You’ve probably felt this before. You make a decision and something feels off— even when it makes logical sense. Or you’re considering a job opportunity and the compensation is great, but your gut is saying no.
That’s your values talking.
Most people sense their values but struggle to put words to them. A printable list of core values typically includes 100-300 values organized by category (integrity, achievement, relationships, growth, etc.). The best approach is to review the full list, identify values that resonate, group similar values together, and narrow to your top 5-10. Most experts recommend identifying 5-10 core values—enough to capture your complexity, but few enough to actually remember and apply.
Here’s what makes a values list actually useful. It’s not about forcing yourself to pick from someone else’s menu. It’s about giving language to what you already know but haven’t quite articulated yet.
This article gives you 150+ values organized by category, plus a step-by-step process for identifying which ones are truly yours. Not the ones you think you should have. The ones you actually live by.
Key Takeaways:
- 5-10 core values is the sweet spot: Enough to reflect your complexity, but few enough to guide decisions
- Categories help organize: Integrity, achievement, relationships, growth, freedom, service, creativity, wellbeing
- Peak experiences reveal values: Recall times you felt most alive—what values were you living?
- Values guide decisions: When clear on your values, choices become easier
- Values connect to purpose: Your values are the foundation for meaningful work and life
Table of Contents:
- Why You Need a Core Values List
- Complete Printable List of Core Values (By Category)
- How to Identify Your Core Values (Step-by-Step)
- Putting Your Values into Action
- FAQ
Why You Need a Core Values List
A core values list gives you the raw material to identify what matters most—providing language and options for articulating principles you may feel but haven’t named.
Most people can tell you what bothers them. What frustrates them at work. What makes a relationship feel wrong.
But ask them to name their core values and they blank.
The challenge isn’t that you don’t have values. You do. The challenge is finding the right words to describe them.
That’s where a comprehensive values list helps. When you review a well-organized list of values, something happens. Certain words jump out. Others feel immediately wrong. Some values you circle without thinking. Others you consider for a moment and then dismiss.
This recognition process matters.
According to research summarized by positive psychology practitioners, values clarification reduces stress and increases life satisfaction. When you can name what matters to you, decisions become simpler. Not always easier—but simpler. You have a framework.
Here’s how to use this list:
- First pass: Review all categories and circle every value that resonates—don’t overthink it
- Second pass: Group similar values together (honesty + authenticity + transparency might all point to “integrity”)
- Third pass: Narrow to your top 10-15
- Final pass: Identify your core 5-7 values
The list itself isn’t the point. The clarification process is.
But you need comprehensive options to work with. And that’s what follows.
Complete Printable List of Core Values (By Category)
Below is a comprehensive list of 150+ core values organized into 10 categories. Review the full list and circle or highlight values that resonate with you.
Don’t judge yourself for what resonates. Just notice what does.
Print this page or copy it into a document. Circle everything that matters to you—you’ll narrow later.
Integrity & Character
These values center on how you show up and who you are when no one’s watching.
Values: Honesty, Authenticity, Integrity, Ethics, Trustworthiness, Humility, Accountability, Fairness, Honor, Reliability, Consistency, Transparency, Genuineness, Sincerity, Moral courage, Principled, Character, Virtue, Truthfulness, Dependability
Achievement & Ambition
These values focus on excellence, results, and pushing yourself forward.
Values: Success, Excellence, Achievement, Ambition, Mastery, Competence, Skill, Performance, Results, Hard work, Perseverance, Determination, Goals, Drive, Progress, Accomplishment, Recognition, Winning, Personal best, Growth mindset, Persistence, Diligence
Relationships & Connection
These values reflect how you relate to others and build community.
Values: Family, Friendship, Love, Community, Belonging, Connection, Loyalty, Trust, Compassion, Empathy, Kindness, Generosity, Support, Collaboration, Partnership, Intimacy, Acceptance, Understanding, Forgiveness, Respect, Appreciation, Warmth
Growth & Learning
These values emphasize continuous development and expanding understanding.
