The complete list

Core Values List with Meanings

Values are the things you hold most important in life, the standards you fall back on when two good options compete. Below are 62 examples of personal values, each with a short definition of what it means to hold it.

Health
I take care of my health and well-being. I want to feel good and have energy every day.
6/62

1stmost chosen, in 46.6% of rankings

See Health in the list

Where the list comes from

A set of values built from research and tested worldwide

These 62 values are the set used in the Personal Values assessment, created by Arkadiusz Zalewski and refined over several years with users and experts from around the world.

The set builds on the psychology of human values that Milton Rokeach began in the 1970s and Shalom H. Schwartz extended across cultures. Popular lists run to hundreds of overlapping words; this one was cut down to values that are each distinct, with no synonyms or duplicates, so that choosing between two of them is always a real choice.

The values form one system rather than a loose list. They are grouped by the five human needs behind them (stability, connection, autonomy, development and impact), which shows how they relate without ranking any of them above the others.

Since 2020 the set has been ranked 2,099,004 times by people from all over the world, and because the list never changes, their answers can be compared across countries, ages and years. Career centers and course materials at universities including the University of Arizona, Rutgers University, the University of Washington and the University of Colorado Boulder recommend it.

How the list was made, by its author → · How the rankings are counted →

Stability values (13)

Values related to safety, predictability, and security.

Certainty

Valuing certainty means wanting to know what comes next and being able to plan for it. People who hold it prefer clear arrangements and predictable routines to surprises.

More about Certainty →

Commitment

Valuing commitment means sticking to your decisions, promises and people after the first excitement fades. People who hold it finish what they start.

More about Commitment →

Control

Valuing control means wanting to steer your own circumstances rather than leave them to chance or to others. It shows in planning ahead, taking charge and checking the details.

More about Control →

Discipline

Valuing discipline means doing what needs to be done, consistently, even when you do not feel like it. It is the habit that turns plans into results.

More about Discipline →

Financial stability

Valuing financial stability means wanting a steady income and enough savings that money is not a daily worry. It is about security, not riches.

More about Financial stability →

Health

Valuing health means looking after your body and mind so you have the energy to live the way you want. It covers sleep, food, movement and mental well-being, not only the absence of illness.

More about Health →

Inner harmony

Valuing inner harmony means wanting to feel calm, balanced and at peace within yourself. It is peace on the inside, whatever is happening around you.

More about Inner harmony →

Job security

Valuing job security means wanting work you can count on keeping. People who hold it often choose a stable employer over a riskier role that pays more.

More about Job security →

Peace

Valuing peace means wanting calm around you, at home, at work and in the world, without conflict or tension.

More about Peace →

Privacy

Valuing privacy means wanting a part of your life that others do not see or intrude on. It covers your personal space, your time and the information you share.

More about Privacy →

Security

Valuing security means wanting to feel safe and protected, both physically and in your circumstances. People who hold it avoid situations that leave them exposed to danger or risk.

More about Security →

Tradition

Valuing tradition means keeping the customs, rituals and ways of doing things passed down to you. It connects people who hold it to their family, community and history.

More about Tradition →

Religion

Valuing religion means basing your life on your faith and finding guidance in it. For the people who hold it, faith shapes most of their other choices.

More about Religion →

Connection values (15)

Values related to relationships, belonging, and community.

Acceptance

Valuing acceptance means wanting to be taken as you are, without judgment, and offering others the same. It is about belonging without having to change who you are.

More about Acceptance →

Appreciation

Valuing appreciation means wanting your efforts to be noticed and noticing the efforts of others. A simple thank-you matters a lot to people who hold it.

More about Appreciation →

Compassion

Valuing compassion means caring about how others feel and wanting to ease their pain. People who hold it notice suffering and do not look away from it.

More about Compassion →

Equality

Valuing equality means believing everyone deserves the same rights and chances, and not accepting unfair differences between people.

More about Equality →

Family

Valuing family means putting closeness to your family at the center of your life, whether that family is by birth or by choice. Time together, and being there for each other, comes before most other things.

More about Family →

Forgiveness

Valuing forgiveness means letting go of resentment rather than holding on to anger. It does not mean forgetting what happened, only refusing to let it run your relationships.

More about Forgiveness →

Friendship

Valuing friendship means investing in close bonds with the people you choose. Time with friends, and being there for them, ranks high for people who hold it.

More about Friendship →

Helpfulness

Valuing helpfulness means helping people who need it, in practical ways and without waiting to be asked twice. People who hold it find it hard to walk past someone in need.

More about Helpfulness →

Love

Valuing love means wanting to love and be loved, with a deep emotional connection to a partner, family or friends.

