Core Values List: 75 Values to Help You Discover What Matters Most

By Taylor McGrath — Founder, The Self Collective · 5 min read

A core values list is one of the simplest, most powerful tools for getting to know yourself again. When you can name the handful of values that genuinely matter to you — not the ones you inherited, absorbed or performed — decisions become clearer, boundaries become kinder, and life starts to feel like yours. In this guide you'll find a full core values list of 75 words, plus a gentle process for narrowing them down to your top five.

Why a Core Values List Matters

Most of us were never actually taught how to identify our values. We picked them up from family, school, workplaces and social media, and then wondered why success felt strangely empty. Your core values are the quiet criteria your heart uses to measure whether life feels right. When your days align with them, you feel steady and true. When they don't, you feel that familiar low hum of restlessness — even when everything looks fine on paper.

You can't build a life that feels like yours until you know what yours is supposed to feel like.

That's why working through a core values list is so clarifying. Seeing the words in front of you turns a vague feeling — something is off — into language you can actually work with. If you'd like to go deeper into the process itself, our guide on how to find your core values walks you through it step by step.

The Core Values List: 75 Values to Explore

Read slowly. Circle (or note down) every word that creates a little spark of recognition — aim for 10 to 15 on your first pass.

How to Narrow Your Core Values List to a Top Five

A list of fifteen circled words is a lovely start, but values only guide you when there are few enough to remember. Try this gentle filter: group similar words together (calm, rest and simplicity might all point to peace), then ask of each group, "If my life honoured this fully, would I be proud of it?" Keep the five that make your shoulders drop with relief. Real personal values examples from other women can help if you feel stuck between two words.

Tips for Living Your Values Every Day

Your top five aren't meant to live on a sticky note — they're meant to live in your calendar, your spending, your yeses and your nos. Review one value each Sunday and ask where it showed up during the week; our weekly reflection questions make this easy. Audit each area of your life against your values with the wheel of life exercise, and practise living with intention by letting your values choose before your habits do. Revisit your core values list once or twice a year — you're allowed to evolve, and so are your values.

FAQs About Core Values Lists

How many core values should I choose?
Three to five is ideal — enough to cover the different areas of your life, but few enough to actually remember and use when making decisions.

Can my core values change over time?
Yes, and they should. Big seasons like motherhood, career changes or loss naturally reshape what matters, so revisit your core values list once or twice a year.

What's the difference between values and goals?
A goal is a destination you reach once; a value is a direction you keep walking in. "Run a marathon" is a goal — health is the value underneath it.

What if my values conflict with each other?
That's completely normal — ambition and rest often pull in different directions. Rank your five values so you know which one leads when two of them disagree.

I'll see you soon, xo — Taylor