Six Core Values that Give Life Meaning (2024)

Six Core Values that Give Life Meaning (1)

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Bryan McWhorter Six Core Values that Give Life Meaning (2)

Bryan McWhorter

Safety Professional- Author and speaker. Certified John Maxwell Team member. Contributor at Safeopedia.

Published Mar 22, 2020

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I want to live a life of meaning.

When I look back over my life, I want few regrets and lots of mistakes. Mistakes are the pathway to learning, you can’t live a good life without making mistakes. A mistake is just that; it is missed-take, learn from it, recalibrate and try again. Regrets come from going against our values. What do you value and do your decisions reflect those values?

Give thought to what is important to you. If you don’t define and state your values, you will most likely act against them. This was proven by the Milgram Experiments that placed people in a dilemma of authority VS personal values. Authority often won which created extreme regret in those that took part in the experiments.

Six Core Values for a Life Filled with Meaning:

  1. Humility: Treat everyone with respect, kindness, and humility. Ego over inflates our sense of self-worth and belittles others. We must daily remind ourselves to be gentle, kind and respectful. Proverbs 22:4 states “The payoff for meekness and the fear-of-God is plenty and honor and satisfying life.”Insecurity grows when we give in to our own egos.
  2. Wisdom: Nothing compares to wisdom. Wisdom is everything; it gives us perspective and guidance in all that we are and all we do. Knowing and living by our values is wise. Knowledge helps us to earn a living, wisdom guides us to live a life of meaning.
  3. Discipline: Discipline outperforms IQ by a factor of two. It also is what determines our quality of life and level of satisfaction. (Do the thing you don’t want to do). If we do not live up to what we believe we are capable of, we will look down on ourselves. Without discipline, wisdom is not much help.
  4. Service to others: Our reason for being alive is to serve this generation. Serve those you encounter daily and put the focus on them. How can you help them and build them up? Our gifts and all we have it for serving others, not ourselves. Check out the book “How Full Is Your Bucket?” Our happiness is tied to serving others.
  5. Courage: Find ways to increase your courage and boldness. The world can be unfriendly and fear can blur our judgment. We require courage to stand for a purpose other than serving ourselves. It takes courage to live your values, and living your values creates courage.
  6. Compassion: If all this is not motivated by love, it is worthless and may do more harm than good by feeding your ego. Compassion is love in action. Seek ways to show love and kindness daily. Make showing kindness to others a daily habit. You will find it to be the kindest thing you can do for yourself.

Rather than ask to old question "what is the meaning of life?" We can take a different approach and give our life meaning. Knowing and living your values becomes your compass . Enjoy your journey and happiness from living a life of meaning.

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Andre Pilon

B2B Content Marketer, Certified Content Specialist - White Paper Specialist - UX Content Consultant for EV Stakeholders.

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Agree. Deeply human, simply accessible- easy choice if quality of life is of any importance.Another bullseye, Bryan.

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Six Core Values that Give Life Meaning (2024)

FAQs

What are core values in life explanation? ›

Core values help us define our boundaries and understand how to prioritize what truly matters to us, and they are the compass that help guide our decision-making. While values can stay somewhat consistent over the course of a lifetime, they might become more specific as we develop into our true selves.

How to answer what are your core values? ›

A good way of starting to do this is to look back on your life – to identify when you felt really good, and really confident that you were making good choices. Find examples from both your career and personal life. This will ensure some balance in your answers.

What is life core values? ›

Your values are the things that you believe are important in the way you live and work. They (should) determine your priorities, and, deep down, they're probably the measures you use to tell if your life is turning out the way you want it to.

What are your top 5 core values and why? ›

Five Core Values
  • INTEGRITY. Know and do what is right. Learn more.
  • RESPECT. Treating others the way you want to be treated. Learn more.
  • RESPONSIBILITY. Embrace opportunities to contribute. Learn more.
  • SPORTSMANSHIP. Bring your best to all competition. Learn more.
  • SERVANT LEADERSHIP. Serve the common good. Learn more.

What are core values with explanation? ›

Core values are the principles and priorities that guide an organization's actions. They represent the foundational commitments and deeply held beliefs that allow a company to navigate complex situations while keeping their identity and culture at the forefront.

What are core values and life purpose? ›

Your core values are foundation stones in your identity, and as such, they are essential to defining your purpose and keeping you on track. If you try to ignore or go against your core values, you become conflicted, and you will struggle to build or achieve anything of lasting value.

How do I list my core values? ›

Follow the steps below to generate a list of your core values :
  1. Write down your values. ...
  2. Consider the people you most admire. ...
  3. Consider your experiences. ...
  4. Categorize values into related groups. ...
  5. Identify the central theme.
  6. Choose your top core values.
Feb 12, 2024

How do I answer what I value most in life? ›

6 tips for defining your own core values
  • Think of the most meaningful moments in your life. ...
  • Think of the moments you felt the least satisfied. ...
  • Pay attention to what stories inspire you. ...
  • Figure out what makes you angry. ...
  • Imagine your ideal environment. ...
  • Review the accomplishments you're most proud of.

What are the 7 core and related values? ›

What are the seven common values?
  • Respect. Treating others with dignity and understanding, regardless of their background or beliefs.
  • Integrity. Upholding honesty, truthfulness, and consistency in words and actions.
  • Empathy and Compassion. ...
  • Responsibility. ...
  • Justice and Fairness. ...
  • Freedom. ...
  • Cooperation.

What are my values in life? ›

Life values are the fundamental core beliefs that guide your behaviors and goals and help you measure your overall success in your life. For many people, values begin in childhood as their parents teach them some of what they believe to be the most important life values.

What is the core of your life? ›

Your core purpose is fundamentally for you. It's self-anchoring, serving as a compass for every decision you make. You could remove everything from your life and that core purpose would remain the same.

What are the 3 main core values? ›

The Best 3 Core Values
  • Wisdom: Knowledge + Character. So, what is Wisdom? Wisdom is the combination of knowledge and character. ...
  • Performance. The value of Performance is straightforward. You've got to perform. ...
  • Love as a Core Value. Finally, there is Love. Think back to your younger days.
Jun 27, 2019

Why are the 12 core values important? ›

They are the guiding principles that help define what the company stands for and how it operates. Having strong core values is essential for a company's growth as they provide a roadmap for employees to follow, ensuring everyone in the organization is aligned with the same goals and vision.

What are the five core Human Values? ›

The five universal Human Values of Love, Truth, Right Conduct, Peace and Non-violence encompass all the noble values, have endless depth and breadth in their beauty, purity and power, and lie within every human being in full measure, largely hidden from conscious awareness like diamonds inside a mountain.

How do we define our core values? ›

What are personal core values? Personal values are a set of beliefs that differentiate between “good” and “bad” in your community, culture, or society. They form a mindset that defines what you view as the ideal standards of behavior, like patience and honesty.

Why are core values important in our life? ›

Your values form a significant part of your personal identity. They shape you into your authentic self and give you a sense of purpose and meaning, driving your personality, goal setting, and how you lead your life. Your values also give you a better understanding of who you are.

What describes your core values? ›

Final answer: A personal mission statement describes your core values and highest career goals in a professional context.

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