How many core values should you have?

I recommend 5 to 10 core values, enough to cover work, health and relationships and few enough to remember. Brené Brown takes a stricter line and asks people to narrow their list down to 2.

How do I find my core values?

Reflect on your best and worst decisions, notice what drives you daily, learn from people you admire and look at your biggest challenges. Then narrow the values that keep showing up down to 5 to 10 non-negotiables.

What are the 10 universal values?

Shalom Schwartz's research identified 10 basic values that are recognized across cultures, with findings from 82 countries. They're self-direction, stimulation, hedonism, achievement, power, security, conformity, tradition, benevolence and universalism.

What's the difference between core values and goals?

A goal is something you reach, like a revenue number or a finished project. A value guides how you get there and never runs out.

Can core values change over time?

Yes, your values can shift as you grow and gain new experiences. Foundational values like integrity, discipline or freedom often stay the same, so reassess and refine your list regularly.

Can core values conflict with each other?

Yes, in Schwartz's model values on opposite sides of his circle pull against each other, like stimulation and security. Keeping your list to a few non-negotiables makes it clear which ones come first.

What are examples of company core values?

Amazon has 16 leadership principles, from Customer Obsession to Success and Scale Bring Broad Responsibility. Patagonia has 5 core values, updated in 2022: quality, integrity, environmentalism, justice and not bound by convention.

What are Navid Moazzez's core values?

My 10 core values are discipline and consistency, excellence and mastery, resilience and adaptability, honesty and authenticity, freedom and independence, impact and service, health and longevity, self-reliance and ownership, deep work and relentless focus, and strategic risk-taking.

What's the biggest mistake people make with core values?

Not actually living by them. Values that don't guide your decisions, habits and the things you say no to are just words.

How do you stay accountable to your core values?

I track my habits, measure progress and surround myself with like-minded people who challenge me to stay true to my principles. Systems and discipline make sure I live by these values daily.

The ultimate core values list: 360 core value examples

Q: Why are core values important?

Clear values help you make faster, better decisions and stay disciplined when things get hard. Research backs this up: writing about your values lowered stress hormones in one study and cut a school achievement gap by 40% in another.

Find your core values with 360 examples in 12 categories, a simple 5-step method, the research on why values matter and the 10 values I live by.

by Navid Moazzez·Updated 3 okt. 2026·27 min read·

The ultimate core values list: 360 core value examples

Struggling to make big decisions?

Feeling stuck, like something's missing, but not sure what?

It all comes down to your core values.

When you know exactly what you stand for, everything gets easier:

You stop second-guessing yourself.
You stay focused on what truly matters.
You make faster, better decisions.

That's why I created this ultimate core values list, with 360 core value examples to help you get clear on your values and build a life around them.

I live by 10 core values myself, and I'll show you each one, what it means to me and how it shows up in my work.

In this guide, I'll show you:

What core values are, and what the research says about them
How many core values you should have
A simple 5-step process to find yours, plus AI prompts to test them
360 core value examples, A to Z and sorted into 12 categories with what each one means
Examples of company core values, and the 10 personal core values I live by

Let's dive in.

key_takeaways.md

TL;DR

Key takeaways

Core values are the few principles that guide your decisions, priorities and behavior.

Research by Shalom Schwartz found the same 10 basic values in 82 countries, so most values on any list grow from a small set of motivations.

Writing about your values works: in one study it lowered stress hormones, and in another it cut a school achievement gap by 40%.

I recommend 5 to 10 core values, while Brené Brown asks people to cut their list to just 2.

The values that count are the ones you act on, so turn each one into a daily habit and a clear no.

What are core values?

Core values are the fundamental principles that shape your decisions, priorities and behavior. They're what you stand for, even when standing for it costs you something.

They influence:

What you say yes or no to
Where you focus your time and energy
How you respond to challenges

Think of them as your internal compass, keeping you aligned with what truly matters.

A goal is something you reach, while a value guides how you get there and never runs out.

