Values Compass Worksheet
A step-by-step method to create your own personal Values Compass
Your values are at the core of who you are. Values influence your actions, decisions,
and guide you through life much like a compass guides you during a long hike on a
camping trip. To get started creating your Values Compass, ask yourself the question:
What is truly important to me in life?
Use the list below and on the following page to help you identify the values that guide
your life. Simply circle the Value words that most appeal, resonate or call out to you.
At the end of the list there will be a place to write in any that you feel are important
but didn’t see in the list. Have fun!
Make Your List
Circle all the words and phrases that represent your values below.
Acceptance Attractiveness/ Beauty Control
Accomplishment Balance Courage
Achievement Belonging Curiosity
Acknowledgement Charity Determination
Adaptability Commitment Devotion
Adventure Confidence Dignity
Affluence Conformity Directness
Altruism Consistency Discipline
Ambition Contentment Diversity
Values Compass Created by DeAnne Pearson 2011 [email protected]
Education Loyalty Sacrifice
Equality Making a difference Satisfaction
Faith Open-mindedness Selflessness
Family Optimism Self-reliance
Financial independence Originality Solitude
Fun Passion Spirituality
Generosity/Giving Patriotism Strength
Growth Perfection Structure
Happiness Perseverance Success
Health Philanthropy Support
Honesty Power Tradition
Honor Professionalism Trust/Trust-worthiness
Hospitality Prosperity Truth
Industry Recognition Understanding
Integrity Recreation Uniqueness
Intelligence/ Knowledge Refinement Usefulness
Justice Reflection Wealth
Leadership Relaxation Winning
Learning Reliability Wisdom
Liberty Religiousness _______________
Love Respect _______________
Values Compass Created by DeAnne Pearson 2011 [email protected]
Narrow Your List
Now that you have circled words that are meaningful to you, how many do you have? If
you have more than 5-8 value words circled, let’s narrow the list in the space provided below.
A short list makes for a clearer, stronger and more reliable Values Compass at the end of the
exercise. You may consider cutting out the marginal values that just barely made your list, or
combine multiple values that are related into one group.
____________________ ____________________
____________________ ____________________
____________________ ____________________
____________________ ____________________
Prioritize Your Values
The next step is to prioritize your list. My preferred method of prioritizing my values
list is to identify the top value, then the second highest value, and so on until I've
rebuilt the whole list in order of priority from the top to the bottom. So you may begin
by asking yourself these questions:
Which of these values is truly the most important to me in life? If I could only
satisfy one of these values, which one would it be?
The answer to this question is your number one value. Then move down the list and
ask which remaining value is the next most important to you, and so on, until you've
sorted the whole list in priority order.
Example Prioritized
1. Love
2. Learning
3. Success
4. Health
5. Comfort/Fun
Values Compass Created by DeAnne Pearson 2011 [email protected]
Your Turn
List your values in order of your priority below, and this list will become your Values
Compass. Congratulations! So, ask yourself:
What are MY Core Values in order of their importance to ME?
My Core Values = My Values Compass
Two Ways to Utilize Values Compass Right Now
1. Gaining Clarity - By rating how much time is spent living according to you
Values Compass currently, you can gain clarity your satisfaction within your
present life, career and relationships. This will help you know where you are
currently and where you want to go in the future.
• If you are fully living the value to its limit, rate the value as a 10.
• If you are only living the value some of the time, it might be a 5.
• If your life is totally out of alignment with respect to the value,
it will likely be less than 5.
2. Making Decisions – You can also use your Values Compass to support you in
your decision making process. As obstacles and opportunities present
themselves, you may use the Values Compass to “filter” these matters to make
more meaningful and impactful decisions based on your core values, keeping
your progress moving in the right direction.
I hope you found this Values Compass exercise beneficial! If you would like to
see how this tool fits into the journey of creating the life and career you want and
deserve, please contact me, DeAnne Pearson at [email protected].
Values Compass Created by DeAnne Pearson 2011 [email protected]
