Values

Knowing your values will help you develop a clearer sense of what's most important to you in life.

A value is a belief and a priority that is meaningful to you and that influences both your actions and reactions. Values can serve as your guiding force, especially when making decisions and pursuing options that lead to happiness, including career options.

Explore these activities to begin identifying your values:

A value is a belief and a priority that is meaningful to you.

Values are desirable qualities, standards or principles that serve as your guiding force, especially when making decisions and pursuing options that best meet your needs and lead to increased happiness. Values influence both your actions and reactions. Therefore identifying and focusing on your work and personal values helps you clarify what is most important to you, and helps you become more successful and satisfied in life. By clarifying and applying your values, you can achieve enhanced self-awareness and ultimately be guided towards a more satisfying career.

• Work & personal values checklist (PDF)

End of Career Brainstorming

Imagine that you are about to retire. Looking back on your career and the past years of your life, consider the following questions:

• "End of Career Brainstorm" activity (PDF)

Try to update your vision throughout the process. After completing these activities how does this inform, clarify, or expand your vision?