Why It’s Important for You to Know and Live Your Core Values Today
If asked, could you define your core values?
Okay, maybe we should start by explaining what the phrase”core values” means.
Core values are the fundamental beliefs that help people and organizations make decisions and focus on goals.
Knowing our core values can help us make choices, manage our time more effectively, and balance our careers, family, friends, mission, and free time.
Knowing our core values helps us prioritize our “time, talents, and treasures” making us able to live our purpose more intentionally.
And that’s why I believe…
Knowing and living your core values may be the single most important part of finding your personal satisfaction, happiness, and success.
The Psalmist wrote:
1 Praise the Lord! I will thank the Lord with all my heart
Psalm 111
as I meet with His godly people.
2 How amazing are the deeds of the Lord!
All who delight in Him should ponder them.
3 Everything He does reveals His glory and majesty.
His righteousness never fails.
4 He causes us to remember His wonderful works.
How gracious and merciful is our Lord!
5 He gives food to those who fear Him;
He always remembers His covenant.
6 He has shown his great power to His people
by giving them the lands of other nations.
7 All He does is just and good,
and all His commandments are trustworthy.
8 They are forever true,
to be obeyed faithfully and with integrity.
9 He has paid a full ransom for His people.
He has guaranteed his covenant with them forever.
What a holy, awe-inspiring name He has!
10 Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom.
All who obey His commandments will grow in wisdom.
Praise Him forever!
So, let’s take a few minutes to identify our core values…
Core Values List
Here is a random list of possible values. It is in no way complete. So, please feel free to add your own.
1. You’re welcome to print this list (link below) and circle all the words that describe things that are important to you. Values you would like to pass along to your children.
- Adventurous, Authentic, Ambitious, Accurate, Autonomous
- Balanced, Belonging, Believer, Benevolent, Bold
- Compromising, Consistent, Caring, Competitive, Courageous, Creative, Citizenship, Compassionate, Curious
- Dedicated, Determined, Dependable, Daring, Devoted, Diverse, Disciplined
- Educated, Environmental, Empathetic, Efficient, Ethical, Equal
- Faithful, Fearless, Forgiving, Fun, Fair, Focused, Flexible, Family, Friendly, Full of Faith, Famous
- Generous, Grateful, Good, Genuine, Growing, Gentle
- Happiness, Health, Honest, Hopeful, Humble, Helpful,
- Imaginative, Intelligent, Integrity, Independent, Influential, Industrious, Inner Peace and Harmony
- Joyful, Just, Judicious
- Kind, Knowing
- Loving, Loyal, Lasting, Lavish, Leader, Law-abiding, Liberty
- Memorable, Merciful, Meaningful, Manageable, Moderation
- Neat, Noble, Neighborly, Nurturing
- Obedient, Optimistic, Open, Organized, Original, Outstanding
- Professional, Persistent, Polite, Pure, Popular, Passionate, Precise, Pleasure
- Quality, Questioning, Quiet
- Responsible, Recognized, Real, Religious, Respectable, Reliable
- Strong, Stabile, Sacrificial, Status, Simple, Steward, Spiritual, Superior
- Traditional, Truth, Tolerant, Tranquil, Trustworthy, Tough, Thoughtful
- Unique, United, Understanding, Useful
- Virtuous, Valiant, Valuable, Variety, Victorious
- Wise, Watchful, Wealthy, Worshiping, Worthy, Willing
- Youthful, Yielding
- Zealous, Zappy
2. From the words circled select the seven words that are most important to you.
3. From your list of seven, select three words about which you could say, “I am not happy if I am not following these values.” These three words are your core values.
4. The remaining four words on your list are your secondary values.
Click here to get a printable worksheet and discover your core values.
A Prayer to Know Our Core Values and Live with Integrity
Father, Your Word is filled with counsel intended to guide our core values. You created us and know what it takes for us to live the full lives that You want for us. You promise that if we KNOW, TRUST, and FOLLOW Your will for us, we will experience a full life today and a future filled with hope. (John 10:10 and Ephesians 4:4) The world works overtime trying to distract me with things that are untrustworthy, unimportant, and unstable. And yet, too easily I believe the foolish lies because I fail to build my core foundation on values that matter. Please forgive me.
