Home — Essay Samples — Philosophy — Values of Life — My Personal Values in Life

test_template

My Personal Values in Life

  • Categories: Values of Life

About this sample

close

Words: 773 |

Published: Jan 31, 2024

Words: 773 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

Table of contents

Introduction, body paragraph 1: personal value 1, body paragraph 2: personal value 2, body paragraph 3: personal value 3, counterargument.

  • Adler, M. J. (2000). The four dimensions of philosophy: Metaphysical, moral, objective, categorical. Routledge.
  • Miller, W. R., & Thoresen, C. E. (2003). Spirituality, religion, and health: An emerging research field. American Psychologist, 58(1), 24-35.
  • Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. (2004). Character strengths and virtues: A handbook and classification. Oxford University Press.

Image of Dr. Charlotte Jacobson

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

  • 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
  • Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

author

Dr Jacklynne

Verified writer

  • Expert in: Philosophy

writer

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

2 pages / 888 words

2 pages / 1012 words

4 pages / 1596 words

3 pages / 1219 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Values of Life

Acland, C. (1995) Youth, Murder, Spectacle: The Cultural Politics of ‘Youth in crisis’, Boulder: Westview Press.Cohen, S. (1972/2002) Folk Devils and Moral Panics: The Creation of the Mods and Rockers, London: Routledge.Travis, [...]

It is a well-worn saying that "the best things in life are free." This age-old adage reminds us that amidst the hustle and bustle of our consumer-driven world, there are priceless treasures that cannot be purchased with money. [...]

Living an ethical life is a pursuit that transcends time and culture, as individuals across the world strive to make choices that align with their values and principles. In this essay, we delve into the concept of ethical [...]

Core values are fundamental beliefs that guide and influence a person's behavior and attitudes. They serve as the foundation for decision making, relationships, and overall life satisfaction. Understanding and embracing core [...]

Many of the values and beliefs I possess, I actually developed at very early age. And as I have grown, my values have also changed or gone through numerous tests. And though I have held onto most of my values and beliefs, I [...]

The concept of the value of human life has been a central theme in philosophy, ethics, and social discourse for centuries. It touches upon questions about the inherent worth of individuals, the moral obligations we have towards [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

  • Instructions Followed To The Letter
  • Deadlines Met At Every Stage
  • Unique And Plagiarism Free

example of personal values essay

Become a Writer Today

Essays About Values: 5 Essay Examples Plus 10 Prompts

Similar to how our values guide us, let this guide with essays about values and writing prompts help you write your essay.

Values are the core principles that guide the actions we take and the choices we make. They are the cornerstones of our identity. On a community or organizational level, values are the moral code that every member must embrace to live harmoniously and work together towards shared goals. 

We acquire our values from different sources such as parents, mentors, friends, cultures, and experiences. All of these build on one another — some rejected as we see fit — for us to form our perception of our values and what will lead us to a happy and fulfilled life.

5 Essay Examples

1. what today’s classrooms can learn from ancient cultures by linda flanagan, 2. stand out to your hiring panel with a personal value statement by maggie wooll, 3. make your values mean something by patrick m. lencioni, 4. how greed outstripped need by beth azar, 5. a shift in american family values is fueling estrangement by joshua coleman, 1. my core values, 2. how my upbringing shaped my values, 3. values of today’s youth, 4. values of a good friend, 5. an experience that shaped your values, 6. remembering our values when innovating, 7. important values of school culture, 8. books that influenced your values, 9. religious faith and moral values, 10. schwartz’s theory of basic values.

“Connectedness is another core value among Maya families, and teachers seek to cultivate it… While many American teachers also value relationships with their students, that effort is undermined by the competitive environment seen in many Western classrooms.”

Ancient communities keep their traditions and values of a hands-off approach to raising their kids. They also preserve their hunter-gatherer mindsets and others that help their kids gain patience, initiative, a sense of connectedness, and other qualities that make a helpful child.

“How do you align with the company’s mission and add to its culture? Because it contains such vital information, your personal value statement should stand out on your resume or in your application package.”

Want to rise above other candidates in the jobs market? Then always highlight your value statement. A personal value statement should be short but still, capture the aspirations and values of the company. The essay provides an example of a captivating value statement and tips for crafting one.

“Values can set a company apart from the competition by clarifying its identity and serving as a rallying point for employees. But coming up with strong values—and sticking to them—requires real guts.”

Along with the mission and vision, clear values should dictate a company’s strategic goals. However, several CEOs still needed help to grasp organizational values fully. The essay offers a direction in setting these values and impresses on readers the necessity to preserve them at all costs. 

“‘He compared the values held by people in countries with more competitive forms of capitalism with the values of folks in countries that have a more cooperative style of capitalism… These countries rely more on strategic cooperation… rather than relying mostly on free-market competition as the United States does.”

The form of capitalism we have created today has shaped our high value for material happiness. In this process, psychologists said we have allowed our moral and ethical values to drift away from us for greed to take over. You can also check out these essays about utopia .

“From the adult child’s perspective, there might be much to gain from an estrangement: the liberation from those perceived as hurtful or oppressive, the claiming of authority in a relationship, and the sense of control over which people to keep in one’s life. For the mother or father, there is little benefit when their child cuts off contact.”

It is most challenging when the bonds between parent and child weaken in later years. Psychologists have been navigating this problem among modern families, which is not an easy conflict to resolve. It requires both parties to give their best in humbling themselves and understanding their loved ones, no matter how divergent their values are. 

10 Writing  Prompts On Essays About Values

For this topic prompt, contemplate your non-negotiable core values and why you strive to observe them at all costs. For example, you might value honesty and integrity above all else. Expound on why cultivating fundamental values leads to a happy and meaningful life. Finally, ponder other values you would like to gain for your future self. Write down how you have been practicing to adopt these aspired values. 

