Our goals stem from a desire to improve our lives and the world around us, yet people often fail to examine the underlying values that drive their goals. Before setting challenging long-term goals, take some time to consider how they align with your core values. Values are broad principles about how we want to live our lives. They include ideas like achievement, integrity, family and adventure. Taking time to identify and write out your values can help you point your goals and effort toward the things you truly care about. Goals that don’t align with your values will be harder to achieve and less fulfilling. Goals that do align with your values will be easier and more satisfying.

Carve out a chunk of time to think through and write down your core values. To help, ask yourself:

1. What do I spend the most time on?
2. What do I enjoy the most?
3. What makes me proud?
4. What do I aspire to?
5. Who do I look up to?
6. When am I happiest?
7. What are the most important things for me to achieve in my life?
8. What do I want more of?
9. What makes me angry?
10. What are my favorite stories about?
11. When do I feel most content?

There are extensive lists of values online. Review one and pull out the values that resonate most with you. Then compare them. Which are more important? By eliminating and combining items, you can narrow them down to a short list of between 2 and 7 core values.

Once you know your core values, use those values as a guide for setting your goals.