Setting personal values: Importance and Ways To Do It

Values are like fingerprints. Nobodies are the same but you leave them all over everything you do.

-Elvis Presley

As the quarantine and social distancing now became commonplace globally, you´ve got no time to waste regardless of the circumstances. Now it´s the best time to reflect upon your habits, your journey so far, and more importantly your core values. Do you have specific values that you follow in your everyday life? Perhaps you should spend some more time revising them and making a new action plan?

But first, let´s identify what specifically are “values”

Values are what you believe matters most in life, including principles or standards of behaviour. These are different for everyone and are initially based on your upbringing, environment and what your teachers, parents taught you as important. However, as we grow up, these may change over time and usually, we are not even aware of them, thus resulting in living under a blind eye, lacking direction or purpose.

Some examples of core values could be integrity, physical health, goal-orientation, self-development, flexibility, humbleness, etc. Or these can be based on specific domains. Take a look below:

Why are values important?

Firstly, values help you come one step closer to finding a purpose in life. Likewise, they are also invaluable when we have to make an important decision under pressure. When emotions get in the way of a solid decision making, having clear values help identifying which decision appeals more to them. In this way, we can take better actions that are in line with our ambitions. Besides, by being aware of this, it is easier to understand that all people have different values from yours and therefore act respectively. This can help you develop a sense of empathy and open-mindedness towards other people.  Next, by serving as a compass, values help with picking a direction in your career that matters most to you. By choosing what we like, believing in something relentlessly, we can become happier, more content, confident and thus develop a sense of self. Therefore, by being clear and structured with what you value most, you can become more self-aware with the way you act and thus come closer to unleashing your full potential.

How to set values?

1. Indentify what each domain (from the above) means to you. What is important in each one of them? Rate the domain on a scale from 1 to 10 with 10 as the most important.
2. For each, write down your standards and how well you managed to appeal to them.
3. Based on your notes, identify your 3 core values as a person that define you most or that you want to implement. Take a look at the suggestions below for inspiration:

Other examples could be: Goal-oriented, self development-oriented, flexibility, adventure, creativity, self-aware, responsibility, tolerance, generosity, humour, quality, optimism, professionalism. I know this is tough picking, but you´ve got to choose what innately represents your ideal version of yourself.

4. Now, come back to your list of values and write 2-3 actions you could take in each domain, keeping in mind your 3 core values.

5. Finally, the last step is to make a concise plan implementing those actions. Check out some methods to make an action plan that sticks.

Now you´re ready to live your life based upon your highest values so that you may reach your highest peak! Remember to ask us questions if you find something unclear!

Your beliefs become your thoughts,
Your thoughts become your words,
Your words become your actions,
Your actions become your habits,
Your habits become your values,
Your values become your destiny.
― Gandhi