Essays About Values: How my upbringing shaped my values

Many of our values may have been instilled in us during childhood. This essay discusses the essential values you gained from your parents or teachers while growing up. Expound on their importance in helping you flourish in your adult years. Then, offer recommendations on what households, schools, or communities can do to ensure that more young people adopt these values.

Is today’s youth lacking essential values, or is there simply a shift in what values generations uphold? Strive to answer this and write down the healthy values that are emerging and dying. Then think of ways society can preserve healthy values while doing away with bad ones. Of course, this change will always start at home, so also encourage parents, as role models, to be mindful of their words, actions and behavior.  

The greatest gift in life is friendship. In this essay, enumerate the top values a friend should have. You may use your best friend as an example. Then, cite the best traits your best friend has that have influenced you to be a better version of yourself. Finally, expound on how these values can effectively sustain a healthy friendship in the long term. 

We all have that one defining experience that has forever changed how we see life and the values we hold dear. Describe yours through storytelling with the help of our storytelling guide . This experience may involve a decision, a conversation you had with someone, or a speech you heard at an event.  

With today’s innovation, scientists can make positive changes happen. But can we truly exercise our values when we fiddle with new technologies whose full extent of positive and adverse effects we do not yet understand such as AI? Contemplate this question and look into existing regulations on how we curb the creation or use of technologies that go against our values. Finally, assess these rules’ effectiveness and other options society has. 

Essays About Values: Important values of school culture

Highlight a school’s role in honing a person’s values. Then, look into the different aspects of your school’s culture. Identify which best practices distinct in your school are helping students develop their values. You could consider whether your teachers exhibit themselves as admirable role models or specific parts of the curriculum that help you build good character. 

In this essay, recommend your readers to pick up your favorite books, particularly those that served as pathways to enlightening insights and values. To start, provide a summary of the book’s story. It would be better if you could do so without revealing too much to avoid spoiling your readers’ experience. Then, elaborate on how you have applied the values you learned from the book.

For many, religious faith is the underlying reason for their values. For this prompt, explore further the inextricable links between religion and values. If you identify with a certain religion, share your thoughts on the values your sector subscribes to. You can also tread the more controversial path on the conflicts of religious values with socially accepted beliefs or practices, such as abortion. 

Dive deeper into the ten universal values that social psychologist Shalom Schwartz came up with: power, achievement, hedonism, stimulation, self-direction, universalism, benevolence, tradition, conformity, and security. Look into their connections and conflicts against each other. Then, pick your favorite value and explain how you relate to it the most. Also, find if value conflicts within you, as theorized by Schwartz.

Make sure to check out our round-up of the best essay checkers . If you want to use the latest grammar software, read our guide on using an AI grammar checker .

example of personal values essay

Yna Lim is a communications specialist currently focused on policy advocacy. In her eight years of writing, she has been exposed to a variety of topics, including cryptocurrency, web hosting, agriculture, marketing, intellectual property, data privacy and international trade. A former journalist in one of the top business papers in the Philippines, Yna is currently pursuing her master's degree in economics and business.

View all posts

What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

Duke University

Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

example of personal values essay

How to Focus on Your Values in Your Personal Statement

This article was written based on the information and opinions presented by CEG Essay Specialist Kaila Barber in a CollegeVine livestream. You can watch the full livestream for more info.

What’s Covered: 

Identifying your own values, demonstrate your values with examples.

  • Reflecting on Your Experiences

It’s important to keep in mind what your reader is hoping to learn from your personal statement. The statement is an opportunity to reflect on your experiences and demonstrate how you think about and relate to the world around you. Specifically, what are some of your values? What’s meaningful to you? What do you find important? 

Personal values can be things like communication, patience, nature, health, personal development, courage, self-love, authenticity, healthy boundaries, or even humor. Before you start drafting your personal statement, take a moment to reflect on the things that you find important and why. 

We’re all very different people coming from different backgrounds, and we have different experiences that impact our individual values. While some of your values will overlap with those of other people, your personal reflection on the values that resonate most with you will separate your statement from someone else’s. 

The best way to include your values, skills, and traits in your essay is to pair them with specific examples and anecdotes. Each anecdote should align with at least one of the values that you find most important and should be accompanied by your personal reflection on the value and its related experience. 

Here’s an example. A student does not have a parent or guardian around to shoulder the expenses of caring for them and their younger sibling. In their outline, the student says that they value autonomy, financial stability, and family. Throughout the essay, they demonstrate these values by talking about getting a part-time job to help support the family and caring for their sibling at home. They also excel academically and even petition to have an AP Physics II course offered at their school. 

The student has shown autonomy by taking the initiative to petition for the new course and by getting a job. They have also demonstrated that both financial stability and family are important to them by pitching in to support their parent and sibling.

Your examples should show your reader your values by being specific and personal to your background and experiences.

Reflecting on Your Experiences 

Reflecting on your values is an equally important part of the personal statement. Your reflections or insight should focus on not only your experiences but also who you are and who you want to become. The insight you include in your essay shows that you’ve really found meaning from your personal experiences.

Insight can take a few forms. A common way to show insight is by writing about a growth experience. Show how you went from point A in your life to point B, and share the lessons you’ve learned along the way. For example, people often reflect on how navigating a strenuous activity or challenge changed the way that they thought about themselves and what they could handle. Reflecting on that change in confidence is one way to demonstrate insight.

One of the clearest ways to explore insight is to self-reflect and write about how something has either connected you to, influenced, or reframed how you think of your own values. Maybe you once pushed yourself too hard, and that experience showed you the value of rest and mindfulness. Or perhaps a change in circumstances shifted or redefined your values to an extent. 

