Day 2 — Values

Time: ~65 min · Goal: name what you stand for.

Values are not aspirations. They’re the principles you actually use to evaluate whether a life feels right. Today you’ll narrow a long list down to 5 ranked, operationalized values.

1. Brainstorm from the list (15 min)

Open the values starter list and circle (or copy below) every word that feels like you — not who you wish you were, who you actually are at your best. Add your own.

Words that feel like me:

words: ______________________

2. Narrow to 10 (10 min)

From your circled list, pick the 10 that feel most non-negotiable.

The test: if a value were taken from your life, would it feel like a loss of self?

1. ______
2. ______
3. ______
4. ______
5. ______
6. ______
7. ______
8. ______
9. ______
10. ______

3. Narrow to 5 (15 min)

The hardest step. Force-rank down to 5. When two compete, ask: which one, if I had to give it up, would hurt more?

1. ______
2. ______
3. ______
4. ______
5. ______

4. Operationalize (15 min)

For each of your 5, write a one-sentence definition in your own words (not the dictionary’s), what it looks like when you’re living it, and what it looks like when you’re betraying it.

Value 1 — ______

• My definition: ______
• Living it looks like: ______
• Betraying it looks like: ______

Value 2 — ______

• My definition: ______
• Living it looks like: ______
• Betraying it looks like: ______

Value 3 — ______

• My definition: ______
• Living it looks like: ______
• Betraying it looks like: ______

Value 4 — ______

• My definition: ______
• Living it looks like: ______
• Betraying it looks like: ______

Value 5 — ______

• My definition: ______
• Living it looks like: ______
• Betraying it looks like: ______

5. Conflict test (10 min)

Values clash in real decisions. Take your ranking from step 3 and test it against 3 recent hard decisions you made. Does your stated ranking match how you actually chose? If not, your stated ranking is wrong — adjust it.

1. Decision: ______
   • The value I actually chose by: ______
2. Decision: ______
   • The value I actually chose by: ______
3. Decision: ______
   • The value I actually chose by: ______

Adjusted ranking (if it changed):

1. ______
2. ______
3. ______
4. ______
5. ______

✓ End of Day 2 deliverable

Your 5 core values, ranked, each with a personal definition. → Continue to Day 3 — Passions.