I pray that You will give me a heart to SEEK You and Your kingdom above everything else. I pray that You will help me focus on things that last and do what matters now. I ask that You will prompt me to “pray about everything.” (Philippians 4:6) To invite Your Spirit’s guidance and direction into every area of my life. Please point me in the direction You want me to go and keep me on the path that leads to life with You forever. I give this day and all my days ahead to You, my Lord and my God. Amen.
Now Use Your Core Values to Make Choices
There is a saying that goes, “If you want to know what a person values look at their calendar and checkbook.” (Today we’d substitute credit card statement for “checkbook.”) So, grab your calendar and credit card bill, and ask yourself, “Does my life reflect the values that are important to me?”
If you’re able to answer, “yes” . . . Congratulations! You are living intentionally.
If not . . . it’s not too late. Keep your list of values close by and use them as you make decisions like:
- Will I take this promotion that requires me to be away from home more?
- Will I say yes to the volunteer position that meets on my only free night?
- Will I say yes to every activity that my child wants to do?
- Will I schedule regular workouts and play more with my kids?
- You get the idea…
Don’t wait to begin making changes. Start today. Apply your core values to your daily choices and find the progress, satisfaction, and joy God wants for you.
Are you ready? What do you think?
May God bless you and guide you as you center your life on all that He wants for you.
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Excellent questions and great resource. Thanks Deb!
Thanks for your encouragement, Sarah! God be with you and bless you!
You’ve certainly put so much thought and work into this post, Deb – much appreciated! I’m going to do this exercise this week.
Blessings!
Thank you, Martha! God bless you!
Love the posting and even more the prayer Deb. Extremely fitting as usual. Before COVID hit, I used to be so disciplined, working out regularly (mainly for health purposes), have been able to manage my time, etc. In the past 2 years, my lifelong desire came through by working from home, being able to attend to my hubby and our crazy household. Yet, I found myself that I became slothful both physically as spiritually. I have more time than ever before, yet getting far less done than ever, including reading the Scripture. While I pray to the Lord for help, I have a feeling that this is something I have to do and turn around. Oswald Chambers has a teaching that’s titled from “the wreck I rise, always….”
Thanks, Gaby! What a blessing it is to know that God will lift us out of our “wrecks” when we turn to Him. I need to run from “self” to Him every single day. God bless you, dear friend!
Great post! I reflected on my core values whilst I read this post.
Thanks so much! God bless you!
Hi Deb,
Good stuff.
May God continue to bless you in your “Wisdom” Thank you for sharing. Growing wise.
Thank you, Alprescia. I appreciate your kindness. God bless you!
Wonderful post! And agree with Martha! Just coming up with the long list of words, was awesome and surely a bit time consuming! And as Gaby stated, during covid, I became more lax on my discipline too! Especially for my walks and exercise! I am trying to re-habit (if such a word!) to get back to exercise! But I put God first so no matter the business, I read, pray, and spend time with Him!! But a wonderful post to dwell on and share!! Think everyone benefits from reaffirming our core values! Thanks for this great reminder!! Bless You!! The Lord surely does use you to help so many!! We love you, Deb!
You sure to bless me, Kathy! Your comments always add sunshine to my day. Thank you!
I really like this article because it prompted me to self-reflection. I plan to use this idea and work on truly ensuring that I am living out my core values. Thank you, Deb, for this insightful post!
I’m so glad! Thanks for letting me know! God bless you!
Deb, I have really been enjoying your emails. Thank you for being faithful and sharing. May God bless you richly on this day.
Sharon
Thank you so much for your kind encouragement, Sharon! You blessed my day! May God be with you and encourage you today as well.
Thank you for this article and the list of core values. I can see it being useful for Sunday school discussions
for all ages.
I’m glad it blessed and encouraged you, Rosalie! God be with you and bless you!
Your post is amazing. I have downloaded the values and will be back tomorrow to answer the questions. Thank you for this insightful article.
Thank you so much, Maree. I’m so glad it blessed you! Hugs!
This is so good, Deb. Core values determine so much. Great article!
Thank you, Leanna! I so appreciate your encouragement. God bless you!