For example, a person might say that while they craved stability as a child because of their home life, they now see the value of risk-taking and adventure in enriching their own knowledge and experiences. In this example, both security and risk are important to the speaker, but their experiences ultimately shifted weight from one value to another.

Regardless of how you approach your personal statement, insight is the overarching meaning that you take away from the relevant experiences and values you’ve shared.

Are you looking for more guidance as you draft your personal statement? Check out this post on how to come up with a strong topic that wows your admissions reader!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

example of personal values essay

Learn more

How it works

Transform your enterprise with the scalable mindsets, skills, & behavior change that drive performance.

Explore how BetterUp connects to your core business systems.

We pair AI with the latest in human-centered coaching to drive powerful, lasting learning and behavior change.

Build leaders that accelerate team performance and engagement.

Unlock performance potential at scale with AI-powered curated growth journeys.

Build resilience, well-being and agility to drive performance across your entire enterprise.

Transform your business, starting with your sales leaders.

Unlock business impact from the top with executive coaching.

Foster a culture of inclusion and belonging.

Accelerate the performance and potential of your agencies and employees.

See how innovative organizations use BetterUp to build a thriving workforce.

Discover how BetterUp measurably impacts key business outcomes for organizations like yours.

A demo is the first step to transforming your business. Meet with us to develop a plan for attaining your goals.

Request a demo

  • What is coaching?

Learn how 1:1 coaching works, who its for, and if it's right for you.

Accelerate your personal and professional growth with the expert guidance of a BetterUp Coach.

Types of Coaching

Navigate career transitions, accelerate your professional growth, and achieve your career goals with expert coaching.

Enhance your communication skills for better personal and professional relationships, with tailored coaching that focuses on your needs.

Find balance, resilience, and well-being in all areas of your life with holistic coaching designed to empower you.

Discover your perfect match : Take our 5-minute assessment and let us pair you with one of our top Coaches tailored just for you.

Find your Coach

Best practices, research, and tools to fuel individual and business growth.

View on-demand BetterUp events and learn about upcoming live discussions.

The latest insights and ideas for building a high-performing workplace.

  • BetterUp Briefing

The online magazine that helps you understand tomorrow's workforce trends, today.

Innovative research featured in peer-reviewed journals, press, and more.

Founded in 2022 to deepen the understanding of the intersection of well-being, purpose, and performance

We're on a mission to help everyone live with clarity, purpose, and passion.

Join us and create impactful change.

Read the buzz about BetterUp.

Meet the leadership that's passionate about empowering your workforce.

For Business

For Individuals

20 personal values examples to help you find your own

Find my Coach

Transform your life

Make meaningful changes and become the best version of yourself. BetterUp's professional Coaches are here to support your personal growth journey.

smiling-businesswoman-at-work-personal-values-examples

Jump to section

Personal values 101

20 core value examples, 6 tips for defining your own core values, living by your values, moving forward.

You’re chatting with your manager about an important client deadline. The two of you are deep in conversation and about to hit the sweet spot brainstorming a new strategy.

A coworker interrupts and asks if they can have a moment of your time to solve a quick problem . They launch into their question before you can answer, and you lose your great idea. 

“Why couldn’t they wait until I was available?” you think. You value patience and self-control. But your coworker just has another way of working. 

Every day, you make judgments based on your values. They inform your behaviors and understanding of right and wrong. They help shape how you think, act, and feel. And ultimately, your values help you find happiness and purpose in life . What you do with your career, personal life, and relationships relies on your values. 

Many Americans' most important values are having a happy relationship, living an honest and respectable life, and practicing safety . But yours might differ, and that’s more than okay.

Understanding your own values is a fundamental part of self-awareness and getting to know yourself as a human being. With a better understanding of your values, you can develop more empathy. You might show better emotional regulation . And you might improve your communication skills . 

But identifying your values is difficult. It requires deep self-reflection and self-honesty — both of which take hard work. When you’re hustling and bustling daily, taking the time to do this comes at a premium. 

Let's dive into some personal values examples to help you reflect on what matters to you. 

Before exploring examples, it’s important to establish some core principles of this process. Knowing how values work will help you in your personal development.

What are personal core values?

Personal values are a set of beliefs that differentiate between “good” and “bad” in your community, culture, or society. They form a mindset that defines what you view as the ideal standards of behavior, like patience and honesty.

You probably already have some guiding principles that inform your decision-making , leadership style, and overall disposition in your personal life or the workplace. It’s up to you to identify what those are and verbalize them.

What’s a personal values system?

Your personal values system is the cumulation of all of your personal values. Together, they shape how you interact with the world around you. 

Transparency , self-discipline , and trustworthiness may be some core values that make up your personal values system. When faced with difficult conversations or challenging projects, these are the values you lean into. And you may expect the same set of values from your coworkers and friends. 

How are personal values formed?

You likely picked up your values from how and where you were raised . As a child, you observe and absorb the behaviors of people around you, such as:

Your parents or primary caregiver

Siblings and other close family members

Your teachers and other authority figures

Your friends

Your community

Religion or spirituality

Cultural expectations

All of these influence how personal values form. As you mature into your whole self , you decide which values you’d like to keep and which ones you’d like to leave behind to build a more fulfilling life. 

Why are core personal values important?

Common core values are essential to social cohesion but can also cause conflict or discrimination . One Association for Consumer Research study found that people of culturally diverse backgrounds may be identified by their values with 65% accuracy , meaning that it’s easy to assume what culture they’re from based on their values.

These differences in values might be strong enough to cause conflict if you can’t respect or see the merit in other people’s ways of thinking. That’s why it’s important to communicate your needs and set boundaries so others understand where you’re coming from (and vice versa).

Are personal values permanent?

Although your core values may be fairly stable, it might surprise you to know that your values change and evolve. Personal values are constantly changing as you learn and grow. This is why you should understand your own personal values system and check in with yourself regularly. 

