Value-Based Action

Values are guiding principles that each person must choose for themselves. Values-based action requires an awareness of personal values as well as an intention to commit to those values, despite difficulties. Values-based action fosters flexibility, awareness, regulation, connection, and optimism.

What are core values?

Core values are personal ethics or ideals that guide us when making decisions, building relationships, and solving problems. Identifying values that we believe are meaningful can help us when determining our personal and professional goals. Examples of core values include honesty, fairness, and justice. They correspond to a central belief that we need to abide by certain principles. Once we have internalized them, they are reflected in our behavior, and we act accordingly.

What are personal values?

Personal values are a set of guiding principles and beliefs that help us differentiate between “good” and “bad.” These are concepts like integrity versus dishonesty or hard work versus taking shortcuts. We prioritize our core values and use them to shape how we uniquely experience the world.

What's the difference between values and principles?

Values are subjective, personal, emotional, and arguable, while principles are objective, factual, impersonal, and self-evident because they are indisputable. Principles are universal truths based on natural laws.

What is a value-based action?

Value-based actions (or committed actions) are behaviors that occur when people act in ways that align with their personal values, even in the presence of external or internal obstacles. Examples of value-based action include people eating organic foods because they care about their health; people using green energy sources because they care about the environment; and people buying products ethically manufactured because they care about the workers.

The problem is that we don't always follow our values when taking action. During those times our behaviors don't line up with our values. For example, caring about maintaining a healthy diet but regularly eating at a fast food restaurant.  

How do values influence actions?

Values influence our behavior because we use them to decide between alternatives. Values, attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs are cornerstones of who we are and how we do things. They form the basis of how we see ourselves as individuals, how we see others, and how we perceive the world in general.

Values are the important beliefs that impact all areas of life. When we make decisions and take actions that represent our values, we are best able to maximize our feelings of satisfaction and fulfillment.

What is a value-based goal?

Value-based goals arise from a desire to match our behavior to our values. For example, someone who values a healthy marriage might set a goal to schedule one weekly date night, while someone who values being positive might vow to start every morning with a gratitude practice.