What are your best life values? Learning how to identify them can help you live a happier, more satisfying life. Besides, you’ll be true to yourself.
Ways to Determine Your Best Life Values
The process to figure out your best life values begins with reflection. What is most important to you? If this seems too vague, start with where you are in life now.
For some, career is primary, while others may still be exploring what they want to do. Also, some people already know what drives them. However, everyone can use a little help fine-tuning what matters most and how to be who you are.
These suggestions may help. I’d also recommend reading Scott Jeffrey’s excellent article on core values.
What If You’re a Natural Leader?
Leadership skills often begin in early childhood. In the schoolyard, children naturally follow a peer who is confident, knowledgeable, and can help guide others. This ability tends to grow over time to the point where taking the lead, assuming responsibility, and helping others achieve mutual goals become second nature.
Does this sound like you? If so, and you want to be a better leader, you likely prize the following values and live them daily.
- Power – You naturally have it, and others know and respect it.
- Results-Oriented – Getting the outcome you seek is primary.
- Mastery – Besides knowledge, you possess great mastery in your field.
- Motivation – Career-wise, you’re highly motivated. This inspires others to follow.
- Productivity – You get the job done and know how to guide others to do their best.
- Skill and Skillfulness – You have the skill and skillfulness to succeed in any task.
- Performance – Pride in what you do is what you demonstrate with your performance.
- Professionalism – You are a professional in every aspect of your job.
- Risk – Leaders know when and how to take appropriate risks.
- Influence – Because you live your values, others look to you for guidance.
You may also find inspiration and guidance from Brené Brown’s “Dare to Lead” hub on developing brave leaders.
Suppose You’re a Writer – What are Your Best Life Values?
Creativity is paramount for many people, including me. I’ve been writing since I learned the alphabet, and crafting stories is like breathing – necessary to create your best life. So, if you place creativity at the top of your best life values, you likely also live according to the following core beliefs.
- Creation – Daily creativity is essential to your happiness, and you love what you do.
- Curiosity – How things work, the stories behind what you hear, both intrigue and excite you.
- Expressiveness – You’re naturally expressive, able to put into words your thoughts and feelings.
- Imagination – When you write, your imagination flows. You delight in seeing where it goes and creating variations to fine-tune your thoughts.
- Discovery – Everything you write about reflects your sense of discovering something new. It’s this endless revelation that fuels your creativity.
- Openness – Nothing is set in stone for the creative person. You’re open to new ideas and welcome the opportunity to explore them.
- Originality – While some think nothing is ever new, you take an original approach to familiar topics. Instead of thinking with rigid parameters, you let your spirit guide your words.
- Wonder – Creative individuals sense the wonder of life. It’s what gives them joy that translates to their work.
- Uniqueness – Your creativity is unlike anyone else. It’s what makes you who you are.
- Inquisitive – Like curiosity, you always want to know more. That’s why you ask a lot of questions. These help you provide answers, inspiration, and guidance to others.
How Does Strength Fit with Best Life Values?
I’ve known many people who strike me as strong, both in character, demeanor, and personal beliefs. It’s not just that they appear this way to others, but that they live their lives accordingly. Whether they identify themselves as strong or not, this appears to be a prominent life value.
Besides strength, other core values may apply.
- Ambition – A strong person never lacks ambition. This doesn’t mean you always strive to get ahead, but that you want to do your best in everything.
- Assertiveness – If you value strength, you’re also assertive. You move ahead with projects, knowing you’re on the right track.
- Confidence – Strength requires confidence. You know you can do something, and you’re up to the task. You also know how to boost your self-confidence.
- Dedication – Getting the job done, and done to your best, is a primary characteristic of someone who values dedication.
- Discipline – A weak person may quit in the face of difficulty, but the strong individual has the discipline to keep going.
- Fortitude – It often takes all you can give to get through certain challenges. Here’s where the core value of fortitude comes in handy.
- Self-Reliance – While working with others is prized, the strong person can go it alone. They’re knowledgeable, committed, and reliable.
- Persistence – Sometimes a task requires greater effort. The strong person keeps at it until it’s done.
- Restraint – Brute force isn’t a driving force, but appropriate restraint is a hallmark of someone who values strength.
- Will – Finally, a strong person has a committed will to see things through, despite challenges and hurdles that get in the way.
What About Intelligence?
If you say someone is really intelligent, what does that mean? Often, it’s a sign that they both value and embody intelligence. Teachers, CEOs, scientists, doctors, religious leaders, politicians, coaches, and many others are some examples of those who value intelligence.
Besides intelligence, these other associated values also contribute.
- Knowledge – Of course, knowledge is at the forefront of someone who values intelligence.
- Learning – Along with the pursuit of knowledge is learning. Life is learning, and learning is life.
- Foresight – You must be able to see patterns and recognize tendencies. Being able to envision and make sense of what seems incomprehensible is a sign of intelligence.
- Decisiveness – It isn’t enough to master knowledge and constantly learn. The individual who prizes their intelligence is also decisive in life.
- Common Sense – If you’ve ever heard that someone is smart but lacks common sense, that’s a misnomer. An intelligent person can discern what theory is and what works in reality.
- Reason – Intelligence is the ability to reason. It’s also a prized value.
- Openness – An intelligent person remains open to possibilities. Nothing is ever static if you are willing to see what else is out there. Being open is one of your best life lessons and values.
- Realistic – However, the intelligent person can see what is realistic and possible now. This doesn’t mean things won’t change in the future, but they’re confident they can determine the best action now.
- Logic – Using logic helps the intelligent person separate emotions from facts. It isn’t that you lack emotion, but that you don’t allow yourself to be overcome by it.
- Vision – Besides your other values, vision helps you put your intelligence to the best use. You can see what others may not, and help them understand your ideas for success.
How to Use Your Best Life Values
Once you determine what matters most, you can then begin to use your best life values. However, remember that things constantly change. What’s of primary importance to you today may change once you reach a different stage.
Family may require more of your time, and you want to ensure that you’re the best partner and parent possible. Your best life values at this stage may be quite different than when you started practicing law or embarked on a business career.
Nevertheless, if you are willing to embrace the best life values for each of your life stages, you’ll live a longer, happier, more fulfilling life.
