PART I: DISCOVERING YOUR MOST IMPORTANT PERSONAL VALUES

Your Personal Values are the inner rules (standards, principles) you use to make choices and to run your life.
Some are more important to you than others. By selecting and prioritizing your most important values, you will
make better decisions and develop more effective relationships.
Instructions: After reading each value, place a check mark in the appropriate column to indicate its relative
importance to you (not important, somewhat important, or very important).

Not Somewhat Very

Important Important Important
Achievement (get results, complete tasks) _______ _______ ______
Advancement (moving ahead, growth) _______ _______ ______
Adventure (new and challenging experiences, excitement) _______ _______ ______
Artistic expression (drama, painting, literature) _______ _______ ______
Balance (giving proper attention to each area) _______ _______ ______
Competition (winning, taking risks) _______ _______ ______
Contribution (making a difference, giving) _______ _______ ______
Control (being in charge) _______ _______ ______
Cooperation (teamwork, working well with others) _______ _______ ______
Creativity (being expressive, innovative, experimental) _______ _______ ______
Economic security (freedom from financial worries) _______ _______ ______
Fairness (giving all an equal chance) _______ _______ ______
Fame (being well known) _______ _______ ______
Family happiness (getting along, respecting family members) _______ _______ ______
Friendship (intimacy, caring, close companionship with others) _______ _______ ______
Generosity (giving readily or liberally) _______ _______ ______
Health (physically fit, energetic, free of disease) _______ _______ ______
Independence (self-reliant, freedom from others’ control) _______ _______ ______
Influence (shaping ideas, people, processes) _______ _______ ______
Inner harmony (being at peace with oneself) _______ _______ ______
Integrity (honesty, sincerity, living by your values) _______ _______ ______
Learning (commitment to understanding) _______ _______ ______
Loyalty (duty, allegiance, respect) _______ _______ ______
Nature (renewal in the out-of-doors) _______ _______ ______
Order (organization, conformity, stability) _______ _______ ______
 PART I: DISCOVERING PERSONAL VALUES (CONT.)

Not Somewhat Very

Important Important Important
Personal development (growth, use of potential) _______ _______ _______
Pleasure (satisfaction, enjoyment, fun, happiness) _______ _______ _______
Power (control, authority, influencing people) _______ _______ _______
Prestige (showing success, rank, status) _______ _______ _______
Quality (excellence, high standards, few errors) _______ _______ _______
Recognition (status, respect from others, acknowledgment) _______ _______ _______
Responsibility (accountable, trustworthy, mature) _______ _______ _______
Security (feeling safe about things) _______ _______ _______
Service (assisting others, improving society) _______ _______ _______
Self-respect (pride in self) _______ _______ _______
Spirituality (strong belief in God, devotion, moral strength) _______ _______ _______
Stability (maintaining continuity, predictability) _______ _______ _______
Tolerance (being open to others’ views and values) _______ _______ ______
Tradition (treasuring the past, customs) _______ _______ ______
Variety (diversity of activities and experiences) _______ _______ ______
Wealth (material prosperity, affluence, abundance) _______ _______ ______
Wisdom (understanding life, exercising sound judgment) _______ _______ ______
List and define any other values you wish to add:
_______________________________________ _______ _______ ______
_______________________________________ _______ _______ ______

Instructions: After checking the relative importance of all the values, look at all those you checked as being very
important. Your goal for this survey will be to limit your most important values to seven. Go back through the list,
and circle the seven values that are most important to you. Then record these seven values in Part II in any order.
 PART II: PRIORITIZING YOUR MOST IMPORTANT VALUES

Please list your seven most important values on the lines below in any order. Don’t be concerned with the order
for now; just list the seven values, one on each line.
Spirituality(strong belief in God, devotion, moral strength)
A ________________________________________________________________________________
Pleasure(satisfaction, enjoyment, fun, happiness)
B ________________________________________________________________________________
Security(feeling safe about things)
C ________________________________________________________________________________
Wisdom(understanding life, exercising sound judgement)
D ________________________________________________________________________________
Achievement (get results, complete tasks)
E ________________________________________________________________________________
Health (physically fit, energetic, free of disease)
F ________________________________________________________________________________
Personal development (growth, use of potential)
G ________________________________________________________________________________
The next exercise will help you clearly rank your values in their order of importance to you. Compare each of
your values to each of the others. As you look at the first pair of values (A and B), decide which one is more
important to you and circle that letter. Continue comparing each value with the others until each pairing has been
compared and one of them circled. Then count up the total number of As circled, Bs circled, and so on and write
those numbers in the appropriate blanks in the Total column at the right.
Total
A
__ A
__ A
__ A
__ A
__ A
__
B C D E F G 5
___________ As
B
__ B
__ B
__ B
__ B
__
C D E F G 3 Bs
___________
C
__ C
__ C
__ C
__
D E F G 6 Cs
___________
D D D
E F G 2 Ds
___________
E
__ E
__
F G 1
___________ Es
F
__
G 2 Fs
___________

