Values compass
What matters most + weekly check-in
Pick up to 5 (0/5)
Recent check-ins
No check-ins yet.
Why values > goals
Direction, not destination
You can live your values every day; a goal is a moment.
Better decisions
When choices are hard, values give you a tiebreaker.
Meaning under stress
ACT research: values-based action is protective in depression.
Motivation that lasts
Values are intrinsic — they don't burn out like goals do.
ACT and the values compass
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) treats values as a chosen direction, distinct from goals (which are the milestones along the way). Steven Hayes and colleagues show that people who take small, values-consistent actions weekly — even in tough emotional weather — have lower depression, less experiential avoidance, and more meaning-in-life scores over 6-month follow-ups.
How to use it
- 1
Pick up to 5 values that feel most alive right now (they can change in a year — that's fine).
- 2
For each value, name one small action you could take this week that lives it.
- 3
At the end of the week, rate 1–5 how aligned your days felt with each value.
- 4
Look at the low-rated values — what's one 5-minute action next week?
Getting more from the practice
- ✦Values are verbs, not nouns: 'being honest,' 'being creative,' not 'honesty,' 'creativity.'
- ✦You can't fail at a value — you just live it more or less on any given day.
- ✦If a value scores low for 3 weeks running, ask: is life circumstance blocking it, or is it not really mine?
- ✦Share your top 3 with someone close — they can call you back to them.
Common questions
What if I don't know my values?+
Look at moments you felt fully alive or deeply angry. Both point to values — pride when honored, anger when violated.
Can I change my values?+
Yes. Values evolve with life seasons. Revisit the list every 3–6 months.
How is this different from goal setting?+
A goal is achievable and finite (run a 10K). A value is a direction (being healthy). You can move toward a value forever.