Values: Learning, Growth, Curiosity, Wisdom, Knowledge, Education, Self-improvement, Development, Reflection, Open-mindedness, Adaptability, Discovery, Exploration, Insight, Study, Reading, Research, Questions, Wonder, Intellectual stimulation, Understanding, Awareness
Freedom & Independence
These values highlight autonomy and self-determination.
Values: Freedom, Independence, Autonomy, Self-reliance, Liberty, Choice, Flexibility, Spontaneity, Adventure, Courage, Risk-taking, Boldness, Individuality, Nonconformity, Self-direction, Agency, Space, Possibility, Exploration, Breaking conventions, Travel
Service & Contribution
These values center on impact beyond yourself.
Values: Service, Contribution, Helping others, Impact, Purpose, Meaning, Making a difference, Volunteering, Philanthropy, Generosity, Compassion, Advocacy, Social justice, Mentoring, Teaching, Legacy, Giving back, Supporting others, Community service, Altruism, Stewardship
Creativity & Expression
These values focus on imagination, originality, and making things.
Values: Creativity, Innovation, Imagination, Originality, Art, Expression, Design, Beauty, Aesthetics, Vision, Inspiration, Ingenuity, Craftsmanship, Artistry, Inventiveness, Novelty, Creative problem-solving, Self-expression, Uniqueness, Style
Health & Wellbeing
These values emphasize taking care of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Values: Health, Wellness, Balance, Energy, Vitality, Self-care, Mindfulness, Peace, Calm, Serenity, Rest, Fitness, Nutrition, Longevity, Mental health, Emotional wellbeing, Happiness, Joy, Contentment, Presence, Resilience, Recovery
Security & Stability
These values reflect the importance of safety, order, and predictability.
Values: Security, Stability, Safety, Financial security, Order, Structure, Predictability, Control, Planning, Preparation, Practicality, Responsibility, Discipline, Organization, Consistency, Reliability, Certainty, Protection, Foundation, Prudence, Caution
Faith & Spirituality
These values connect to meaning beyond the material world.
Values: Faith, Spirituality, Religion, Meaning, Transcendence, Hope, Gratitude, Reverence, Awe, Sacred, Divine, Prayer, Meditation, Inner peace, Spiritual growth, Belief, Trust in something greater, Soul, Spirit, Connection to the divine, Presence, Acceptance
This list draws from comprehensive values inventories compiled by Scott Jeffrey, SaturdayGift, and James Clear. The categories help organize values into meaningful clusters—but remember that your values may not fit neatly into boxes.
Some values might fit in multiple categories. That’s fine. Circle them wherever you see them.
Now that you have the list, here’s how to identify YOUR core values.
How to Identify Your Core Values (Step-by-Step)
To identify your core values: review the full list, circle all values that resonate, group similar values, narrow to your top 10, then prioritize to your final 5-7.
Here’s the process that actually works.
According to Scott Jeffrey, this process takes most people 30-60 minutes if done thoughtfully. But the time investment pays off for years.
Step 1: First Pass—Circle All That Resonate
Go through the list above. Don’t overthink it. If a value feels important, circle it.
You’ll probably end up with 20-30 values. Good.
That’s supposed to happen. This isn’t the narrowing stage—this is the recognition stage.
Step 2: Group Similar Values
Look at your circled values. You’ll notice clusters.
For example, you might have circled honesty, authenticity, transparency, and integrity. Those all point to the same thing—being genuine and truthful. Choose the word that best captures what that cluster means to you.
Maybe it’s “integrity.” Maybe it’s “authenticity.” The label matters less than the recognition that this value matters to you.
Step 3: Narrow to Top 10
Now compare your grouped values against each other. Ask yourself: “If I could only keep one of these, which would it be?”
This is where it gets hard.
And that’s the point.
Most people can get to 10 values fairly quickly. The real work is getting from 10 to 5—that’s where you discover what matters MOST.
Consider which values you’ve actually demonstrated through your actions. Not the values you aspire to have. The ones you’ve already shown.
Step 4: Prioritize to 5-7
This step matters more than you think.
When values conflict—and they will—which one wins? If “family” and “achievement” are both on your list, what happens when your career demands travel during your kid’s birthday? Which value takes priority?
According to the Wisconsin Extension values exercise, the prioritization question is: “When these values conflict, which wins?”
