Values – what are they and where do they come from?

What’s important to you in your life? In your job? In your relationship with your partner?

Take one or all of these areas and identify your values. For example: In life – growth, creativity, friendship, health…
In work – achievement, learning, challenge, financial reward…
In relationship – connection, support, trust, attraction…

Often the choices we make in life are driven by our values, such as starting or ending a relationship and taking or leaving a job. In making this choice we believe we are going to get more of what is important to us. This makes the understanding of values critical to our success and happiness in life.

As we grow and evolve so do our values and this makes it necessary to keep a check on them. What was important to you five or ten years ago may seem less so now, or even not at all. Some of our values have been handed down to us from generations before us, family members or significant others. If we are to express ourselves uniquely, we must own the values that are truly ours and not those that belong to others.

Which of your values need updating or re-evaluating?

What have you come to value more recently in your life?

In clarifying our values – and updating or re-evaluating them as necessary – we are then better able to bring them into focus in our lives.

Values – what do we mean by them specifically?

It is not enough to simply name our values – we must unpack them a little to reveal their true meaning in our lives.
For example:

Creativity – how would you recognize creativity in your life?

Achievement – what constitutes achievement at work?

Support – how would you know you were in a supportive relationship?

Understand what it is you are really looking for when you state your values.

Values – are they your best-kept secret?

If the important people in our lives are not aware of our values then the chances are we are not doing too well at honouring them.

On a scale of 1-10 how well are you doing at honouring your values?

Assign a score for each value and identify one thing you can do now to improve it.

How are your values reflected in the way you are living your life?

Make a commitment to honour your values and to reveal them through your actions and responses every day.

“When your values are clear to you, making decisions becomes easier.”


Roy Disney

If you, or someone you know, wish to start living your values, I can help – contact me now to find out more!