Define Your Core Values and Beliefs With 150 Examples
Chances are you want a fulfilling life and career, which is why you need to honor your personal values. Making decisions in your personal life is tough, and you can't let pop culture, society, or the media dictate what your life should be. Instead, you can define your core values and beliefs with 150 examples that we'll cover.
This way, your actions will reflect your so-called personal values, ensuring you live with integrity and purpose. And in business, they'll help you attract the most contributing employees.
What Are Core Values of a Business?
Where personal core values are the principles that guide you in your life, business core values guide you in your own business. Still, your business values should align with your personal ones. They'll help you with big decisions, day-to-day actions, and specific behaviors in the workplace.
As a result, they'll formulate the workplace culture you have in mind. There is no one-size-fits-all list of core values, which means you have to do some personal reflection and decide on your personal core value list.
Why Personal Core Values Are Important
Now that we've covered the definition of personal core values, let's move on to their significance. These core values are important because they facilitate decision-making to help you live as your most authentic self. That's what happens when your choices align with your core value system.
On the flip side, if you stray from your values, your choices will feel wrong. These negative emotions you experience help hold you accountable.
Additionally, personal core values deter you from engaging in destructive thought patterns and make you more disciplined. Helping you crack on when the going gets tough.
Examples of Core Values
Let's delve into some real-life examples of core values to help you better grasp the concept.
Wellness
If wellness is a core value of yours, you should prioritize your physical health and mental health, incorporating them into your lifestyle. So, you should follow a diet, do regular exercise, and practice self-care to counter any self-destructive habits.
As for business, having wellness as a core value could mean you ensure the products or services you provide serve the health of your customers or clients.
Freedom
Personal freedom is a core value that prioritizes the active pursuit of self-expression, free-thinking, and unrestrained actions. So, if you believe in freedom, you may want to express yourself openly, be your own boss, and create your own schedule.
Empowerment
Empowerment is such a fantastic core value to live by. That's because it gives you the strength to take calculated risks, step out of your comfort zone, and make the best career choices.
Also, you become confident enough to make your own choices. Similarly, you empower your employees to think for themselves and come up with solutions, which should stimulate creativity.
Honesty
If you value honesty, you might decide to be honest at all times. You express yourself honestly and without sugar coating. On a managerial level, a company becomes honest with its employees about its direction, decisions, failures, and successes. Also, it becomes transparent with its clients or customers about its products, their manufacturing, and so on.
Personal Core Value List
Now that you have a solid idea of core values and their importance, let us help you define your core values and beliefs with 150 examples.
Freedom: When you choose this value, you're choosing free-thinking, speech, and actions.
Wellness: Focus on your physical and mental health with nutritious foods, exercises, and self-care.
Integrity: If you treasure integrity, you want personal and work relationships where everyone is honest, truthful, and open.
Security: Do you want a carefully mapped-out life plan without surprises? Security will help you with that, but it may eliminate some chances for growth.
Creativity: If one of your core values is creativity, you believe in the importance of thinking outside the box.
Honesty: Do you hate lies and half-truths? That means you need honesty in your interactions and relationships.
Teamwork: In an organization, you might ask employees to work in teams and solve problems, build products, and design campaigns. Also, employee events and activities might be high up your list of priorities.
Empowerment: An empowered person can be their own boss, isn't afraid to make big decisions, and is a good problem solver.
Excellence: Are you meticulous about the quality and output of your work? Valuing excellence means you have a minimum standard that you can't accept anything below.
Generosity: Do you believe you're happier when you give? Generosity is one of your core values, and doing charity work is an excellent way of showing that.
Resilience: If you're good at overcoming obstacles, resilience is the core value for you.
Positivity: Optimism and gratitude are the guiding principles for those with a positive attitude towards life.
Appreciation: Do you find yourself validating your loved ones? Also, do you appreciate it when they acknowledge your efforts? Appreciation seems to be one of your personal core values.
Self-Reliance: If you want to do it all on your own, you're operating from a place of self-reliance. While that's admirable, it helps to let trustworthy people help you from time to time.
Loyalty: Are you always there for your friends and loved ones? Do you have your company's best interest at heart? Loyalty is one of your core beliefs.
Courage: When you value courage, you aren't scared of fighting for your beliefs, making the big jumps, and taking risks.
Authenticity: Focus on being yourself, and don't let society pressure you into compromising your true self.
Compassion: If you know how to put yourself in other people's shoes, listen as they vent, and offer them the needed support, compassion is part of your core value system.
Communication: Do you value open communication? You'll want your relationships to reflect that, which means choosing honesty and having difficult conversations.
Happiness: If happiness is one of your personal values, you become committed to the pursuit of happiness. In other words, you prioritize happiness over money, status, and possessions.