More about Love →

Loyalty

Valuing loyalty means standing by the people and causes you have committed to, especially when it costs you something. People who hold it do not turn their back on their own.

More about Loyalty →

Teamwork

Valuing teamwork means preferring to reach goals together with others rather than alone. People who hold it enjoy shared effort and shared credit.

More about Teamwork →

Tolerance

Valuing tolerance means accepting that people can think, believe and live differently from you, and not rejecting them for it.

More about Tolerance →

Trust

Valuing trust means wanting to rely on the people around you and to be relied on in return. Relationships free of doubt and suspicion matter most to people who hold it.

More about Trust →

Honesty

Valuing honesty means telling the truth and acting the way you speak, even when a lie would be easier. It also means expecting the same from others.

More about Honesty →

Spirituality

Valuing spirituality means feeling connected to something greater than yourself and looking for a deeper sense of meaning. It can be part of a religion or entirely separate from one.

More about Spirituality →

Autonomy values (11)

Values related to freedom, independence, and self-expression.

Adventure

Valuing adventure means seeking new and daring experiences outside your comfort zone. Travel, risk and the unknown draw people who hold it.

More about Adventure →

Authenticity

Valuing authenticity means being true to yourself in how you live and act, and not pretending to be someone you are not.

More about Authenticity →

Beauty

Valuing beauty means caring about how things look and feel, in nature, art, design or your own surroundings. People who hold it notice what is beautiful and like to create it.

More about Beauty →

Creativity

Valuing creativity means making new ideas and things rather than only following what already exists. It shows in art, but just as much in work, cooking or solving problems.

More about Creativity →

Excitement

Valuing excitement means seeking strong emotions and an intense life. People who hold it would rather feel too much than feel bored.

More about Excitement →

Freedom

Valuing freedom means choosing what you do and how you live, without being restricted by others.

More about Freedom →

Independence

Valuing independence means relying on yourself to handle things rather than depending on others. People who hold it prefer to make their own decisions.

More about Independence →

Passion

Valuing passion means doing things with energy and real interest. People who hold it would rather do less with their whole heart than more without it.

More about Passion →

Pleasure

Valuing pleasure means enjoying what feels good, from food and rest to fun and comfort.

More about Pleasure →

Uniqueness

Valuing uniqueness means wanting to stand out and be different from others. People who hold it express themselves in their own way rather than follow the crowd.

More about Uniqueness →

Variety

Valuing variety means wanting change and new experiences rather than routine. People who hold it get restless when every day looks the same.

More about Variety →

Development values (9)

Values related to growth, learning, and self-improvement.

Challenge

Valuing challenge means seeking out difficult tasks that test what you can do. People who hold it are drawn to what is hard rather than what is easy.

More about Challenge →

Competence

Valuing competence means wanting to be capable and effective at what you do. Doing a job well, and knowing you can, matters to people who hold it.

More about Competence →

Curiosity

Valuing curiosity means wanting to understand how things work and why. People who hold it ask questions, read and explore beyond the surface.

More about Curiosity →

Determination

Valuing determination means keeping going when things get difficult. People who hold it do not give up easily on what they have started.

More about Determination →

Excellence

Valuing excellence means holding yourself to high standards and not settling for average. People who hold it want to do things as well as they can be done.

More about Excellence →

Growth

Valuing growth means wanting to become better over time, as a person and in your work. People who hold it look for feedback, learning and change.

More about Growth →

Intelligence

Valuing intelligence means wanting to think clearly, analyze well and understand things deeply. People who hold it enjoy reasoning and solving problems.

More about Intelligence →

Meaningful work

Valuing meaningful work means wanting your work to feel worth doing, not only a way to earn money. People who hold it look for a job that fits what they care about.

More about Meaningful work →

Wisdom
I make thoughtful and wise decisions. I don’t act on impulse.
48/62
15.6%of rankings include it
25thmost chosen of 62
1.3%put it first
Wisdom statistics →

Wisdom

Valuing wisdom means making thoughtful decisions based on knowledge and experience rather than impulse. People who hold it weigh things up before they act.

More about Wisdom →

Impact values (14)

Values related to contribution, influence, and making a difference.

Accountability

Valuing accountability means taking responsibility for your actions and their results instead of blaming others. People who hold it own their mistakes and learn from them.

More about Accountability →

Ambition

Valuing ambition means aiming high and pushing yourself to achieve more than you have so far. People who hold it set big goals and do not settle.

More about Ambition →

Authority

Valuing authority means wanting the right to make decisions and lead others. People who hold it are comfortable being in charge and dislike being overlooked.

