Up: [[Compass]] Created: 2023-05-18 Updated: 2026-01-10 Goals are different from values. Goals can be checked off a list, values can’t. Values are our moral compass. They indicate an ongoing direction. To make any kind of change, you need to know what you value. We are more likely to do the hard work of changing if we know *why* we are doing it. [List of 216 core values divided by category](https://www.scienceofpeople.com/core-values/) Values affect us at a deep level. Choosing to pursue extrinsic values, like power and wealth, is associated with lower levels of subjective well-being. Pursuing intrinsic values of friendship and personal development is associated with higher well-being. Values can change over time. Older adults, for example, tend to focus on values related to upholding social norms, and not often to values that are focused on sensation seeking. Knowing our values helps us determine if the juice is worth the squeeze, if the intention or work is worth the effort. Value-rich behaviours are actions that express multiple values at the same time. For example, hiking with a friend might address the values of health, adventure, and social connectedness. Values have an action component. They’re what we do, not just what we believe. To act in alignment with your values is to live with integrity.