2 Gs
___________

Total 21
______________
(should be 21)
The letter most circled identifies your highest priority.
 PART III: IDEAL VERSUS ACTUAL VALUES

List your top seven personal values here:

Hardworking
1. ___________________________________
Discipline
2. ___________________________________
Honesty
3. ___________________________________
Team spirit
4. ___________________________________
Trustworthy
5. ___________________________________
Generosity
6. ___________________________________
Creativity
7. ___________________________________

PART IV: CALENDAR AND CHECKBOOK TEST

Sometimes the values we think we embrace are actually different from those we live. We may discover that some
outside influence, such as family, religion, or employer, has a value priority that we think we “should” have, but it
is not really a strong value for us. We call these ideal values rather than actual values. One way to determine your
actual values is to apply the calendar and checkbook test.
To apply the calendar and checkbook test, look at each of the values listed above and ask yourself: “How much
time do I spend each week trying to acquire or increase this value?” If you feel comfortable with the amount of
time you devote to building that value into your life, place a plus mark (+) in the appropriate column; if not, give
it a minus (-). After completing the time column, continue in the same way with the money column, marking a +
if you are satisfied and a - if you are dissatisfied with the amount of money you spend trying to acquire or
increase this value.
Note: This exercise may be difficult for some of the more intangible values, such as integrity, but do your best to
complete it. Ask yourself, for example: “Have I spent the time or money necessary to meet a promise I’ve made?”
 PART V: PERSONAL ACTION PLAN

a. Based on the Calendar and Checkbook Test, list which of your values are:
Actual Values Ideal Values
Family Happiness Inner Harmony
_______________________________________________________________________________
Personal Development Pleasure
_______________________________________________________________________________
Quality
_______________________________________________________________________________
Integrity Achievement
_______________________________________________________________________________
b. If you placed mostly pluses by your top values, you are probably satisfied with how you live your values. List
one or two actions you could take to continue to “live by your own values”:

c. If you placed mostly minuses by your values, then you may be dissatisfied with what you are currently
investing your time and money in, or you may have selected values that are not really important to you. List
several actions you can take to really live your values, or make a commitment to review your value priorities
and select others that are more meaningful to you.

d. List any of your top values that might conflict with each other (for example, adventure and stability). Write
down the ways this may explain any intrapersonal conflict.
 PART VI: INTERPERSONAL ACTION PLAN
a. Compare your top seven values with those of a family member, significant other, or work colleague. Make a
list of your similar values and your different values.
Similar Values Different Values
Family Happiness Health
_________________________________________________________________________________
Pleasure Security
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
b. Discuss how these values similarities and differences affect your personal relationship or your working
relationship. What can you do to capitalize on the similarities and to respect and honor the differences?
Discuss and write down several action ideas for an enhanced personal or working relationship.
My coworker and I have family happiness as our similar values it helps us to relate to one another while working together.
_________________________________________________________________________________
We feel differently about health and security but these differences don't affect how we work together.
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

PART VII: WORK ACTION PLAN

a. Review the values list again and check the seven values you believe are most important in your workplace.
Compare these values to your top seven personal values. Write down any conflicts that exist between the two
lists and the tension that may produce for you.
Workplace versus Personal
Values Conflicts Tension Produced
My work values and personal values are similar to each other, the main
_________________________________________________________________________________
conflict is family happiness. I work long and wired hours so I miss a lot
_________________________________________________________________________________
of family gatherings and quality time with my family
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
b. Consider whether your job fits your values and what atmosphere will best harmonize with your values. List
any actions you can take to minimize any workplace values conflicts or to change your job or environment to
be more compatible with your personal values.
For the most part I'm happy with my job and how they fit with my personal values,
_________________________________________________________________________________
the only conflict is family happiness and the hours I have to work. When I make
_________________________________________________________________________________
a _________________________________________________________________________________
pros and cons list I have way more pros than cons. The only change I could make
is changing my job postion in the company but I won't make as much money as I do now.
_________________________________________________________________________________