Sometimes you hold values that seem right, but you haven’t actually tested them yet. A structured corporate job might make you think you value order and predictability. But after a career change into a more casual work environment, you might realize that values like flexibility, creativity, and boldness of character matter to you far more. 

Through self-reflection and self-examination, you might find certain values are holding you back or hurting your relationships. Values around money and status that once seemed compelling may stop being helpful if your career feels like a never-ending race with financial gain as the only goal.

Once you define those values, you can consider whether they still matter to you. You may need to change or reframe them so they’re more helpful and less harmful in your life. Or, if they still hold true, you can change your habits to honor them.

Here’s a list of core values to inspire you. Try to look for them within yourself:

  • Dependability
  • Sustainability
  • Self-respect
  • Adaptability
  • Assertiveness
  • Open-mindedness
  • Personal growth
  • Flexibility
  • Improvement
  • Self-reliance

father-using-laptop-while-his-son-plays-personal-values-examples

You can see how these might define your behavior or affect life decisions. If you value humility , you’ll be less likely to be flashy about your skills, no matter how talented you actually are.

And if frugality is important to you, you’ll spend money with more intention than someone with different values. None of these traits is worse than another: everyone is different, and that’s the beauty of individuality.

Here’s how you can start identifying values in your own life. Open a document or pull out a notebook and try the following exercises to find what matters to you.

1. Think of the most meaningful moments in your life

What made those important moments meaningful to you? Who did you share them with? You can define “meaningful” however you like, but it usually encompasses moments where you were at peace and filled with purpose .

Parents experience this during their child’s birth, first steps, and first words. You might experience it at work when you’re using your skills to do something important that brings the company value. Or you might feel this way with an old colleague when you’re helping them through a rough career path and know your advice resonates. 

As you list your meaningful moments, a theme should emerge. Connect the dots to reveal your core values.

2. Think of the moments you felt the least satisfied

This is similar to the first exercise. But this time, try to imagine the opposite. What were some of your worst life experiences? Why do they weigh so heavily on you? How were other people behaving toward you?

You might feel unfulfilled at work if the organization’s mission statement doesn’t match your sense of purpose. It’s the same story when spotting red flags in a relationship .

Mismatched values might leave you feeling unsatisfied, and they don’t necessarily have to be “bad values” like dishonesty or vanity. You'll feel stifled if your boss prefers routine but you enjoy innovation . 

woman-sitting-on-bed-discouraged-personal-values-examples

3. Pay attention to what stories inspire you

When you read the news or browse your library, see if any articles or books catch your attention. Look for people whose behavior you admire or respect. Consider why their stories speak to you and what that says about your sense of self. 

4. Figure out what makes you angry

You can learn a lot about your values by paying attention to what irritates you. Maybe a colleague rubs you the wrong way, a coworker upset you, or you found a task frustrating. Your feelings might be rooted in a contradiction of your values. If communication matters to you, a lack of it will make you angry.

5. Imagine your ideal environment

Think about your workplace. If you could reshape the company culture , what would it look like? Think of the employee benefits you’d provide (or not), how coworkers would treat each other, and how people might spend their time. Chances are, your choices will reflect the values you want to see in all areas of your life.

6. Review the accomplishments you’re most proud of

You’ve done a lot of things in your life. Think of the ones that fill you with pride. What did you do? What was the impact? Why those accomplishments and not others?

You might see some overlap with your most meaningful moments here. Was an important promotion one of the best days of your life? Is that more important than a great day with your friends? What does that tell you?

It’s good to understand your values, but they mean nothing without action. Here are some tips that will help you live with more authenticity.

1. Create a list of priority values

Not all values are equal, and some might even conflict with each other. You’ll have to think of which ones are most important to you. 

Make a list of your top values. If you’re stuck between two, imagine a situation where you could only satisfy one of them. Think about which one you would choose and why. 

man-reviewing-projects-personal-values-examples

Here’s an example you might find in your professional life. 

Imagine a coworker is proud of a presentation they worked on for weeks, but it lacks clarity, organization, and key points. Your top two values are honesty and kindness.

Do you give your colleague some unsolicited constructive feedback and risk bruising their ego ? Or do you keep it to yourself, sacrificing your honesty? Sometimes, being honest is being kind in itself, but the situation gets murky when you don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings.

2. Use your values to set goals

Your values should inform your 5-year plan and vision statement . Consider the following question: what do you have to change to better live by your values? This question can help you with short and long-term goal setting .

If you value cooperation, you might look for a job that focuses on teamwork. If you value learning, you can enroll in night classes to earn additional qualifications.

3. Allow for exceptions

Values are your ideal vision for the world, but sometimes they conflict with reality. To mitigate this, think of circumstances where it’s acceptable to compromise. You can value loyalty to your job unless your boss oversteps your work-life balance . You don’t have to be rigid if that causes negative consequences.

4. Strengthen your values with good habits

It’s easy to lose track of your values when you’re busy with daily life. Here are some habits that can help you when you don’t have much free time :

Write down a personal value statement

Reinforce your values into a journaling practice

Read them aloud during regular manifestation

Print out your values and keep them with you

Place them somewhere visible like your bathroom mirror

woman-reading-book-in-the-morning-personal-values-examples

These small day-to-day tasks will help you live a life that adheres to your values. And if you accidentally stray, analyze the situation after. Ask yourself what you could have done differently and why you made the decision you did.

5. Practice Inner Work®️

Inner Work®️ is about exploring and connecting your internal self to the world around you. This means making the changes necessary to live your values every day.

It can also mean recognizing when some values don’t serve you anymore. After some self-reflection, you might find that your attitudes do more harm than good. Inner Work®️ recognizes that and helps you find the courage and motivation to make the daily changes that will help you live with more clarity, purpose, and passion. 

