity and honesty, respect for everyone around, etc.
• Choose the values that stand out as most important to you.
• This process will help you uncover the principles that define your identity and guide your actions.

Respect for Elders & Authority

The ability to accept what you can control and what you can’t control. Understand that on some days, you are the hammer, and on other days you are the nail. With acceptance as a core value, you can build either way and be happy. If compassion speaks to you as a core value, then you want to ameliorate the suffering or help heal the pain of others. So, after months of development, I refined the 7-step process and crafted it into a step-by-step course.

For example, Christianity can be both a belief and a value. Acting in ways that go against our values doesn’t make us feel great. In fact, shifting our values in small ways can shift our actions. Some of us prefer one type of value over the other (Allen, Ng, & Wilson, 2002).

According to the theoretical framework, adjacent values on the wheel are compatible, while values sitting across the wheel are in conflict. Corporations, at the end of the day, exist to turn a profit – not to guide you to a more fulfilling life. When it comes to reflecting on your own values and how they contribute to your personal growth, it can be helpful to break them down into categories. The following types of values are based on the nature of motivation behind them, as defined by self-determination theory. ³ This approach can help you to see the bigger picture of your value system and understand what drives you at a deeper level.

Understanding Personal Values

• Continuously seeking opportunities for personal and professional development, embracing change, and striving for self-improvement.
• Aim for a list of 5-10 core values to keep it manageable and meaningful.
• Trusting one’s instincts and gut feelings, using insight and inner guidance to navigate personal and professional decisions.
• Frugality isn’t something everyone will understand, and that’s OK.

Knowing who you are, what you stand for and what’s important to you helps you make decisions that align with your beliefs and bring you closer to your goals. Discovering your core values don’t help with huge aspects of your life; they impact seemingly small things, too. Having core values will provide you with a sense of stability, direction, and peace of mind. However, it’s worth noting that understanding is not the same as empathy. The former means aligning yourself with a set of knowledge, while the latter means aligning yourself with other people’s feelings. Peace enables clear decision-making, and freedom in thoughts and actions, as well as providing a deep understanding of the special life that you live.

That moment reinforced my belief that aligning investments with my values is one of the most powerful ways to make a difference. There are as many definitions of what the “right” decisions are (e.g. decisions that lead to a successful, fulfilling, and meaningful life) as there are people on this planet. The more your life aligns with your core values, the better able you are to discover your purpose, to grow in that direction, and to contribute in the way only you can. Below are 100 core values examples with explanations for each. But you’ll find PDF download further down on the page with 400 human values to give you a broader list. Group these words together and give them an overarching value word that you choose from your list of personal values.

For instance, do you remember feeling unsatisfied by a surprise party? If so, predictability could be a great addition to your list. Personal values can matter significantly in interpersonal relationships. A 2023 study by the University of Colorado found that opposites don’t actually attract in human partners. The study suggests that, instead, you are more likely attracted to those similar to you. You probably tend to build connections with people who have shared personal values.

Just like the foundation of a home, core values provide the groundwork for your actions, decisions, and behaviors. Do you communicate with people who make you feel fulfilled and happy? Write down what aspects of your life are already pretty well-organized, and create a list of those that need some attention. Yet, this example perfectly illustrates how people can live with completely different core values lists.

Achievement

You feel what others feel, and you probably consider this empathic value as an essential part of your identity. Consider this the process of learning through study, exploration, instruction, experimentation, or recreation. You’re committed to exposing yourself to and appreciating the diversity of cultures, experiences, and beliefs in the world. You place a high value on your capacity for making decisions quickly and effectively. Living intentionally means living consciously, but you may be seeking consciousness on a higher level. You take responsibility for your actions and their consequences, and you respect others who do the same.

Each of your answers can help inspire you to add to your list of values. If self-reflection is part of your core values list, you appreciate introspection. To you, deep thinking and self-awareness are desirable traits. You may respect this in others or appreciate it in yourself.

Also, there is a significant parent-child similarity in values, meaning children often adopt value systems from their parents. Values in a relationship matter tremendously, both in friendships and romantic situations. The more time you spend with someone, the more important it is to have similar personal values.

These personal values should reflect your life’s purpose and who you want to be. Aligning actions with core values produces greater well-being and satisfaction. Living by your core values after 60 can lead to a sense of fulfillment and peace that may have alluded you earlier in life. Understanding which of your core values can act as a compass during these transitions will help you navigate decisions and maintain a sense of identity in the face of change.

Organizational vs Personal Values

It’s about enjoying life, seeking pleasure in every moment, and choosing yourself with confidence. Connected values might be comfort, fun, optimism, and pleasure-seeking. Think about how you see your success, what will make you happy, and what achievements will bring you confidence.

For example, you strive to build a career that gives you freedom. You want to create meaningful memories and travel the world. In this case, independence, hard work, and adventure might be among your important values. Whether you have your own business or seek a job, thinking about important values you need to share with coworkers is key to creating a positive and successful work environment. When your values match, it helps build trust and develop faster together.

This is contrary to when you are among the majority who are just moving along life and get silenced any time they mention their dreams. Since they haven’t gone out of the crowd to prove their strength to do it, they will simply never achieve those dreams. With respect, you will be able to often have what you need to achieve your goals. Those around you will recognize that you are serious in whatever you are pursuing and will give you the space. This is important because you will never accomplish your life’s goals if you keep operating under the influence of others. In such a case, remember to point to the client that you are acting in line with your value of walking in integrity.