More about Authority →

Contribution

Valuing contribution means wanting what you do to make a difference to others or to the world. People who hold it judge their work by its effect on others.

More about Contribution →

Courage
I act despite fear. I don’t let it stop me.
53/62
11.0%of rankings include it
42ndmost chosen of 62
0.5%put it first
Courage statistics →

Courage

Valuing courage means acting despite fear, whether that is speaking up, taking a risk or doing the right thing when it is hard.

More about Courage →

Ethics

Valuing ethics means following your moral principles in what you do, and not compromising on what you believe is right.

More about Ethics →

Fame

Valuing fame means wanting to be recognized and known by many people, and to leave a name that others remember.

More about Fame →

Influence

Valuing influence means wanting to shape how others think and act. People who hold it want their voice to change outcomes, not just be heard.

More about Influence →

Justice

Valuing justice means standing for fairness and not accepting unfair treatment, of yourself or of others.

More about Justice →

Popularity

Valuing popularity means wanting to be liked by many people and accepted by a wide circle.

More about Popularity →

Reputation

Valuing reputation means caring about how others see you and wanting to be thought of well. People who hold it guard their good name.

More about Reputation →

Respect

Valuing respect means wanting to be treated with regard and dignity, and treating others the same way.

More about Respect →

Success

Valuing success means reaching the goals you set for yourself. People who hold it measure their life partly by what they achieve.

More about Success →

Wealth

Valuing wealth means wanting to build money and resources beyond what you need. Unlike financial stability, it is about having more, not about not having to worry.

More about Wealth →

From 2,099,004 rankings

The 10 most common core values

Since 2020, people on personalvalu.es have chosen and ranked their ten most important values from this list. These are the values that appear in their ten most often, with the share of all rankings that include each one.

  1. 1.Health46.6%
  2. 2.Family41.5%
  3. 3.Trust37.5%
  4. 4.Peace36.6%
  5. 5.Financial stability35.5%
  6. 6.Love32.5%
  7. 7.Respect30.0%
  8. 8.Pleasure30.0%
  9. 9.Freedom28.0%
  10. 10.Security24.8%

Fame (2.7%), popularity (2.8%), authority (3.0%), tradition (4.9%) and influence (5.0%) are the values people rank least often. How often a value is ranked is not the same as how highly. Family is put first more often than anything else, in 13.1% of all rankings. Religion appears in 11.3% of rankings, but 61% of the people who rank it put it in their top three, the highest share of any value. The full ranking in the Global Values Research →

All 62 values at a glance

The whole list in one table, from A to Z, with each value's meaning in a line, its type and the share of rankings that include it.

ValueMeaningRanked
AcceptanceBeing taken as you are11.2%
AccountabilityOwning your actions and their results17.1%
AdventureTrying new and daring things14.6%
AmbitionAiming high9.9%
AppreciationHaving your efforts noticed14.2%
AuthenticityBeing true to yourself20.8%
AuthorityThe right to decide and lead3.0%
BeautyNoticing and creating what is beautiful6.8%
CertaintyKnowing what comes next18.0%
ChallengeTaking on what is hard12.7%
CommitmentSticking with decisions and people9.2%
CompassionCaring about other people's pain18.1%
CompetenceBeing good at what you do7.1%
ContributionMaking a difference for others5.3%
ControlSteering your own circumstances17.6%
CourageActing despite fear11.0%
CreativityMaking new ideas and things19.7%
CuriosityWanting to understand how things work19.2%
DeterminationKeeping going when it gets hard9.9%
DisciplineDoing what needs doing, consistently19.2%
EqualityThe same rights and chances for everyone13.2%
EthicsActing on your moral principles15.5%
ExcellenceHigh standards in what you do5.9%
ExcitementStrong emotions and an intense life10.8%
FameBeing known by many people2.7%
FamilyCloseness to the people you call family41.5%
Financial stabilityEnough money not to worry about it35.5%
ForgivenessLetting go of resentment8.8%
FreedomChoosing how you live28.0%
FriendshipClose bonds with people you choose24.7%
GrowthBecoming better over time24.5%
HealthA body and mind that work well46.6%
HelpfulnessHelping people who need it14.8%
HonestyTelling the truth and acting on it21.2%
IndependenceRelying on yourself14.8%
InfluenceShaping what others think and do5.0%
Inner harmonyCalm and balance within yourself11.9%
IntelligenceThinking clearly and understanding deeply13.9%
Job securityWork you can count on keeping13.2%
JusticeFairness for everyone13.7%
LoveLoving and being loved32.5%
LoyaltyStanding by your people22.4%
Meaningful workWork that feels worth doing15.2%
PassionDoing things with energy and real interest11.4%
PeaceCalm around you, without conflict36.6%
PleasureEnjoying what feels good30.0%
PopularityBeing liked by many2.8%
PrivacyA personal life others don't intrude on14.1%
ReligionLiving by your faith11.3%
ReputationBeing well thought of5.5%
RespectBeing treated with dignity, and treating others so30.0%
SecurityFeeling safe and protected24.8%
SpiritualityConnection to something greater7.7%
SuccessReaching the goals you set17.5%
TeamworkReaching goals together8.5%
ToleranceAccepting people who differ from you10.4%
TraditionKeeping customs passed down to you4.9%
TrustRelying on the people around you37.5%
UniquenessStanding out from the crowd6.6%
VarietyChange and new experiences5.8%
WealthBuilding money beyond what you need18.2%
WisdomSound judgment from experience15.6%