Now you’ll know why it irks you so much next time someone interrupts you or tells a white lie. People with mismatching values are at best frustrating, and at worst emotional vampires . The same is true for other aspects of your life. 

Reviewing common personal value examples can help you get in touch with yourself and align with like-minded people. 

When you live by your values, you’ll notice that things will feel easier. It’ll improve your emotional health by helping you feel more at peace. Plus, you’ll unlock your potential , knowing you’re living in a way that’s authentic to you. 

Elizabeth Perry, ACC

Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships. With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.

Belief or value? Learn the difference and set yourself free

The meaning of personal values and how they impact your life, how to instill family values that align with your own, 45 company core values examples and steps to identify yours, how are personal values formed discover the joy of a life aligned, how spiritual wellness unlocks creativity and resourcefulness, how to spend quality time with family (even when you’re busy), key values in a relationship: why are they important, what are personal values discover yours in 5 steps, similar articles, personal goals that work: 20 examples to get started, self-knowledge examples that will help you upgrade to you 2.0, 8 ethical values every professional should adopt, stay connected with betterup, get our newsletter, event invites, plus product insights and research..

3100 E 5th Street, Suite 350 Austin, TX 78702

  • Platform Overview
  • Integrations
  • Powered by AI
  • BetterUp Lead
  • BetterUp Manage™
  • BetterUp Care™
  • Sales Performance
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Case Studies
  • Why BetterUp?
  • About Coaching
  • Find your Coach
  • Career Coaching
  • Communication Coaching
  • Life Coaching
  • News and Press
  • Leadership Team
  • Become a BetterUp Coach
  • BetterUp Labs
  • Center for Purpose & Performance
  • Leadership Training
  • Business Coaching
  • Contact Support
  • Contact Sales
  • Privacy Policy
  • Acceptable Use Policy
  • Trust & Security
  • Cookie Preferences

Pitchgrade

Presentations made painless

  • Get Premium

112 Personal Values Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

Personal values are the beliefs and principles that guide our decisions and actions in life. They are the core of who we are and what we stand for. Identifying and understanding our personal values is crucial for living a fulfilling and authentic life.

To help you explore and reflect on your personal values, we have compiled a list of 112 essay topic ideas and examples. These topics cover a wide range of values, from honesty and integrity to compassion and empathy. Whether you are writing an essay for a class assignment or simply reflecting on your values, these prompts will help you delve deep into what matters most to you.

  • The importance of honesty in relationships
  • How integrity shapes our character
  • The value of perseverance in achieving our goals
  • Why empathy is essential for understanding others
  • The role of compassion in building a more caring society
  • The significance of gratitude in fostering happiness
  • How courage helps us overcome challenges
  • The power of forgiveness in healing relationships
  • The impact of generosity on others
  • The value of respect in building trust
  • Why humility is important in personal growth
  • The role of responsibility in being a good citizen
  • The importance of loyalty in friendships
  • How authenticity leads to self-acceptance
  • The significance of kindness in a world filled with negativity
  • Why fairness is essential for justice
  • The value of patience in dealing with difficult situations
  • How self-discipline leads to success
  • The impact of open-mindedness on personal growth
  • The role of independence in making our own choices
  • Why self-care is crucial for mental health
  • The importance of self-reflection in personal development
  • How mindfulness leads to a more peaceful life
  • The value of perseverance in overcoming obstacles
  • Why self-respect is key to self-esteem
  • The significance of self-awareness in understanding our emotions
  • How self-compassion leads to self-acceptance
  • The impact of self-confidence on our actions
  • The role of self-control in managing impulses
  • Why self-expression is important for creativity
  • The value of self-improvement in reaching our full potential
  • How self-reliance leads to independence
  • The importance of selflessness in helping others
  • Why selflessness is essential for building strong relationships
  • The significance of service to others in making a difference
  • How simplicity leads to a more meaningful life
  • The impact of sincerity on building trust
  • The role of solidarity in standing up for others
  • Why spirituality is important for inner peace
  • The value of stewardship in protecting the environment
  • How strength of character leads to resilience
  • The importance of teamwork in achieving common goals
  • Why tolerance is crucial for diversity
  • The significance of trust in building relationships
  • How truthfulness leads to authenticity
  • The impact of understanding on resolving conflicts
  • The role of unity in creating harmony
  • Why uprightness is essential for moral integrity
  • The value of virtue in guiding our actions
  • How wisdom leads to sound decision-making
  • The importance of work ethic in achieving success
  • Why ambition is crucial for reaching our goals
  • The significance of balance in maintaining harmony
  • How beauty leads to appreciation of life
  • The impact of belief in oneself on achieving dreams
  • The role of boldness in taking risks
  • Why creativity is essential for innovation
  • The value of curiosity in learning new things
  • How determination leads to achievement
  • The importance of diligence in pursuing excellence
  • Why enthusiasm is crucial for motivation
  • The significance of flexibility in adapting to change
  • How focus leads to productivity
  • The impact of freedom on individual rights
  • The role of friendship in providing support
  • Why fun is essential for a balanced life
  • The value of generosity in giving back
  • How growth leads to personal development
  • The importance of harmony in relationships
  • Why health is crucial for overall well-being
  • The significance of honesty in communication
  • How humor leads to laughter and joy
  • The impact of independence on autonomy
  • The role of innovation in progress
  • Why justice is essential for fairness
  • The value of leadership in guiding others
  • How love leads to compassion
  • Why moderation is crucial for balance
  • The significance of optimism in facing challenges
  • How passion leads to fulfillment
  • The impact of patience in waiting for results
  • The role of perseverance in achieving long-term goals
  • Why positivity is essential for a healthy mindset
  • The value of purpose in finding meaning in life
  • How resilience leads to bouncing back from setbacks
  • The importance of responsibility in taking ownership
  • Why service to others is crucial for community
  • The significance of simplicity in decluttering our lives
  • How sincerity leads to trustworthiness
  • The impact of social justice on equality
  • The role of solidarity in standing up for what is right
  • Why spirituality is essential for inner peace
  • The value of stewardship in caring for the environment

These essay topics are just a starting point for exploring your personal values. Take the time to reflect on what matters most to you and why these values are important in your life. By understanding and living by your personal values, you can lead a more authentic and fulfilling life.