The prioritization reveals your actual values, not your aspirational ones.
Most experts recommend landing on 5-10 core values. Fewer than five and you’re probably missing important dimensions of who you are. More than ten and you’ve got a wishlist, not a framework.
Five to seven is the sweet spot.
Step 5: Test with Peak Experiences
Think about moments when you felt most alive. Most proud. Most yourself.
What were you doing? Who were you with? What values were you living in those moments?
This is the peak experiences method recommended by positive psychology researchers. Your most meaningful experiences reveal your values.
Do those peak experience values match your narrowed list? If not, pay attention to the gap.
Step 6: Get External Perspective
Ask people who know you well: “What values do you see me living?”
Sometimes others see our values more clearly than we do. We’re too close to our own patterns to notice them.
If multiple people mention a value you didn’t include, that’s worth considering. If no one mentions a value you thought was core, that’s also worth considering.
We’re not always the best judges of our own values.
What do you do with your values once you’ve identified them?
Putting Your Values into Action
Once identified, your core values become a decision-making compass—helping you evaluate opportunities, set boundaries, and align daily life with what matters most.
This is where values become more than an exercise.
A value you don’t act on isn’t really a value. It’s an aspiration. Maybe even a wish. But it’s not a value until it guides behavior.
Here’s what values-aligned living looks like:
Use values to evaluate opportunities. When you’re considering a new job, project, or commitment, ask: “Does this align with my core values?” If it doesn’t, that’s important information. Not necessarily a no—but a flag.
Set boundaries that protect your values. If “family” is a core value but you’re working 70-hour weeks, something’s misaligned. Values help you see where boundaries need to exist.
Make daily choices through a values lens. How you spend your time reveals your real values. If you say “health” is a core value but you haven’t exercised in six months, the disconnect matters.
Connect values to purpose. Your core values are the foundation for meaningful work and a meaningful life. They inform your personal manifesto. They guide your calling.
At The Meaning Movement, we believe calling isn’t about finding the one perfect job. It’s about identity formation. And values are central to that identity. When you know your values, you can evaluate whether your work is an avenue of expression for who you are.
Values clarification isn’t the end of the journey. It’s the beginning.
If you want to go deeper, consider writing your manifesto—a declaration of what you stand for built on your core values.
FAQ: Common Questions About Core Values
How many core values should I have?
Most experts recommend 5-10 core values—enough to reflect your complexity, but few enough to remember and apply when making decisions. According to Scott Jeffrey, fewer than 5 feels incomplete; more than 10 becomes unwieldy.
How do I use a printable values list?
Review the list and circle all values that resonate. Then group similar values (like honesty, authenticity, and transparency into “integrity”), narrow to your top 10, and prioritize to your final 5-7. Test your final list against peak life experiences to verify the values you’ve actually lived.
Can core values change over time?
Core values tend to be relatively stable, but they can evolve through major life experiences—becoming a parent, facing a health crisis, losing someone you love. What changes more often is which values take priority at different life stages. “Achievement” might drive your twenties while “family” takes priority in your forties. Both can be core values—but their ranking shifts.
What if I can’t narrow to just 5-7 values?
Try asking: “When these values conflict, which wins?” That question forces prioritization. Also consider whether some values are actually subsets of others. For example, “honesty” might capture both “authenticity” and “transparency.” If you can’t narrow after that, you might be holding aspirational values rather than lived values.
Where can I download a printable values PDF?
This article’s values list can be printed directly from your browser. For additional PDF worksheets with structured exercises, see resources from Scott Jeffrey, Passion Planner, and Therapist Aid.
From List to Life
Values aren’t meant to sit on a list. They’re meant to guide your life.
The printable list above gives you language and options. The process gives you clarity. But the real work is living your values—making choices that align, setting boundaries that protect what matters, and building a life that reflects who you actually are.
Your core values are the foundation for everything else. Your decisions. Your direction. Your sense of meaning.
When you’re clear on your values, you can start building your personal manifesto—a declaration of who you are and what you stand for. You can evaluate whether your work aligns with who you want to be. You can make choices that feel right, not just logical.
Start with the list. But don’t stop there.
I believe in you.
