What are 10 personal values? A practical guide

What are individual choice values? Definition and context

Psychological definition

In psychology, personal values are described as relatively stable guiding principles that shape preferences and behavior, and the term individual choice values highlights that these principles influence everyday decisions and priorities, especially when trade-offs arise, according to an overview of value theory Schwartz theory overview.

How researchers and guides use the term

Academic frameworks and applied guides use the same basic definition to design exercises that help people name and rank their priorities, and practical materials often translate theory into worksheets and card-sorts for personal use, as described by a behavioral science overview APA values overview.

Framing the question as individual choice values emphasizes that a values list is meant to guide decisions across work, family, and civic life rather than to label a person permanently.

That practical framing is why the VIA Institute and other applied sources are often used alongside Schwartz-style theory in hands-on guides to values work VIA Institute character strengths.

Why individual choice values matter in everyday decisions

Values matter because they shape attitudes and choices across situations, making some options feel more consistent with who you aim to be. This relationship between values and action is a core reason many worksheets begin with defining terms and short lists, as practical guides show MindTools personal values guide.

Clarifying values also connects to wellbeing: strengths and values together can point to what makes work and family life feel meaningful, and character-strength frameworks are commonly recommended to complement values work VIA Institute character strengths.

When you know what you value most, you can make more consistent choices. That reduces repeated second guessing and helps align short-term decisions with longer term aims.

10 common individual choice values: a short personal values list

Below is a concise, research-grounded list of ten common personal values offered as examples. Treat these as starting points to test with exercises later in the article.

• Honesty – valuing truthfulness and transparency in words and actions.
• Family – prioritizing close relationships and obligations to loved ones.
• Responsibility – valuing reliability and following through on commitments.
• Compassion – caring for others and responding to need with empathy.
• Fairness – treating people equitably and valuing impartial processes.
• Perseverance – valuing persistence and steady effort when goals are hard.
• Courage – acting despite fear to uphold principles or take needed risks.
• Creativity – valuing original thinking and new approaches to problems.
• Service – valuing contribution to community or public good.
• Growth – valuing learning, development, and improvement.

This set draws on commonly used lists in career and self-help materials and on psychology summaries; it is meant as a representative sample rather than a definitive inventory, as described in a core values list overview 20 core values list.

Use this list to populate a longer starting list of twenty to thirty items if you like, then reduce it during the worksheet steps below.

Labeling values in short phrases helps when you later do forced-choice sorting or scenario testing, because concise labels are easier to compare quickly.

How to identify and prioritize your values: core frameworks and methods

Schwartz domains and what they show

Schwartz’s theory groups values into broad domains and shows how some values naturally conflict, which helps people spot trade-offs when they arise, according to a standard overview of the theory Schwartz theory overview.

Practical methods used in worksheets

Applied guides commonly recommend three practical methods: card-sorts to create quick visual groupings, forced-choice ranking to force decisions between close items, and reflective prompts to test choices in scenarios; these techniques appear across reputable how-to guides Greater Good how to find your core values (see Therapistaid’s Values Clarification worksheet).

Card-sorts let you move values physically or digitally into keep, maybe, and remove piles. Forced-choice ranking then narrows the keep pile by pairing items and asking which matters more in a real trade-off.

The VIA Survey and related strengths reports can be used alongside these methods to surface traits that often align with values, but tests should be balanced with narrative reflection to capture lived priorities VIA Institute character strengths (see a systematic review at PMC).

Step-by-step worksheet: from a long list to your top five

Phase 1: curate a long list. Start with 25 to 30 items drawn from lists, personal notes, and the ten examples above.

Phase 2: reduce to 15 by removing items that feel generic or goal-like rather than values. Keep items that describe how you prefer to act across time and situations.

Phase 3: forced-choice ranking. Pair items and choose which matters more in each pair until you have a top ten, then repeat to reach a top five. Forced-choice reduces ties and surfaces real trade-offs (see additional worksheet examples at PositivePsychology).

Phase 4: scenario testing. For each top-five candidate, write a brief scene where that value would guide a difficult choice. Ask which value you would act on in that scene and why.

Combining a short worksheet with an optional validated inventory gives a balance between speed and evidence, as recommended by practical guides that pair curated lists with measurement options MindTools personal values guide (see related reflections on strengths and security on this site: strength and security).

Using the VIA character strengths and other validated tools

What the VIA Survey measures

The VIA Survey reports on character strengths such as gratitude, curiosity, and perseverance and is designed to be a complementary measure to values work rather than a substitute, according to the VIA Institute materials VIA Institute character strengths.