When you know your values, everything becomes clearer.

You stop chasing things that don't fulfill you.

And you make better decisions, with more purpose and confidence.

Navid Moazzez

@thenavidm

If you don't define your personal values, the world will do it for you.

Why are core values important?

Most people never take the time to define their core values, but those values impact every decision they make.

Without clear values, it's easy to:

Feel stuck or directionless
Struggle with decision-making
Prioritize the wrong things

Research backs this up.

Psychologists have studied values for decades, and reflecting on them has measurable effects:

where Shalom Schwartz's research found the same 10 basic values

82 countries

Schwartz, 2012

under stress for people who wrote about their values first

Lower cortisol

85 people, Creswell and others, 2005

smaller racial achievement gap after a brief in-class values writing exercise

40%

Cohen and others, 2006

core values Brené Brown asks people to narrow their list down to

Dare to Lead

When you know exactly what matters to you, life becomes more focused and intentional.

You make faster, better decisions.
You stay disciplined when things get hard.
You build a life that actually aligns with what you want.

Your values influence every part of your life, whether you define them or not.

The real question is: Are you choosing your values, or letting the world choose for you?

The 10 basic values found in every culture

Social psychologist Shalom Schwartz's theory of basic human values is the most tested map of what people value.

His research identified 10 basic values that are recognized across cultures, with findings from 82 countries.

They sit in a circle: values next to each other fit together, and values on opposite sides pull against each other, like stimulation and security.

Here are the 10, with values from my list that grow from each:

Self-direction

What it's about: Independent thought and action: choosing, creating and exploring
Values from the list: Freedom, Independence, Creativity, Curiosity

Stimulation

What it's about: Excitement, novelty and challenge in life
Values from the list: Adventurous, Variety, Daring, Challenge

Hedonism

What it's about: Pleasure and enjoyment for yourself
Values from the list: Fun, Enjoyment, Joy, Zest for Life

Achievement

What it's about: Personal success by showing competence
Values from the list: Success, Ambition, Competence, Excellence

Power

What it's about: Status, prestige and control over resources
Values from the list: Status, Wealth, Influence, Recognition

Security

What it's about: Safety, harmony and stability of society, relationships and self
Values from the list: Security, Stability, Family, Order

Conformity

What it's about: Restraint of actions that could upset or harm others
Values from the list: Self-Control, Courtesy, Restraint, Lawfulness

Tradition

What it's about: Respect for the customs and ideas of your culture or religion
Values from the list: Tradition, Humility, Faith, Reverence

Benevolence

What it's about: Caring for the welfare of the people close to you
Values from the list: Loyalty, Honesty, Helpfulness, Forgiveness

Universalism

What it's about: Understanding, tolerance and protection for all people and for nature
Values from the list: Equality, Justice, Sustainability, Tolerance

Basic value	What it's about	Values from the list
Self-direction	Independent thought and action: choosing, creating and exploring	Freedom, Independence, Creativity, Curiosity
Stimulation	Excitement, novelty and challenge in life	Adventurous, Variety, Daring, Challenge
Hedonism	Pleasure and enjoyment for yourself	Fun, Enjoyment, Joy, Zest for Life
Achievement	Personal success by showing competence	Success, Ambition, Competence, Excellence
Power	Status, prestige and control over resources	Status, Wealth, Influence, Recognition
Security	Safety, harmony and stability of society, relationships and self	Security, Stability, Family, Order
Conformity	Restraint of actions that could upset or harm others	Self-Control, Courtesy, Restraint, Lawfulness
Tradition	Respect for the customs and ideas of your culture or religion	Tradition, Humility, Faith, Reverence
Benevolence	Caring for the welfare of the people close to you	Loyalty, Honesty, Helpfulness, Forgiveness
Universalism	Understanding, tolerance and protection for all people and for nature	Equality, Justice, Sustainability, Tolerance

Your own top values will lean toward a few of these.

Mine lean toward self-direction and achievement, with freedom and mastery among my 10.