Core values, frequently asked questions

Core values are the few things that matter most to you and guide your decisions, such as family, health, honesty or freedom. They come from your upbringing, culture and experience. Knowing them, and their order, makes it easier to choose when two good options compete.

What core values are and why they matter

It is the set used in the Personal Values assessment, created by Arkadiusz Zalewski and refined over several years with users and experts from around the world. It builds on the research on human values begun by Milton Rokeach and extended across cultures by Shalom H. Schwartz, and keeps only values that are each distinct, with no synonyms or duplicates. The values are grouped by five human needs: stability, connection, autonomy, development and impact.

How the list was made

To value something is to treat it as important enough to guide what you do, even when it costs you something. Valuing honesty means telling the truth when a lie would be easier; valuing family means making time for them when work asks for the same evening. A value shows in the choices you make, not only in what you say matters.

There is no official number. Lists range from a few dozen to several hundred words, many of them near-synonyms. This list uses 62 distinct values, grouped by the human needs they serve, which is enough to cover what people care about without repeating the same idea under different names.

Out of 2,099,004 rankings on personalvalu.es since 2020, the values chosen most often are health (46.6%), family (41.5%), trust (37.5%), peace (36.6%) and financial stability (35.5%).

The full ranking in the Global Values Research

Fame (2.7%), popularity (2.8%), authority (3.0%), tradition (4.9%) and influence (5.0%) are the values people rank least often. Popularity, authority and fame have been the three least ranked every year since 2020.

Family, which takes the top spot in 13.1% of all rankings. Religion is ranked in 11.3% of rankings, but 61% of the people who choose it put it in their top three, the highest share of any value.

No value on this list is good or bad in itself. Each one helps in some situations and goes too far in others, and a good set of values is one that fits the life you want to live. What can be measured is which values people choose: out of 2,099,004 rankings, the ones most often among a person's ten are health (46.6%), family (41.5%), trust (37.5%), peace (36.6%) and financial stability (35.5%).

This list sorts values into five types by the human need each one serves. Stability values, such as security, health and certainty, are about feeling safe. Connection values, such as family, friendship and trust, are about other people. Autonomy values, such as freedom, creativity and adventure, are about living your own way. Development values, such as growth, curiosity and wisdom, are about getting better. Impact values, such as justice, success and contribution, are about the mark you leave. The types are a way to read the list, not a ranking, and people pick values from all of them.

Moral values are the ones about how you treat other people and what you hold to be right. On this list they include honesty, justice, ethics, equality, compassion, forgiveness, tolerance, loyalty, respect, accountability and courage. Values such as health, adventure or wealth are personal values without a moral side: they say what you want from life rather than how you should act toward others.

Most people work best with about ten, put in order. Ten is enough to cover the different parts of a life without becoming a list you cannot hold in your head, and the order shows which value decides when two of them pull in different directions. The top three to five usually carry most of the weight in everyday choices.

Choose and rank your ten

Yes. The core values list PDF has all 62 values, each with its meaning, its strengths, what to watch out for and questions to reflect on, so it works as a values worksheet on paper. The CSV has every value with a short description, for a spreadsheet or a class exercise.

Download the PDF

How do I choose my core values from this list?

Read through the list and mark every value that feels important to you. Then cut it down to ten, and compare those ten two at a time to put them in order. Comparing in pairs works better than rating each value on its own, because almost every value sounds important until you have to choose between two of them.

Rank your ten for free

Your own ranking

Which of these values are yours?

Pick the ten that matter most and compare them two at a time, until they fall into an order that is yours alone.

  • Free
  • No account needed
  • About ten minutes
Discover my values
Copyright 2026 © personalvalu.es