Knowledge: Another value on our list is knowledge. If you seek to know yourself, others, and the world surrounding you, you'll approach them correctly.
Sustainability: If you're careful about the products you use, you value sustainability and environmentally friendly approaches. As a company, that means choosing ethical practices and green ingredients.
Doing Good: Perhaps your motto in life is to do good. What a noble core value!
Peace: You may choose peace in your life, which will take years to master. But once you get there, you'll have a good understanding of the world.
Responsibility: Feeling a sense of responsibility gives your life purpose. This core value makes you dependable.
Spirituality: If spirituality is one of your core beliefs, practicing it should be one of your core values. To illustrate, you must listen to your body and connect with the world.
Charity: Charity is probably part of your core value system if you empathize with those in need. Did you know that TOMS, the shoe company, donates a pair of shoes for every pair you buy?
Accountability: It isn't easy to hold yourself accountable for your behavior; however, it allows for personal growth and generates trust.
Wisdom: If you're constantly chasing experiences, you'll gain the wisdom they provide. Such core values allow you to see the world for what it is.
Patience: Are you able to withstand hardships? Do you wait for your efforts to reap their results? Patience might be one of your personal values.
Moderation: If you live by the motto 'Everything in moderation,' this is a core value of yours. It'll help you maintain good health and balance in your life.
Gratitude: Gratitude is such a powerful core value. You'll feel at peace if you're grateful for the big blessings and small details in life.
Tolerance: Are you accepting of others, their beliefs, opinions, and religions? Tolerance must be one of your core values.
Community: Do you believe in the importance of social interactions? Having a supportive community means you can share food, drink, stories, and laughs with others.
Affection: If you're a tender person, you love to give and receive affection.
Humility: Do others describe you as grounded? Humility is one of the core values that allow you to see yourself as you are.
Leadership: Not everyone has the courage, confidence, and determination needed for leadership. These admirable qualities are hard to come by.
Focus: Can you zone out every distraction and give your undivided attention to something? Focus is one of the best personal values for success.
Self-Reliance: You may depend solely on your power and the resources you have to reach your goals. As a core value, self-reliance builds your character.
Service: If you want to make the world a better place, you'll focus on being of service to others, which usually has a way of serving you.
Religious Beliefs: If you believe in a religion or spiritual institution, that can be the source of many of your personal values.
Openness to Exploration: Are you willing to hear new ideas, try new things, and step out of your comfort zone? Your tendency to explore is a gateway to an exciting life.
Self-Awareness: When one of your core values is self-awareness, you do a lot of reflection. This way, you better understand yourself, others, and the world.
Motivation: Are you looking for that extra push to finish your tasks? Motivation makes hard work easy and gives you the power to conquer your to-do list. But be sure to couple it with discipline.
Balance: We're talking about those who strive to have a good work-life balance and enough rest and time to themselves while still getting their work done.
Preparedness: Are you the kind of person who likes to plan ahead? This value can help you foresee obstacles and identify the best course of action.
Calmness: Making the decision to be calm allows you to rise above the situation and deters you from turning to self-destructive habits and having an emotionally-charged reaction to negative circumstances.
Open-Mindedness: Those who adopt an open-minded mentality are open to any idea, belief, or religion that's foreign to them.
Empathy: Empathy may be one of the personal values the world needs the most. After all, it allows for deeper connections and enables you to put yourself in other people's shoes.
Spontaneity: Do you find yourself going with the flow rather than planning ahead? Spontaneity is probably one of your core values.
Love: Love is one of the common core values among many others on this core values list. Just think how the world would be if everyone operated from a place of love?
Trust: Many will agree that trust is essential to building healthy relationships. You'll find that honesty, dependability, and vulnerability are core values that contribute to trust.
Wonder: If you have the imagination to dream about what's in store for you, that core value would be wonder.
Wealth: By wealth, we don't merely mean money and financial assets but love, relationships, safety, freedom, and others assets that add to your wealth.
Adaptability: If you have a hard time accepting change, one of the best core values for you is adaptability. Adapting allows you to accommodate the dynamic nature of life.
Acceptance: Acceptance is one of the trickiest personal values because no one wants to feel helpless. But when you do, accepting what you can't change is the only way.
Innovation: When you take an existing thing and improve it, that's innovation. You can apply this concept not only to technology but also to your life.
Purpose: Having a purpose is what gives you the motivation to take action and sacrifice your comfort. Such core values help you make sense of the world.
Understanding: Understanding and acceptance are overlapping core values. After all, when you accept what is, you understand why people act and how they think.
Education: Many people dedicate their lives to education. For them, it becomes a lifelong journey that doesn't end with a degree.
Unity: We're always stronger united. Such core values encourage people to support one another, celebrate each other's success, and grieve their failures as one.
Achievement: If achievement is one of your core values, it'll motivate you to put in the work and feel accomplished.
