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144 Examples of Personal Values

John Spacey, updated on July 03, 2024

Personal values are principles of life that an individual uses to guide their plans, decisions and actions. These may be inherently felt by an individual or may be adopted in hopes of shaping future behavior. Values that are memorable and deeply meaningful to you may indeed influence your life. One word values such as "integrity" don't tend to be as useful as short phrases such as parables and truisms, even if they are somewhat cliche. Often cliches become cliches because they have meaning that is useful to thinking and conversation such that they are often repeated. The following are illustrative examples of personal values.

If you do it, do it well.

Be accountable for your actions.

Ignore the haters.

Love over money.

Abundance mentality -- there is enough for everyone.

Fill life with culture such as music, film and architecture.

Fear, hate and anger are toxic.

Logic and emotion aren't mutually exclusive.

Accept reality and avoid delusional thinking.

Problems often contain valuable lessons.

Criticism and self-criticism can spark improvement.

Create much value and success will follow.

All things are impermanent. Try to embrace change.

Live with compassion and kindness.

Love yourself as you really are.

Be allergic to stereotypes and biases.

Never be jealous.

Earn and save to achieve financial stability and independence.

Give to charity.

Ask questions, research, challenge assumptions.

Avoid overthinking, overplanning and overdoing.

Family first.

Forgive and forget.

Live with a sense of gratitude.

Find adventure and exploration.

Comfort, convenience and complacency can lead to mediocrity.

Be brave.

Never bullshit.

Do your best and let the chips fall where they may.

Build relationships and influence people.

Don't be quick to judge.

Happiness is found in virtue.

Have faith.

Give all people a fair and equal chance.

Never compare yourself to others without a practical purpose.

Art, culture, storytelling and tradition have value.

Be curious -- research and discover.

Cleanliness and order are important.

Gentle negative emotions such as melancholy, nostalgia and angst can have a purpose.

Be frugal -- get value for money.

Never fear anyone or anything.

Build resilience to stress.

Cultivate self-control.

Be good to nature.

Give back.

Be good to people.

Unity in diversity.

Think global, act local.

Grey areas and nuance are important.

Grant others the benefit of doubt.

Try to see the good side of people.

Trust but verify.

Try to be open-minded but original.

Think big.

Tell the truth.

Take the time to cultivate a stable and happy mind.

Deal with your own faults before judging others.

Be happy for the successes of others.

Be loyal to those who deserve it.

Value people, things and nature.

Take the high road.

Never give up but recognize failure.

Take responsibility.

It is never too late to change.

Take intelligent risks.

Work with urgency.

Play the game.

The impossible is sometimes possible.

Life is fundamentally good and beautiful.

Be inclusive and demonstrate tolerance.

Build up others to build up yourself.

Never hate.

Two wrongs don't make a right.

Seek peace.

Success is not final, remain vigilant.

Treat others as you would like to be treated (Golden Rule).

Say what you mean.

Respect tradition.

Tell it like it is.

People have faults -- try to be patient and understanding.

Surround yourself with the best people.

Spend quality time with friends and family.

Play cultivates creativity, flexibility and imagination.

Socializing is important. No person is an island.

Problems and obstacles are nothing but opportunities to demonstrate and build moral fortitude.

Life is fun and it can be a mistake to be too serious all the time.

Live in harmony with nature.

Do good.

Take it easy.

Take only what you need.

Outcompete and win.

It takes decades to build a reputation and minutes to destroy it.

Don't lie.

Pay it forward.

Try to be fair by eliminating my own biases.

Work hard, be diligent.

Fail often to win often.

Unlearning can be as important as learning.

Live everyday as if it were the last.

Respect your body -- exercise and eat well.

It is not bad luck or good luck that matters -- it's your virtuous response to each.

Failure is not final -- it can actually be a good sign.

Respect time.

Style and aesthetics are worthy pursuits.

Socialize, cooperate and share.

It's better to be misunderstood than boring.

Engage in debate and push for change.

Never look down on others.

Be pragmatic / optimistic / realistic.

Keep it real.

Slow down.

Play the long game.

Temperance and moderation.

Think for yourself.

Transcend the bullshit.

Practice nonviolence.

Work on my faults or accept them.

Respect local culture.

Pride makes us foolish. Practice humility.

Live and let live.

Laugh every day.

Be unaffected -- seldom look for validation from others.

Empathize -- try to understand how others feel.

Be yourself.

Don't let others define you.

Life is too short for mediocrity and complacency.

Expect and give respect.

Use criticism as fuel.

Use optimism and realism strategically.

Learn and try to cultivate wisdom.

Don't try to please everyone.

Never waste time, money or resources.

Life is too short to waste on the negative.

Each human is unique and precious.

Listen to others and be open to being influenced.

Live in the moment.

Seek knowledge, understanding and meaning.

Never work for the dark side.

Politeness is important.

Prioritize freedom.

Prioritize responsibilities.

Progress over perfection.

Optimistic idealism is better than angry idealism -- accept the world the way it is but push for positive change.

Redemption is always possible.

Reduce my impact on the environment.

Resentment and complaint are poison.

Overview

Personal values are things that you hold to be important in your life or principles that guide your thinking and behavior. It is common to reflect upon your values and to write them down as a statement of values.

Summary

In addition to the principles above, personal values can be one word summaries or memorable statements that capture standards for your behavior. Personal values could also apply to your expectations of others. However this isn't necessarily a good idea as principles should focus on what you can change and setting high expectations of others could make you demanding, unfriendly or lacking in compassion and understanding for the human condition.