How to use strengths alongside values

After taking a strengths report, map your top strengths to your candidate values. Look for alignment and for gaps where a strength shows up but no value names it, or vice versa.

Use narrative reflection to test mismatches. A strengths score can suggest tendencies, but a short scenario test helps confirm whether a reported strength actually guides your choices in daily life Greater Good how to find your core values.

Applying individual choice values to real decisions and trade-offs

To use values in a real choice, first state the decision and your top two candidate values that might pull you in different directions. That framing makes the trade-off explicit.

Next, run the decision through a short checklist that matches actions to values and consequences. This helps you see which option better matches your prioritized principles.

For example, when a job offer requires more travel but offers higher pay, compare how each option aligns with family and growth values, then test the scenario by imagining a week of life under each option. That concrete imagining often clarifies preference.

Another simple method is to imagine advising a close friend in the same situation. What would you recommend based on your top values? This external viewpoint can reduce short-term emotion-driven choices.

Common mistakes and pitfalls when choosing personal values

Confusing values with goals is common. Values describe enduring principles, while goals are time-bound outcomes. Treat short-term goals as tests of values, not as values themselves, as guidance from value overviews suggests APA values overview.

Relying on a single test can mislead because self-report inventories are vulnerable to social desirability and cultural variation. Combine quick assessments with reflection to reduce bias Greater Good how to find your core values.

Avoid long undifferentiated lists. Forced-choice ranking intentionally creates trade-offs and reduces noise, producing a more actionable top-five set than a long checklist that never narrows.

Worked examples: three scenarios showing values in action

Career choice example: A mid-career professional must choose between a stable role and a risky start-up. Using a values worksheet, they rank family, perseverance, growth, and honesty. Forced-choice ranking places family and growth at the top, so the scenario test focuses on how each option affects weekly family time and learning opportunities. The exercise leads to a clearer choice grounded in preferred trade-offs.

Family priority example: A parent weighs taking on volunteer leadership that conflicts with an evening family ritual. Values ranking has family and service both high. Scenario testing highlights whether service can be scheduled to avoid family time, or whether alternate service options exist. The parent revises a value cue so that service is expressed in ways that also protect family priorities.

Ethical trade-off example: In a workplace dilemma of reporting a mistake that could delay a project, values of honesty and responsibility conflict with short-term pressure to avoid disruption. A forced-choice pairing and imagining the reputational consequences help prioritize honesty, and the person uses a planned script to report the issue constructively.

Each scenario uses the same methods: ranking, scenario imagining, and a short reflection to see if the chosen value produces practical, repeatable guidance.

How to keep values current: re-evaluation and change over time

Values can shift after major life events such as job changes, family milestones, or new responsibilities; regular reassessment helps keep a values statement useful, as recommended by overview sources APA values overview.

Set simple triggers for re-evaluation: review your top five annually and after major transitions. Use brief reassessments combined with narrative reflection rather than relying only on repeated inventories.

Resources and where to learn more: validated assessments and worksheets

Authoritative references used in this article include the VIA Institute for validated character strengths, which offers assessments and descriptions VIA Institute character strengths, and Michael Carbonara’s homepage Michael Carbonara.

Practical worksheets and how-to guides include MindTools for short curated lists and exercises, and the Greater Good Science Center for reflective prompts and scenario-based methods MindTools personal values guide.

Schwartz’s overview provides a foundational structure for grouping values into domains and understanding conflicts, and the APA topic page offers a concise treatment of conceptual and practical concerns Schwartz theory overview.

Quick template: write your personal values statement

One-sentence format

Template: I prioritize [Value A], [Value B], and [Value C] and use them to guide decisions about [domain], by [brief action cue].

Two-paragraph example

Example: I prioritize family, honesty, and growth and use those values to choose work and time commitments, by keeping weekly family evenings, being transparent about limits, and scheduling learning time. When a choice conflicts with these cues I reassess to see which value most directly guides the decision.

Keep this statement visible for a month and apply it to small choices, then revisit and adjust wording if the cues do not change behavior as intended. See the about page for related background.

Conclusion: making individual choice values practical

Use a three-part approach: start with a curated list, apply structured ranking or sorting, and test top items in scenario reflection. This method balances speed and rigor and produces values that guide real choices.

Validated tools like the VIA Survey can add useful measurement, but they work best when combined with narrative reflection and the forced-choice steps described above. Try one short exercise this week to see which value cues change how you act.