Diversity: Diversity is necessary if you want to win and do the right thing. We're talking about diverse ethnicities, backgrounds, experiences, beliefs, and more.
Tradition: That can manifest in honoring your routes and passing on your traditions to future generations. So, is tradition one of your core values?
Impact: Those who identify impact as one of their personal values often make a difference and create a better world.
Competition: Healthy competition is one of the encouraged core values in the workplace, as it can encourage employees to improve.
Perseverance: Perseverance is one of the most important qualities and core values because it enables you to get up no matter how many times you get knocked down.
Caring: Genuinely caring about others is an admirable quality that's most needed.
Humor: Humor may be one of the most overlooked core values. Still, infusing humor gets us through tough times and helps us cope with negative emotions.
Integrity: When individuals or organizations adopt integrity as one of their core values, they inspire trust in others. Also, integrity is often accompanied by respect, justice, and transparency.
Research: We all know that 'knowledge is power.' So, do your research about anything and everything.
Simplicity: Are you a minimalist? If so, simplicity is one of your personal core values, which doesn't only affect your taste but also your worldview.
Risk-Taking: Do you ever think about the opportunities you miss because you're too afraid? In that sense, risk-taking is a game-changer.
Approachability: Approachable People are easily trusted and confided in.
Action: Instead of going through the motions, taking action gives you control over your life.
Faith: Your perception of faith can be one of your life's most influential core beliefs. After all, it guides your choices.
Confidence: If your core values include confidence, you have a good self-image and trust your decisions, which inspires others to trust you.
Contribution: Those who see the big picture may think of contribution as one of their core values. That's because they're eager to do their part to help achieve the big goals.
Intelligence: Intelligence isn't necessarily natural. It can result from your yearning for knowledge and training your brain.
Originality: Do you ever feel like you're on a different path than most people? Originality may be your core value.
Challenge: Challenge yourself constantly to become better via slow and steady improvements.
Compliance: Compliance is one of the double-edged personal values. You don't want to have a weak personality, but you do want to follow directions when you need to.
Structure: One of your personal core values may be structure, which helps you gain control over your life. And you can exercise discipline to have structure.
Passion: Passion moves you to develop ideas and achieve excellence. It also infuses your work with creativity.
Congruence: If you value self-expression, congruence is one of the core values related to honest communication and the raw expression of negative and positive emotions and thoughts.
Evolution: Smart people know that evolution is critical to survival.
Consistency: Consistency relates to structure, as you conduct a particular process repeatedly, giving you consistent results.
Growth: Do you value growth and constantly try to become better at what you do? Growth might be one of your personal values.
Ambition: People who think big have ambition as one of their core values. So, don't settle, and aim high.
Fitness: Regular exercise and nutritious foods are essential to your fitness journey. And remember that your physical and mental health often serve as mirrors to one another.
Customers First: This is one of the most common personal values in the retail business and restaurants, as they prioritize the customers' needs.
Sincerity: Are you authentic in your words and actions? Do you refuse to pretend to be someone else for social approval? That's sincerity.
Positive Energy: We're referring to people who strive to create an environment infused with positive energy. Such core values can promote productivity and creativity.
Conservation: Conservation goes hand in hand with sustainability. You want to use the resources available to you and conserve them so that you consume less. Also, conservation makes you more content with what you have.
Longevity: If longevity is one of your core values, you don't chase after short-lived experiences and temporary things. Instead, you're interested in long-term investments and commitments.
Consideration: Life would be much easier if more people were considerate, don't you think?
Joy: Joy is one of the most beautiful core values. It's about infusing your life with gratitude, laughter, and fun.
Modesty: If you're a humble person and believe that actions speak louder than words, modesty might be on your core values list.
Helpfulness: Are you constantly trying to help others, whether they're family, friends, or strangers? Helpfulness is an excellent way to make a change.
Rest: There's some toxicity to hustle culture. If you acknowledge it and give your mind and body enough rest, this could be one of your core values.
Playing: Playing is one of the core values that we tend to forget about or think we don't have enough free time for. But it's an excellent way of creating a joyful life.
Professionalism: Professionalism surpasses workplace conduct to good manners and politeness in everyday interactions.
Speed: As a core value, speed entails making decisions and taking action quickly.
Objectivity: Although complete objectivity is unattainable, getting as close to it as possible isn't. Objectivity entails conflict resolution via consulting the facts.
Composure: How do you react in times of crisis? Composure is one of the necessary core values for conflict resolution, as it allows you to remain calm and collected.
Inclusivity: Take a look around you; is the community you're building inclusive of different groups?
Adventure: Some people want an exciting, big life, making adventure one of their core values.
Thriving: A quality life is one where you focus not only on surviving but also on thriving.
