Some people know & can clearly affirm the values they think are significant. For others, however, expressing their values isn’t so easy. Coming up with a clear & rational set of personal values can feel overwhelming; getting guidance on Steps to Discover Your Core Values can be helpful.
Without going through a discovery process, it’s difficult to identify your personal core values. It’s easy to guess & idealize what you should value. But identifying & accepting those takes effort. While this process is best done with an experienced coach, you can do it on your own if you are ready to dedicate self-honesty, patience, & determination.
Steps to Discover Your Core Values
1. Begin with a Beginner’s Mind
It’s too easy to assume that we know the answer at the beginning & to, therefore, never start a creative, personal discovery process. Try to adopt the mind of a beginner—someone with no defined notions of what is—to reveal inner truths that your cognizant mind is unaware of.
Take a deep breath & try to empty your mind. Always remember that your conscious mind can’t have all the answers. Create rooms for new insights & revelations to appear. Getting into the proper mental and emotional state is one of the essential Steps to Discover Your Core Values.
2. Note Down Your Values
Analyze the list of set core values you think are vital & note down every value that agrees with you. Add any you consider that should be on the list as well. Select the values that most truthfully describe your feelings or behaviors.
Noting down the values that sound most agreeable to you can provide insight into the values you think are noble or a must-have. If those are on your list, chances are, those are already in you.
3. Consider The People You Admire Most
Values are usually embodied in people whom we admire & love. Normally, when we respect quality in others, it’s because it’s something we value ourselves. Note down the name of five people you admire who are role models or for you or you think highly of them.
For instance, you could include some colleagues because of their determination & dedication. You could include some family members because of their responsibility & empathy. Try to include people you regard as heroes as well. For example, you may admire Rosa Parks. Because of her spirit of fighting for social justice. Write the values that these five people personify.
4. Observe Yourself & Learn
As you continue to live your life, be attentive to the choices you make. For several days, intentionally label the values behind your key decisions at work & home. Pay specific attention to whether the values you chose in your list are reflected in your daily life.
If not, what values are you articulating or living by as you go through your day? Are there some patterns? What can you learn about what you want, what you are willing to sacrifice, & what is strictly non-negotiable in your life? If you experience a lot of discontent with your choices, you may not be living up to your core values, or you may need to reconsider what is most vital to you.
5. Use Online Surveys To Find Them
You can find various values surveys online. Recognizing your values can serve as a blueprint for effective decision-making & finest functioning. You can find several such surveys online, and most of them are free.
It may sound vague to take some online surveys to discover your core values, but most of the time, these surveys are designed by prominent wellness and career development experts. You can trust them. Though the collected data may go for research, your name will not be connected to your data.
6. Focus On Bitter & The Sweet Experiences In Your Life
One of the vital Ways To Discover Your Core Values is to remember the joyous & hurtful moments of your life. You can discover your core values by thinking back to both the sweetest & most hurting moments of your life. These moments can tell you what you care about most.
For example, what were the top experiences that may reveal key values? If you won an award for being the best employee of the month, consider that “leadership” or “efficiency” might be significant values. What were the most hurting experiences? If you know the agony of staying hungry & homeless, you may recognize that “compassion” is one of your primary values.
7. Give Your Personal Values A Richer Context
Highlighting values in more memorable phrases or sentences helps you to express the true meaning behind each value. It provides you the chance to make the value more emotional and memorable.
Here are a few ways & examples of creating your values statements:
Use inspiring words and vocabulary. Our brains are quick to forget or neglect the dull & ordinary.
Find words that remind & trigger emotional responses. They will be more meaningful and memorable.
Play to your strengths in creating your values.
Make your value statements rich & more meaningful to you, so they inspire you to maintain them.
8. Choose Your Top Core Values
Take a pen & a notebook or open a text document & start making a list of your core values. Rank the top values in order of significance. While the number of core values people have can differ, it’s usually best to narrow them down to five to ten.
If your list has more than ten, ask yourself what values are indispensable to your life. You can take a break & come back to them later to see if they reveal your core values & if they are in the proper order.
Benefits Of Identifying Your Values
There are numerous reasons why it’s helpful to recognize your core values. They include:
Finding your true purpose: Knowing your values helps you to understand what you want out of your life.
Directing your behavior: They help you to behave in a way that supports who you want to be.
Help you to make decisions: When you must make a decision, you can ask yourself what someone who values the same things would do.
Help you choose a career: When you know your core values, it’s easier to select the right career path.
Increase your confidence: recognizing your core values brings a sense of security & steadiness into your life because you know what you want & what’s vital to you.
If you haven’t discovered your core values yet, you can take these simple yet effective Steps to Discover Your Core Values.
FAQs
Q: Are core values & principles are same?
A: Core values help us to determine our principles.
Q: What to do if one can’t find their values even after following the Steps to Discover Your Core Values?
A: If one can’t find their values even after that, they might consider talking to a career counselor.
Q: When should people start developing their values?
A: It is a subconscious process that starts developing with the rise of our rational senses.