Want to create a presentation now?

Instantly Create A Deck

Let PitchGrade do this for me

Hassle Free

We will create your text and designs for you. Sit back and relax while we do the work.

Explore More Content

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service

© 2023 Pitchgrade

Core Values in Personal Belief System Essay

Although a number of values shape my life, there are five values that are very important to me. These are my core values and include happiness, family, friends, pleasure and financial security and stability. I received these values from my parents and major events that have shaped my life. Additionally, these values dictate my daily activities and how I relate to people in the society. For that reason, my core values signify things that outline my life. I will be discussing who I am in terms of important values that shape my personal belief system and decision-making framework that describes the direction of my life.

The key to happiness is maximizing pleasure and reducing pain. Happiness is an indication that my life has a meaning and that I can accomplish my goals. The pleasant moods and emotions brought about by happiness are very important to me. However, I must fulfill most of my aspirations in order to live a happy life. Therefore, the more desires I fulfill, the happier my life will be. Moreover, happier people are physically and mentally healthier. Consequently, happiness gives me the necessary strength and right frame of mind to face life. Happiness, hence, drives my success. As a result, my life becomes more satisfying.

A family brings about a feeling of being wanted and connected to my close confidants. Therefore, a family is very important to me. This is because I have people around me who I can look up to in times of happiness and sorrow. In this context, a family is not only my kinsmen but also people I can closely relate to. It will be very difficult for me to succeed without people who care and trust me. In addition, a family will take pride in my success and encourage me when I am down and out. Moreover, with my nuclear family close, I am guaranteed of a loyal support. For that reason, I believe that I am who I am because of my family.

Having friends will always be in the list of my core values. To me, friends create a social bond which has many advantages. To start with, friends help me overcome and interpret challenges. In addition, I continuously learn a lot of new things from friends. For instance, I discover new survival tactics in the various traits displayed by my friends. Moreover, friends help me socialize. This is advantageous to me because socializing offers some emotional support to me. Consequently, stress and depression associated with loneliness are not in my dictionary. Friends, therefore, help me cope with life in the best way possible.

As a human being, I seek satisfaction in all my undertakings. Pleasure, as a core value, is all about satisfaction. Moreover, pleasure generates happiness in me. For that reason, I am able to face life as a more contented person. However, not all things derive pleasure to me. Therefore, I prioritize my daily activities depending on the pleasure generated. This helps me live a more focused and efficient life. Pleasure, therefore, brings out the best in me. It makes me work very hard towards achieving my lifetime goals.

Financial security and stability is also very important value to me. Although money cannot buy happiness, it brings about contentment. God will only cater for my needs if I work towards my financial security and stability. This is because I need money to cater for my bills. This means that my survival solely depends on my finances. Additionally, financial security will enable me enjoy the good things of life and deal with emergencies. As a result, I will be able to live a happy and stable life. Financial stability will also help me have a fruitful life after retirement. Therefore, my life will never be the same again without this core value.

None of my core values can act independently. The interaction among the five core values is what dictates who I am. These values determine how I interact with other people and which strategies I apply in life. They are truly what drive my life forward. Therefore, knowing and acknowledging my core values brings about satisfaction in me. Furthermore, these core values also help me design my lifetime goals. They, thus, help dictate the direction my life will take.

In conclusion, I agree that values are important to my life. However, my core values mean a lot to me. My core values include happiness, family, friends, pleasure and financial security and stability. The pleasant moods and emotions brought about by happiness are very important to me. In additionally, a family brings a feeling of being wanted and connected to my close confidants. Furthermore, friends help me overcome and interpret challenges in life. Moreover, Pleasure generates satisfaction and happiness in me. Finally, financial stability and security brings about contentment in me. However, none of these values can act alone. Therefore, I require the right mix of these values in order to live a successful life.

  • Chicago (A-D)
  • Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2021, April 9). Core Values in Personal Belief System. https://ivypanda.com/essays/core-values-in-personal-belief-system/

"Core Values in Personal Belief System." IvyPanda , 9 Apr. 2021, ivypanda.com/essays/core-values-in-personal-belief-system/.

IvyPanda . (2021) 'Core Values in Personal Belief System'. 9 April.

IvyPanda . 2021. "Core Values in Personal Belief System." April 9, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/core-values-in-personal-belief-system/.

1. IvyPanda . "Core Values in Personal Belief System." April 9, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/core-values-in-personal-belief-system/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Core Values in Personal Belief System." April 9, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/core-values-in-personal-belief-system/.

  • Wolof Culture in West African States
  • The Roles of Domestic Violence Advocates
  • Making a Happier Military
  • How to Be Happier
  • How to Live a Happy Life: 101 Ways to Be Happier
  • The Link Between Performance-Based Pay and Job Contentment
  • Thanks!: How Practicing Gratitude Can Make You Happier by Robert Emmons
  • Pets’ Adoption: Cats Make This Life Happier
  • Whether Housewives Happier than Full-time Working Mothers
  • Utilitarianism as an Ethical Principle
  • Amy Tan’s and Personal English Learning Experience
  • Personal Legend and Journey of Evolution
  • Sociological Perspective of a Chicago Citizen
  • Chinese Immigration to Cambodia in Personal Story
  • Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps' Experience

helpful professor logo

35 Personal Values Examples

personal values examples and definition, explained below

Personal values are the values that you hold dearest to your heart. They’re central to your sense of yourself as an ethical being.

