Values represent a person’s highest priorities and most cherished principles. Whereas motivations are the directions in which we feel compelled to move, values are our chosen routes. It can be difficult to determine how to act from a balance of security and reward motivation in a given situation. One way for us to figure out how we want to engage decisions in our life is to articulate what it is that matters most to us. How do you want to live?
To make this question more concrete, consider the following ten domains that might be important to you. Think about your values in that domain and what matters most, then write about how you yourself want to be in that area of your life and rate the values in that domain on two scales:
How important is this domain to you? (0 to 10)
How closely are you living by your values right now? (0 to 10)
Write and rate just the domains that matter the most to you.