The Hollow Feeling That Points to Something Deeper
Have you ever made a choice that looked perfect on paper but left you feeling completely empty inside? That hollow feeling often signals a gap between what you are doing and what you truly believe. Your core values are the fundamental beliefs that quietly shape every decision, relationship, and goal you pursue. When your daily life ignores these beliefs, frustration and restlessness tend to creep in. In this guide, you will find 13 distinct resources designed to help you pinpoint your values and realign your life with what genuinely matters.
What Are Core Values?
Core values are the deeply held principles that guide your actions and behavior. They reflect what you stand for, influencing how you spend your time, how you treat others, and the ambitions you chase. Common examples include honesty, adventure, compassion, security, and creativity. A 2019 study in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that simply reflecting on personal values significantly increased resilience and reduced stress. The challenge is that many adults never take time to identify their values actively. They move through life guided by outside expectations rather than an internal compass. This is where structured self-discovery tools become invaluable.
The following resources range from simple ranking exercises to comprehensive journaling bundles. Some are free, others are premium, but each one offers a unique pathway toward understanding your authentic priorities.
1. Find Your Passion and Skills Printable Bundle (Etsy)
This comprehensive bundle goes far beyond a simple values list. It combines a vision board, a passion discovery planner, goal-setting sheets, and a skills assessment. The bundle also includes a 30-day journal with daily writing prompts. This makes it a complete system rather than a one-off exercise. You begin by identifying what energizes you and then connect those insights directly to your core values. It is ideal for someone who wants to translate self-discovery into concrete career or lifestyle changes. The structured prompts help you spot patterns in what drains you versus what fuels you.
2. The Core Values Compass PDF (100 to 5 Framework)
This template starts with a broad view of 100 common values. You slowly eliminate what does not resonate until you land on your top five. The process of elimination is powerful. It forces you to make trade-offs, which mirrors real-life decision-making. For example, if you choose “adventure,” you might naturally deprioritize “stability” during the same season of life. This exercise builds decision-making muscle. It mimics the Pareto Principle, helping you identify the vital few values that drive most of your fulfillment.
3. BestSelf Your Core Values Worksheet
BestSelf is the company behind the popular Self Journal. Their worksheet focuses heavily on authentic living. It asks you to not only list your values but to define what each one looks like in daily action. For instance, if “integrity” is a value, your daily action might be “keeping every promise I make to myself.” This clarity turns an abstract idea into a measurable behavior. The worksheet integrates directly with their productivity planners, creating a seamless link between your values and your daily task list.
4. The VIA Character Strengths Survey
While technically a psychological assessment, the VIA Survey is freely available and deeply tied to values. Developed by Drs. Christopher Peterson and Martin Seligman as part of the positive psychology movement, it takes about 15 minutes to complete. It ranks 24 character strengths, which point directly back to your core values. For example, ranking high in “Leadership” or “Kindness” signals that you value influence or community. Over 20 million people have taken this survey, making it one of the most reliable data-backed starting points for self-discovery.
5. Brené Brown’s Living into Our Values Worksheet
Brené Brown’s approach challenges you to identify just two values. She argues that you cannot hold more than two values close enough to actually behave by them every single day. This worksheet asks specific questions like, “What behaviors define this value?” and “What behaviors are deal-breakers?” It is a rigorous, no-fluff exercise popular in leadership coaching and team development. Brown’s research, detailed in her book Dare to Lead, shows that teams with clearly articulated values experience higher trust and lower burnout rates.
6. The Life Values Inventory (LVI)
The LVI helps you assess how well your current lifestyle matches your stated values. It divides life into domains such as work, relationships, and personal growth. If you rank “Health” as a top value but score low on “Current Health Behaviors,” the gap becomes obvious. This inventory was developed by researchers at the University of Florida and is often used in career counseling programs. It is an excellent choice for people who already think they know their values but feel a persistent sense of disconnect between their beliefs and their daily routines.
7. MindTools Core Values Worksheet
This resource uses a card-sort method that is both simple and effective. You sort 50 potential values into three piles: “Very Important,” “Important,” and “Not Important.” From the “Very Important” pile, you narrow down to a final seven. The structured sorting process prevents the overwhelm that often comes from staring at a blank page. MindTools also offers a companion article that helps you interpret your results through the lens of career satisfaction. This makes it a practical choice for workplace or personal use.
8. James Clear’s Identity-Based Values Sheet
James Clear’s method connects values directly to habits and identity. This worksheet asks you to define the type of person you want to become. Instead of writing “I want to be healthy,” you write “I am the kind of person who prioritizes movement.” The values are embedded within the identity statement. This is a highly practical resource for action-oriented readers who want to bridge the gap between knowing and doing. Clear’s approach is influenced by the theory of planned behavior, but it is adapted for a general audience seeking daily consistency.
You may also enjoy reading: 9 Sticky Notes You Should Memorize Today Before Life Gets Harder.
9. Therapist Aid Core Values Worksheet
Therapist Aid offers a straightforward, clinically sound resource. It lists 40 values and asks you to rate each one from “Not Important” to “Very Important.” The simplicity makes it accessible for all age groups, including teenagers and older adults. It is a great starting point for a couple or a parent-child conversation about what matters at home. The worksheet is also available in Spanish, making it accessible to a wider range of families looking to explore their values together.
10. Holstee Life Mission and Reflective Action Kit
Holstee’s kit is beautifully designed and encourages a visual approach to values. It guides you through creating a life mission statement that incorporates your top values. The reflective action part asks you to schedule weekly check-ins. For example, “Did I act in alignment with my value of ‘presence’ this week?” This transforms values from abstract ideas into weekly commitments. The kit includes a large infographic poster that you can frame and hang as a daily reminder of your chosen path.
11. The Focus Course Value Discovery Instrument
This tool is designed for high achievers who feel burned out. It helps you differentiate between values you genuinely choose and values you feel obligated to hold. Letting go of obligatory values like “perfection” or “busyness” creates space for authentic ones like “joy” or “connection.” The Focus Course was created by Michael and Megan Hyatt. It uses a specific “Energy Audit” to help you spot which activities drain you and which ones fuel you. This makes it a powerful resource for anyone recovering from hustle culture.
12. Personal Kanban Values Mapping Worksheet
Personal Kanban is a visual productivity method based on lean manufacturing principles. This worksheet applies those principles to your values. You create a board with columns for “Current Projects,” “Future Ideas,” and “Completed.” Under each project, you list the value it serves. If a project does not serve a clear top-five value, it gets deprioritized or eliminated. This is excellent for visual thinkers and project managers who want to ensure their daily workload aligns with their deeper priorities.
13. The Good Trade Core Values Workbook
This digital workbook is tailored for a modern, mindful lifestyle. It includes sections on sustainability, slow living, and intentional career planning. It combines listicle prompts with open-ended journaling spaces over 30 pages. The Good Trade is a media company focused on ethical living, and their workbook addresses values like fair labor, mindful consumption, and community impact directly. It is a comprehensive option for readers who prefer a modern aesthetic and a holistic approach to self-discovery.
Bringing It All Together
Working through even one or two of these resources can create a profound shift in how you approach your days. You may discover that a value like “security” has been driving your career choices, or that “adventure” has been quietly calling for more space in your life. Knowing your values is just the first step. The real purpose is found in living them out through your decisions, relationships, and daily habits. Use these core values worksheets as your starting point, and give yourself permission to revisit them as you grow.
Ready to dive deeper? Grab the free Self-Discovery Self-Reflection Worksheets at the end of this post to continue your personal growth journey.