We will often also call them our core values .

We develop our personal values from our cultural and social context. Our families, cultures, and societies give us values that are passed down from generation to generation.

Religion is another important place where people source their inspiration and values. Many religions encourage us to embrace personal values like charity, goodwill, and justice.

Personal Values Examples

1. Family – Family values are moral and ethical principles of typical family life, including sacrificing for loved ones, putting your loved ones first, and keeping your loved ones at the center of your thoughts and actions.

2. Loyalty – Loyalty might be a core personal value to you if you highly prize friends that are reliable and trustworthy. You might put your friends or chosen family first, always being there for them when they need you.

3. Compassion – A compassionate person is someone who prioritizes caring for others and feeling sympathetic for people in need of help and protection.

Related Article: 25 Humility Examples

4. Fairness – If you value fairness, you might be highly sensitive to situations at school or in the workplace where a teacher or a peer has exhibited favoritism or allowed someone to get away with living by a different set of rules to everyone else.

5. Honesty – You may highly value telling people the truth. This one gets tricky when being honest can be hurtful to others. So, a person who really puts honesty first might be the sort of person who will tell the truth even if it hurts to do so.

6. Generosity – This may be a core value of yours if you cherish people who will give their time and resources to people in need. You may consider yourself to be a generous person if you find joy and meaning in giving to others.

Related Article: 17 Best Adversity Examples

7. Integrity – Integrity is the quality of having strong moral principles. So, a person with integrity will always act with honesty and adhere to their own moral code regardless of what others do.

8. Perseverance – People who value perseverance will work through adversity and be determined to get a result. This is a great treat for employees and entrepreneurs alike.

9. Trustworthiness – A trustworthy person is someone who others can rely on to keep their commitments, maintain integrity when people aren’t looking, and keep the secrets of others. This might be valuable for a manger-level employee who is trusted with money-making decisions.

10. Courageousness – If you value courage, it means that you highly respect people who are willing to take risks and stand up for what they believe in even when the going gets tough.

11. Self-Discipline – If you value self-discipline, you might be a person who wakes up early, exercises daily, and doesn’t get distracted by vices.

12. Humility – You might highly value humility if you find yourself disgusted by people who are arrogant or braggadocious, and instead find yourself gravitating to people who are always expressing their gratefulness for the blessings in their life.

13. Kindness – If you value kindness, you’ll likely always be respectful of people around you, be gentle with criticism, and always willing to welcome people with open arms.

Related Article: 8 Types of Values

14. Individual Responsibility – If you value individual responsibility, you respect people who get up and work hard for what they’ve got, don’t ask for hand-outs, and will always expect higher of themselves.

15. Gratitude – You value gratitude if you find yourself respecting people who say please and thank you. If you’re a religious person who values gratitude, you may always insist on praying before eating your dinner.

16. Empathy – If you value empathy, you may find yourself gravitating toward people who can put themselves in the shoes of others. You, personally, may find yourself feeling for the sick or downtrodden and wanting to do something to help them.

17. Patience – A person who has patience as a core personal value is going to prioritize giving their time to others. They will sit down and be calm while waiting for others. This is a great trait for a teacher.

Related Article: Values in Sociology – Explained.

18. Open-Mindedness – An open-minded person is someone who is always willing to hear new points of view and even change their own point of view if new arguments are highly convincing. It’s the opposite of stubbornness.

19. Thoughtfulness – You may highly value people who are thoughtful. If this is you, then you might find yourself rolling your eyes at people who are full of bluster and never stop to reflect on their own actions.

20. Optimism – Some people are perpetual optimists. They value optimism , perhaps because by being optimistic, you are more willing to have a go at achieving even unattainable goals. You may also be more willing to persevere through hard times.

21. Altruism – If you highly value altruism, then you value people who do good deeds for the intrinsic value of those good deeds, and not in order to feel good about themselves or get something out of it.

22. Tolerance and Diversity – If you value tolerance and diversity , then you’re likely very comfortable with multiculturalism and want to encourage people to live and respect the wide variety of cultures and traditions that exist in modern society.

23. Forgiveness – Forgiveness is a central value in Christianity. It emphasizes the importance of redemption and getting a second chance. If this is a personal value of yours, then you likely don’t hold grudges and want to move forward and see the best of people in the future.

See Also: Personal Credo Examples

24. Being True to Yourself – This value is all about making sure people are not hiding who they really are in order to satisfy others. Instead, it thinks that humans flourish when they are living their best life.

25. Community – If you value community, then you are someone who might do a lot of volunteering and find meaning and purpose in being a member of a community group.

26. Social Justice – If social justice is central to your personal value set, then you likely want to see the oppressed and downtrodden get better treatment. You might advocate for fairness in your workplace and want to dedicate your time and resources to stamping out discrimination.

27. Dependability – If you value being dependable, then you might make sure you always turn up 5 minutes ahead of time so you’re never late and you never miss a deadline. If you say you’re going to do something, you will do it.

28. Work Ethic – Work ethic is a personal value that’s great to mention in an interview or CV. It means that you always put your head down and work your heart out to do a good job. You’ll never be found slacking off!

29. Respect – The value of respect reminds us that we should always be polite and caring for others. Even when someone disrespects us, we hold ourselves to higher regard and always treat people with the respect that we want to be treated with.

30. Compromise – The value of compromise is a very wise value. It involves recognizing that you will never get your own way, but by getting people together to reach an agreement, you can achieve great outcomes for all.

31. Playfulness – Playfulness is a value if you think it’s inherently important for living a good life. You might think that taking time off for relaxation and play is incredibly important for you, and that you’ll make sure you never let work take over life.

