Discover Your Core Values: 15 Life-Changing Journal Prompts

The Compass Within: Why Your Values Matter So Much More Than You Think

Introduction

Picture this: You’re standing at a crossroads, facing a major life decision. One path promises financial success, but feels hollow. Another offers meaningful work but financial uncertainty. A third beckons with adventure but demands sacrifice. How do you choose?

The answer does not lie in weighing pros and cons on a spreadsheet, but in consulting your internal compass—your core values. These fundamental beliefs about what matters most in life serve as your North Star, guiding every significant choice you make. Yet most people live their entire lives without ever clearly identifying what truly drives them.

When you’re unclear about your values, life becomes a series of reactive decisions based on external pressures, fleeting emotions, or what others expect. You might find yourself successful by society’s standards yet feeling fundamentally unfulfilled. You might chase goals that don’t align with who you really are, only to achieve them and wonder, “Is this it?”

But when you know your core values—really know them—everything changes. Decisions become clearer. Relationships flourish. Work becomes more meaningful. You stop living someone else’s life and start living your own.

The fifteen journal prompts in this guide aren’t just questions; they’re excavation tools designed to unearth the treasures buried within you. They’ll help you dig past the noise of expectations, shoulds, and societal programming to discover the authentic values that make you uniquely you.

Real Stories: How These Prompts Changed Lives

Sarah, 34, Marketing Executive

“I was climbing the corporate ladder but felt like I was scaling the wrong building. These prompts helped me realise that creativity and autonomy were my deepest values, not the status and salary I’d been chasing. I left my executive role to start a design consultancy, and for the first time in years, I wake up excited about my work. The financial transition was scary, but knowing my values gave me the courage to leap off the cliff.”

Marcus, 28, Recent Graduate

“After college, I was paralysed by all the possibilities. Everyone had opinions about what I should do with my life, but I had no idea what I actually wanted. Working through these prompts revealed that learning and community impact were my core drivers. I chose to teach in an underserved school district instead of taking a higher-paying corporate job. My parents didn’t understand at first, but seeing how fulfilled I am, they’re now my biggest supporters.”

Elena, 45, Mother of Three

“I’d spent twenty years being everyone else’s everything—wife, mother, daughter, employee. I’d lost track of who I was underneath all those roles. These values exercises helped me rediscover that adventure and personal growth weren’t selfish desires but essential parts of my identity. I started small, joining a hiking group and taking online courses. My family noticed the change in my energy and enthusiasm, and it’s made me a better mother and partner.”

David, 52, Mid-Career Professional

“After my divorce, I realised I’d been living according to values that weren’t mine but my ex-wife’s and society’s expectations. These prompts were like therapy on paper. I discovered that authenticity and meaningful connections mattered more to me than the image of success I’d been maintaining. I downsized my lifestyle, changed careers to social work, and I’ve never been happier. My relationships are deeper, and I feel like I’m finally being true to myself.”

Asha, 26, Artist and Entrepreneur

“As a creative person, I always felt pressure to choose between artistic integrity and financial stability. These values exercises helped me see that both beauty and security were important to me, and I didn’t have to sacrifice one for the other. I found ways to create art that was commercially viable without compromising my vision. Understanding my values helped me build a sustainable creative career that honours both sides of who I am.”

15 Core Value Discovery Prompts

1. The Inheritance Question

If you could only pass down three values to the next generation, what would they be and why? What experiences in your life taught you that these values were non-negotiable?

2. The Peak Moment Analysis

Think of the three most fulfilling moments in your life—times when you felt most alive and authentic. What values were you honouring in those moments? What does this tell you about what you need to feel truly satisfied?

3. The Friction Detective

What situations, people, or environments consistently drain your energy or make you feel uncomfortable? What values of yours are being violated in these scenarios? Sometimes we discover our values by identifying what we can’t tolerate.

4. The Time Machine Test

Imagine you’re 80 years old, looking back on your life. What would you regret not prioritising? What values would you wish you had lived more fully? Write a letter from your future self to your present self about what truly matters.

5. The Desert Island Prioritisation

You’re stranded on a desert island with everything you need to survive, but you can only engage in activities that reflect three core values. Which values would you choose, and how would you express them in this simplified life?

6. The Anger Archaeology

What injustices in the world make you genuinely angry or passionate? Your anger often points to violated values. What do these triggers reveal about what you believe is fundamentally important or right?

7. The Role Model Reflection

Who are three people (living or dead, famous or personal) that you deeply admire? What specific qualities or values do they embody that resonate with you? How might these reflected values be calling you to live differently?