Assertion: As any small business coach might tell you, assertion is one of the core values needed for leadership. After all, you need to know what you want and how to get it.
Novelty: Are you pursuing new life experiences? Novelty is the archnemesis of routine.
Selflessness: If you put the needs of others before yours, you're the definition of selfless.
Determination: People who are determined usually get what they want because of their perseverance and resilience.
Curiosity: If you do a lot of research and ask many questions, curiosity is on your core values list.
Orderliness: Do you need to clean your space before working? You may consider orderliness to be one of your core values.
Enjoyment: Many people forget to enjoy their present because they're too fixated on their future.
Equality: When you value equality, you respect all people and treat them fairly.
Patriotism: If you feel a sort of camaraderie for others in your country, you're patriotic. Accordingly, patriotism isn't specific to a political party.
Kindness: Kindness happens when you truly listen to people, empathize with them, and help those in need.
Efficiency: If your life motto is 'work smarter, not harder,' one of your core values could be efficiency.
Doing: Yes, taking the initiative and getting things done says a lot about your core values!
Accuracy: When you're accurate in collecting data or processing information, you gain correct insights into business and life.
Altruism: If you help others without ulterior motives, you're altruistic.
Fearlessness: Imagine chasing your goals without fear holding you back! Fearlessness is one of the most powerful core values.
Talent: When you focus on your talents and develop them, you invest time and effort into what you do best.
Sharing: Whether it's food, clothes, money, or else, sharing is one of many admirable qualities that strengthen human bonds and are a direct result of compassion.
Recognition: Do you want your effort to be recognized at work? Recognition can motivate you to work hard and improve.
Ownership: Those who consider ownership one of their core values aren't afraid to make decisions and hold themselves accountable.
Self-Respect:& If you value self-respect, you won't let anything or anyone into your life that doesn't serve you or honor your boundaries.
Autonomy: We're talking about protecting your independence and making your decisions regardless of any influence.
Restraint: By restraint, we mean pausing before taking a step to consider the best course of action. In that way, restraint and wisdom go hand in hand.
Support: Empowering others and celebrating their successes only creates a positive environment and strong community.
Versatility: Versatility can mean numerous things. here, we're talking about the repurposing and recycling of objects and products, which falls under sustainable practices.
Family: Family can be blood, but it can also be other people who have become part of your support system. This is one of the core values that tend to influence people the most when making decisions.
Persistence: Persistence is one of the admirable qualities that push you to get what you want and reach your goals.
Collaboration: If you work with others, share ideas, and solve problems, this collaboration will only produce the best outcome.
Transparency: If you value direct communication, transparency might be on your core values list.
Candor: Candor is the value to describe those who don't shy away from the truth.
Punctuality: Punctuality is one of the core values that employers look for. Knowing that you value other people's time presents you as trustworthy and dependable.
Selectiveness: Being selective about the people you let in, the goals you chase, and the battles you enter is critical to success.
Frugality: Frugality drives you to be economical with your money, choosing financial stability and future wealth over momentary satisfaction.
Stillness: Those who know when to speak and remain silent tend to inspire respect in others.
Enthusiasm: Having an attitude of enthusiasm in everything you do allows you to lead a vibrant and joyful life.
Expertise: When you focus on a field, you develop the needed expertise for career success. After all, you don't want to be 'Jack of all trades, master of none."
Commitment: Commitment is one of the best core values for personal and professional relationships. After all, you'll put in the hard work if you believe in a relationship, position, or goal.
Harmony: Harmony resolves your inner struggle, allowing your parts to co-exist. And you can have harmony by opting for balance between different aspects of life.
Hope: When you struggle to enjoy your present, does hope push you forward? This is one of the best values that play into having a positive mindset and undermine destructive thought patterns.
Respect: Those who strive to foster connections must give and receive respect, listen to others, and accept the difference between them.
Independence: You can rely on people for certain things, but ensure you aren't becoming co-dependent. This way, you'll be in control of your life.
Compromise: Compromise is another one of the double-edged personal values. After all, you need to make some compromises for conflict resolution, but don't compromise on what matters to you the most.
Responsiveness: Responsiveness impacts the quality of your personal and professional relationships. It might be one of your core values if you answer messages promptly.
Final Words
We've included 150 examples on this core values list so that you have complete freedom when making your list. But, of course, some personal reflection is necessary when identifying core values because you want to determine the personal values that fit in your life. This way, when you feel wrong, you'll have a clear idea of the direction you need to take.
Overall, core values are guiding principles to help you find your way. So, start living the life that was meant for you!
Ronald Osborne is an experienced business coach. With over ten years of experience, an MBA specializing in Finance, and several multimillion-dollar contracts. Ronald has been able to help large telecommunication companies, law firms, trade businesses, and everyday business owners improve their business and take it to the next level.
