Core Values Selection Exercise
Objective: The objective of this exercise is to engage in the intentional selection of core values that resonate
with your personal, cultural, or familial beliefs. This is not a quest for ‘authentic’ values hidden within you,
but rather an opportunity to communicate something specific about yourself. NOTE: This Exercise is given to
assist you in crafting your Personal Introduction Outline. It is for your use and not to be turned in.
Instructions:
• Examine the list of values provided. This list is not exhaustive; you are encouraged to add any values
you deem important.
• Select up to 20 values that you feel drawn to, not because they are ‘right’ but because they represent
what is meaningful to you. Consider how you might complete the sentence, I want to be a person
who is . . . .
• Consider how these values impact your daily decisions and interactions with others.
• See if there are values that seem to naturally group together.
• See if there are three of these value groups that pertain to a single core value ore relate to a single
domain of your life.
Reflection:
• Identify instances where your values have influenced your decisions?
• How do your values shape your role as a student, community member, or leader?
Application:
• In your personal introduction speech, you will not be able to talk about every value that matters to
you.
• In your personal introduction speech, you will focus on three values that are connected together
around a single core value. The single core value will be the foundation of your thesis sentence and
the related values will make up the main points.
Values Sorting Exercise
A-E Values E-O Values O-W Values
Accepting Enthusiastic Original
Accountable Ethical Passionate
Achieving Excellent Patient
Adaptable Expressive Peaceful
Adventurous Fair Persistent
Advocating Familial Playful
Always growing Flexible Popular
Ambitious Free Powerful
Appreciative Friendly Prepared
Attractive Fun Present
Authentic Generous Proactive
Autonomous Gentle Professional
Balanced Graceful Punctual
Benevolent Gracious Quality
Bold Growing Quiet
Brilliant Hard working Rational
Builder or creator Healthy Recognized
Calm Helpful Relational
Caring Honest Relaxed or at ease
Challenging Hopeful Reliable
Charitable Humble Resilient
Cheerful Humorous Resourceful
Clever Impactful Respectful
Collaborative Inclusive Responsible
Committed Individual Responsive
Communal Innovative Risk-taking
Compassionate Inspirational Romantic
Competent Intelligent Safe
Connected with others Intimate Secure
Consistent Intuitive Secure or safe
Contributive Joyful Self-Controlled
Cooperative Just or fair Selfless
Courageous Kind Servicing
Courteous Knowledgeable Simple
Creative Leading Simple or uncomplicated
Credible Learning Spiritual
Curious Loyal Spontaneous
Daring Mindful Stable
Decisive Moderate Thoughtful
Dependable Moral Traditional or honors customs
Disciplined Motivated Unique
Empathetic Open-hearted Virtuous
Encouraging Open-Minded Whimsical
Select up to 20 Values from the list above.
Prompt, “I would like to be a person who is . . .”
1. 11.
2. 12.
3. 13.
4. 14.
5. 15.
6. 16.
7. 17.
8. 18.
9. 19.
10. 20.
Sort Values
Look at your list of 20 values, see if two or more of them seem to belong together. In the cards below group
values that belong together and give the group a name (HINT: The group name can be the name of value in
the set you care most about).
________ _______ _______ _________ _______
• _______ • ________ • _______ • _______ • _______
• _______ • ________ • _______ • _______ • _______
• _______ • ________ • _______ • _______ • _______
• _______ • ________ • _______ • _______ • _______
Prioritize
Put your three, four, or five groups in order of importance to you. Place the most important beside #1 and
order to #5.
1. _____________________________________ 2_____________________________________
3. _____________________________________ 4_____________________________________
5. _____________________________________
A-E Values E-O Values O-W Values
Accepting Enthusiastic Original
Accountable Ethical Passionate
Achieving Excellent Patient
Adaptable Expressive Peaceful
Adventurous Fair Persistent
Advocating Familial Playful
Always growing Flexible Popular
Ambitious Free Powerful
Appreciative Friendly Prepared
Attractive Fun Present
Authentic Generous Proactive
Autonomous Gentle Professional
Balanced Graceful Punctual
Benevolent Gracious Quality
Bold Growing Quiet
Brilliant Hard working Rational
Builder or creator Healthy Recognized
Calm Helpful Relational
Caring Honest Relaxed or at ease
Challenging Hopeful Reliable
Charitable Humble Resilient
Cheerful Humorous Resourceful
Clever Impactful Respectful
Collaborative Inclusive Responsible
Committed Individual Responsive
Communal Innovative Risk-taking
Compassionate Inspirational Romantic
Competent Intelligent Safe
Connected with others Intimate Secure
Consistent Intuitive Secure or safe
Contributive Joyful Self-Controlled
Cooperative Just or fair Selfless
Courageous Kind Servicing
Courteous Knowledgeable Simple
Creative Leading Simple or uncomplicated
Credible Learning Spiritual
Curious Loyal Spontaneous
Daring Mindful Stable
Decisive Moderate Thoughtful
Dependable Moral Traditional or honors customs
Disciplined Motivated Unique
Empathetic Open-hearted Virtuous
Encouraging Open-Minded Whimsical