8. The Resource Allocation Reality Check

Look at how you actually spend your time, money, and energy. What values are you unconsciously prioritising through your choices? Are these aligned with what you say you value, or is there a disconnect?

9. The Non-Negotiable Navigator

What are you absolutely unwilling to compromise on, even if it costs you opportunities, relationships, or comfort? These non-negotiables often reveal your truest values. Why are these particular things so important to you?

10. The Energy Source Identification

What activities, environments, or types of interactions consistently energise and inspire you? What values are being honoured when you feel most energised? How can you create more of these value-aligned experiences in your life?

11. The Conflict Resolution Compass

Think about a time when you had to choose between two important things. How did you ultimately decide? What values guided your decision-making process? What does this reveal about your internal priority system?

12. The Childhood Dream Decoder

What did you want to be when you grew up, and why? Look beyond the career title to the underlying values that this career represented to your younger self. Are those values still important to you today?

13. The Compliment Pattern Recognition

What do people consistently compliment you on or come to you for help with? These patterns often reveal values you naturally embody. How do these external observations align with your internal sense of what matters most?

14. The Legacy Question

How do you want to be remembered? What impact do you want to have on the world, your community, or the people in your life? What values would need to guide your actions to create this legacy?

15. The Integration Challenge

Looking at your responses to the previous prompts, what themes emerge? What 3-5 core values show up repeatedly? How can you more intentionally integrate these values into your daily decisions, relationships, and goals?

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I know if I’ve identified my “real” values versus what I think I should value?

A: Authentic values feel energising when you honour them and create internal tension when you violate them. They’re often revealed through your actions and emotional responses rather than your thoughts. If a value feels heavy or obligatory, it might be an inherited expectation rather than a genuine core value. Real values inspire you; imposed values exhaust you.

Q: What if my values seem to conflict with each other?

A: Value conflicts are normal and often indicate that you’re a complex, multifaceted person. The key is learning to navigate these tensions consciously rather than letting them create internal chaos. Sometimes apparent conflicts resolve when you dig deeper—what seems like opposing values might actually be different expressions of the same underlying need. Other times, you’ll need to develop skills in prioritising values contextually.

Q: Can core values change over time?

A: While your deepest values tend to remain relatively stable, they can evolve as you grow and have new experiences. What often changes more is how you express those values or which ones you prioritise in different life seasons. For example, the value of security might be more prominent when you’re starting a family, while adventure might take precedence in other phases. Regular values reflection helps you stay aligned with your current authentic self.

Q: What if I discover my current life doesn’t align with my values?

A: This realisation can be uncomfortable but incredibly valuable. You don’t need to blow up your life overnight, but you can start making incremental changes that bring more alignment. Sometimes, small shifts in how you approach existing roles can honour your values better. Other times, bigger changes may be necessary. The key is moving toward alignment gradually and intentionally rather than staying stuck in misalignment.

Q: How many core values should I have?

A: Most people have 3-7 core values that truly drive their decisions and sense of fulfilment. Having too many “core” values can dilute their power and make decision-making more difficult. Focus on identifying the values that are absolutely essential to your sense of self and well-being. You can have other important values, but your core values are the non-negotiable ones that define who you are at your essence.

Your Values and Your Future

You’ve just embarked on one of the most important explorations of your life. These prompts aren’t meant to be completed in a single sitting—they’re designed to be revisited, reflected upon, and lived into over time. Your values aren’t just abstract concepts to identify and file away; they’re meant to be the foundation upon which you build an authentic, fulfilling life.

As you work through these questions, be patient with yourself. Some answers will come easily, while others might take weeks or months to fully emerge. You might discover values you didn’t know you had, or realise that something you thought was important to you was actually someone else’s expectation. Both revelations are gifts.

Remember that knowing your values is just the beginning. The real transformation happens when you begin aligning your daily choices, relationships, and goals with what you’ve discovered. This isn’t always easy—living authentically often requires courage, difficult conversations, and the willingness to disappoint others. But the alternative—living a life disconnected from your deepest truths—is far costlier.

Your values are your unique contribution to the world. They’re what make your perspective valuable, your decisions authentic, and your life meaningful. In a world that’s constantly trying to tell you who to be and what to want, your values are your declaration of independence—your commitment to being fully, unapologetically yourself.

The path forward is clear: Honour what you discover. Live what you value. Trust the compass within you. Your most authentic, fulfilling life is waiting on the other side of this exploration.

Start today. Your future self is counting on it.

Foundations for Your Future Protocol – a fast-paced, high-impact, future-focused course that facilitates the construction of identity-shaping stories about your future self so that you can make the changes needed to avoid having to go through big life changes again and again—without needing to process your past in depth and in detail.