32. Pragmatism – A pragmatist values setting goals that are achievable. You’re the opposite of a dreamer. Instead, you have aspirations, but the most important thing to you is that you set yourself to tasks that you know can succeed at.

33. Environmentalism – Environmentalism may be a core value to you if you think it’s extremely important to care for the environment and natural world. It’s even more of a personal value if you act on it by limiting your waste, driving less, and buying ethical products.

34. Independence – Independence is important to you if you refuse to be tied to a job or a partner. Many modern-day women, for example, want to maintain their independent identity even while having a partner who they love.

35. Individual Liberty – If you value individual liberty, then you respect other people’s rights to make decisions for their own lives. It tries to ensure people don’t impose themselves on others. However, this rubs up against communitarian values where you need to do things for the greater good.

See Also: 65 Personal Identity Examples

Determining your Core Personal Values

When coming up with what your personal values framework, have a think about what’s important to you and what inspires you. Some sources can include:

1. What are your Family’s Values?

Our parents are the first people who teach us the difference between right and wrong. They lay the foundations for our lives by exposing us to stories that can help us build a moral framework, as well as exposing us to important influences like our church group or close family friends. Similarly, our siblings and cousins are often the first friends we have, and we learn right from wrong through playing with them.

2. What are your Religion’s Values?

Throughout history, societies have turned to religion for our values. Religious texts allow people to contemplate right from wrong and learn from a higher power about how we humans are expected to behave here on earth. Agnostic people may turn instead to philosophy for wise people who can teach us important lessons about right and wrong, and how to live a good life.

3. What are your Culture’s Values?

Each culture has a set of values around which it is oriented. We have western culture, for example, which values individual liberty and democracy. Similarly, in the United States, individual accountability is an important value. In societies like Denmark, care for the community is more heavily emphasized. You may embrace these sociocultural values as personal values if you find they resonate with you.

4. What are your Mentors’ Values?

There may be mentors in your life, such as teachers or coaches, who you admire for their wisdom and the way they behave. Reflect on why you respect them. Chances are, it’s because of the values they live by: respect, integrity, hard-work, or compassion.

5. Who are the People you Admire?

While a mentor might be a person in your life who you know personally, there may be other people you admire who are celebrities or politicians. For example, you might admire a sports star, actor, or philanthropist who is changing the world. Reflect on what values they have that make them admirable. This might be their work ethic that got them to the top, their humility in interviews, or their generosity in giving to the poor and needy.

6. What does Your Ideal World Look Like?

Reflect on the world you want. Consider what it looks like. It might have many of the values you embrace weaved into it. Your ideal world might be peaceful, compassionate, and fair. Or, it might be one full of wealth and pure meritocracy where the hard workers and people who take individual responsibility truly are the wealthiest and most successful of all.

Personal Values for a CV

The best personal values to include in a CV or resume are ones that demonstrate that you will be an excellent employee. For example, employers often want employees who:

  • Have work ethic – This will show that you’re going to work very hard and not waste your employer’s money.
  • Have integrity – This will show that you can be trusted, even when no one is looking.
  • Value cooperation – In today’s workplaces, you need to work in teams to get jobs done. A person who works well in teams is a valuable asset to a company.
  • Are optimistic – Your employer wants a positive person who will spread motivation and positivity around the workplace and to customers.

Go Deeper: Resume Skills Examples

Benefits of Clear Personal Value Sets

Having a clear value set has several important benefits . For example, it can help you to:

  • Make decisions. If you know what you truly value, then you can use your values as a guide when making decisions – big and small! For example, it can help you make decisions about what career to go into (one that will help you exercise your values) or what to study at university.
  • Work through difficulty. If you know who you are and what you value, then hard times are easier. You will have your values as a guiding star, reminding you to persevere and carry on through difficulty.
  • Set goals. You’ll know what you value and what you want, meaning you will be able to identify exactly what you want out of a good life.
  • Make social connections. By knowing who you are, you can gravitate to others who share your personal value set.

As you can see, there are many different personal values that can help shape our character and guide us through life as we interact with others, make decisions, and face challenges both large and small.

When telling others what your personal values are, make sure you state examples of personal values that are genuinely reflective of yourself, not just ones that you think sound good. People will know if you’ve not told the truth because you need to demonstrate and live by your personal values every day of your life.

Chris

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

  • Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 5 Top Tips for Succeeding at University
  • Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 50 Durable Goods Examples
  • Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 100 Consumer Goods Examples
  • Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 30 Globalization Pros and Cons

1 thought on “35 Personal Values Examples”

' src=

Thank you for the articles that you have written and shared. I just finished reading two on humility and 35 Personal Values. You write in a way that engages the reader. That is something that I would like to do one day. I have some writing helps, I just don’t know how to get started. It is a worry that I end up writing and it won’t be good enough for publication. Your article on 35 Examples of Humility was very eye-opening and informative. These articles have been so helpful. Again, thank you for teaching more on both subjects.

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Home / Essay Samples / Philosophy / Ethics / My Personal And Ethical Values

My Personal And Ethical Values

  • Category: Philosophy , Psychology , Life
  • Topic: Ethics , Morality , Values

Pages: 3 (1545 words)

Views: 2716

  • Downloads: -->

--> ⚠️ Remember: This essay was written and uploaded by an--> click here.

Found a great essay sample but want a unique one?

are ready to help you with your essay

You won’t be charged yet!

Empathy Essays

Responsibility Essays

Inspiration Essays

Courage Essays

Fear Essays

Related Essays

We are glad that you like it, but you cannot copy from our website. Just insert your email and this sample will be sent to you.

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service  and  Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Your essay sample has been sent.

In fact, there is a way to get an original essay! Turn to our writers and order a plagiarism-free paper.

samplius.com uses cookies to offer you the best service possible.By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .--> -->