What Are Life Values? (With Characteristics and Examples)

What are life values?

Life values are principles or standards that an individual believes in and considers to be important or desirable in their life. These are personal values that often determine the guidelines that they follow when making judgments and influence how they interact with other people and function in society. Values may also help them in establishing priorities in life and can motivate you to reach their goals.

Values usually form in early childhood. Personal experiences, socialization with others, and the influence of religious and educational institutions and other organizations an individual belongs to may reinforce or change them. Culture is also a crucial factor in a person’s values formation. Their personal value system, which refers to the consistent set of ideals that provide them with structure and direction in life, is typically the confluence of their beliefs, the current social systems, and their socio-economic condition.

Categories of personal values

There are many ways to categorize personal values. One of the prevailing frameworks in psychology is the Theory of Basic Human Values. Shalom H. Schwartz, the psychologist who developed it, proposed that the formation of individual or personal values is a response to the universal requirements of existence. These include fulfilling individual biological needs and the needs of groups for their welfare and survival and achieving coordinated social interaction.

He believed that values can be under one of these ten domains, which differ in their underlying motivation:

Achievement: This broad value or domain emphasizes an individual’s competent performance that meets cultural or social standards. A common example of a value that fits this category is intelligence.

Benevolence: The underlying motivation of values in this category is the preservation and enhancement of the well-being of people with whom the individual constantly interacts, such as family members and friends. Helpfulness, friendship, and loyalty are some of the values in this domain.

Conformity: This category consists of values that promote the restraining of impulses and actions that may go against social norms and disrupt the smooth functioning of a group. Examples of these are loyalty, responsibility, obedience, and self-discipline.

Hedonism: Values that provide pleasure or gratification are in this domain. Hedonism is the belief that the morality of an action depends on if its results in pleasure or happiness.

Power: Power values represent the human need for control and dominance over resources and people. Wealth and authority are two examples of values in this domain.

Security: The defining goal of security values is stability, harmony, and safety at the individual and group or societal level.

Self-direction: Values that exhibit the desire for autonomy and control are in this category. Examples are independence and freedom.
Stimulation: The underlying motivation or goal of values in this domain is to fulfil the need for variety in life. An example is an individual’s pursuit of novelty or change.
Tradition: Respect for and commitment to cultural or religious ideas, beliefs, and customs that are prevalent in the community of which the individual is a member are the defining goals of this category. Spirituality, religiosity, and devotion are some of the values in this domain.

Universalism: Values in this category derive from the human need to survive and emphasize concern for others and for nature. World peace, social justice, and equality are examples of universalism values.

The importance of values in your life

Values can help you make decisions that align with your goals. By clearly identifying your values, you can better understand what’s important and desirable to you and what constitutes success or failure in both your professional and personal life. These can enable you to determine a course of action that may lead to fulfilling your life’s purpose. Living in accordance with your value system may foster feelings of satisfaction and confidence and help promote your overall well-being.

Values are also important in your professional life. By aligning your personal values with the values of the company of which you’re a part, you can create a sense of purpose and meaning in your work. When your values are consistent with those of the organization, you’re more likely to be motivated and engaged in the workplace. These can also help you establish strong work relationships. By sharing or demonstrating your values with others, you can create a sense of trust and connection with them.

Examples of personal values

Your personal values enable you to make important decisions that can impact your life in a positive way. These also help in your growth and development by providing you with the tools to achieve self-realization. Here are several examples of personal values that can help you achieve your personal and professional goals:

Honesty

Honesty is the ability to be open and transparent with others and yourself, without fearing the consequences. This is integral to any personal value system and many people consider it one of the most important values in business. Being honest with yourself and others is critical to building and maintaining strong relationships. It also ensures that you’re making decisions that are in the best interest of yourself and the people around you. Honesty can help you build a strong reputation, which is important especially in your professional life.

Humility

Humility is a state of mind in which you attribute the right amount of importance to your own achievements and contributions. It’s about knowing and expecting your limits in terms of your knowledge, skills, and abilities. It entails accepting your mistakes and shortcomings and striving to improve. Being humble also means being open to learn from others. It’s an important value because it can help you become a better learner and thinker, both of which can help you grow as a person.

Integrity

Integrity is the foundation of a strong personal value system. It’s about living in a way that’s true to yourself and your life values, even when it’s easier to do otherwise. When you possess integrity, you can be at peace with yourself, even when you make a mistake or experience failure. A strong sense of integrity can help you feel more confident in your decisions and actions because your basis for making them is your values.
Read more: What Is Honesty and Integrity in a Workplace Setting?

Kindness

Kindness is the disposition to do good to others without expecting anything in return. It is the quality of being gentle, generous, and considerate. It’s also the ability to show compassion, empathy, and concern for the feelings, needs, and happiness of others. Many cultures consider this a moral obligation and a virtue. As a personal value, kindness is important because it can help you establish and maintain positive relationships, which are necessary for your personal and professional growth.

Respect

Respect is important because it can influence your relationships and determine your successes and failures. This value is about acknowledging and valuing another person’s humanity. When you respect a person, you recognize their right to exist, to receive dignified treatment, and to be happy. It’s also about making an effort to understand their perspective and their experience.

Part of this value is self-respect, which involves being proud and confident of who you are. It also entails knowing and accepting your strengths and weaknesses and using them to your benefit. Self-respect allows you to set boundaries that can help you achieve your goals in life.