The personal values exercise gives a clear values clarification prompt for people who want to reconnect with identity, priorities and meaningful personal goals. It uses a simple checklist of values, with descriptions and importance ratings, making it useful as a printable CBT worksheet, ACT values exercise, therapy handout or coaching reflection tool.
In therapy sessions, coaching conversations or reflective work at home, the checklist can help adults and older teenagers name the values they want to live by rather than focusing only on goals or problems. It is especially suited to people exploring identity, motivation, recovery, personal growth or life direction.
The PDF is structured as a three-page personal values worksheet. It begins by explaining that goals are the “what”, while values provide the “why”. The main table then lists values such as accepting, authentic, caring, courageous, creative, emotionally aware, fairness, fitness, honesty, independent, orderly, respectful, self-disciplined, tenacious and trusted.
Each value includes a short description and three rating columns: highly important, moderately important and less important. That format makes it easy to use as a values assessment, values inventory, counselling worksheet or wellbeing activity, because the person can work through the list without needing long written answers at first.
Space is also included for additional values, which helps avoid making the list feel fixed or prescriptive. The final priority section asks which six values will be instrumental in achieving personal goals, encouraging a practical link between reflection and action.
Practitioners may use it during CBT, ACT-informed therapy, supervision or personal development work, while individuals can print it for journalling or goal-setting. It may be particularly helpful when choices feel unclear, when motivation has dropped, or when someone wants to check whether their daily behaviour still fits what matters to them.
