WHY EVALUATING YOUR VALUES IS ESSENTIAL TO LIVING A FULFILLED LIFE
Why Evaluating Your Values Is Essential to Living a Fulfilled Life
Have you ever felt stuck, frustrated, or unfulfilled—whether in your career, relationships, or daily routines? If so, you’re not alone. Often, these feelings arise when our lives are out of alignment with our core values. Our values are the internal compass that guides us, but when we lose touch with them or fail to live in accordance with them, it can lead to stress, dissatisfaction, and a sense of disconnection.
In this blog post, we’ll explore why evaluating your values is crucial for creating a life of meaning and purpose, and how reconnecting with these values can transform both your personal and professional life.
What Are Values?
Values are the deep-seated beliefs and principles that drive our decisions, shape our behaviours, and define what we find meaningful. They represent what’s most important to us, whether it’s creativity, independence, security, or compassion. These core values serve as the foundation for the way we interact with the world and provide clarity on what we want to prioritise in life.
When we’re living in alignment with our values, our choices tend to feel authentic and fulfilling. When we’re out of alignment, however, it’s easy to feel lost or dissatisfied.
Why Are Values So Important?
At the heart of every decision, big or small, are our values. They influence our career choices, relationships, hobbies, and even how we spend our time. By evaluating and understanding your values, you gain a clearer sense of direction, helping you make choices that align with your true self. Here’s why values are so important:
Guide Decision-Making: Your values help you make decisions with confidence, especially when faced with competing options or life changes. When you know what truly matters, it becomes easier to say “yes” to what aligns with you and “no” to what doesn’t.
Provide Motivation and Purpose: Living in alignment with your values gives your life a greater sense of purpose. Whether it’s career advancement, building meaningful relationships, or contributing to a cause, when your actions align with your values, you’re naturally more motivated.
Increase Fulfilment: When your values are at the center of your life, you feel more content, fulfilled, and satisfied. By contrast, if you’re stuck in a job or situation that conflicts with your core values, it can lead to burnout and frustration.
Where Do Values Come From?
Values are shaped by many factors throughout our lives. They may be influenced by family upbringing, cultural experiences, personal reflections, or significant life events. Over time, as we encounter different challenges and opportunities, our values may evolve, reflecting who we are and what we prioritise in the present.
While some values may stay consistent throughout life, others may shift based on new experiences or changes in life stages. This is why regular self-evaluation is important—to ensure that the values guiding you today still resonate with who you are and what you want.
How to Evaluate Your Values
Evaluating your values starts with reflection and self-awareness. Here are a few exercises that can help you uncover and clarify your core values:
Reflect on Key Life Moments: Think about moments when you felt proud, fulfilled, or particularly frustrated. What values were being honoured or compromised in those moments? For example, if you felt deeply satisfied while leading a team, perhaps leadership or collaboration is one of your core values.
Identify Sources of Conflict: Reflect on areas of your life where you feel tension or dissatisfaction. Often, this points to a conflict between your environment and your values. If you’re frustrated with a job that limits your creativity, for example, it might mean creativity is a high priority for you.
Use a Values List: Sometimes it’s easier to start with a list of common values (e.g., freedom, family, growth, security, recognition) and select those that resonate with you. Narrow it down to your top five values and reflect on why each one is essential to your well-being.
Rank Your Values: After identifying your top values, rank them in order of importance. This helps clarify which values take priority when they conflict with one another. For instance, if you value both "growth" and "stability," which would take precedence if a new opportunity arises that disrupts your sense of security?
Create a Values-Based Action Plan: Once you’ve identified and ranked your core values, it’s time to take action. Look at areas of your life where your values are being neglected and brainstorm ways to bring those values into alignment. For example, if “balance” is a core value but you’re constantly overwhelmed by work, consider setting clearer boundaries around your time.
The Role of Values in Career Fulfilment
Values play a particularly important role in career satisfaction. Many people feel unfulfilled at work because their roles or workplaces don’t align with their core values. For instance, if your value is “growth” but you’re in a stagnant position with no room for advancement, you’ll likely feel stuck. Conversely, if your job provides autonomy and recognition—two values you hold dearly—you’ll feel energised and motivated.
This is why evaluating your career values is critical. By identifying your top career values (e.g., flexibility, creativity, purpose, financial stability), you can make intentional career choices that honour what’s most important to you. Whether you’re considering a career change, looking to grow in your current role, or wanting to adjust your work-life balance, knowing your values will guide your decisions and help you create a more satisfying career path.
How a Coach Can Help You Apply Your Values
Once you’ve identified your values, the next step is figuring out how to apply them in your life—whether in your personal relationships or your career. This is where working with a coach can be transformative. A coach can help you:
Assess Alignment: Evaluate how well your current life or job aligns with your values and pinpoint areas of disconnect.
Set Values-Based Goals: Create personal or professional goals that reflect your values, ensuring that your next steps lead to greater fulfillment.
Make Strategic Career Changes: If your job doesn’t align with your values, a coach can guide you through career transitions or adjustments to find roles that resonate with your core beliefs.
Develop a Personalized Action Plan: Together, you’ll build a practical action plan that incorporates your values into your daily decisions, so you can live and work in greater alignment with who you are.
Conclusion: Living in Alignment with Your Values
Evaluating your values is not a one-time exercise; it’s an ongoing process of self-reflection and adjustment. As you grow and evolve, your values may shift—and that’s okay. The key is staying connected to what truly matters and making choices that honour those values. When you live and work in alignment with your core beliefs, life feels more authentic, meaningful, and fulfilling.
If you’re ready to take the next step in aligning your values with your life and career, consider working with a coach to guide you through the process. Together, we can create a path that leads to a more purposeful and satisfying future.