Underlying your goals and beliefs in life are a set of core values. When your behaviour and environment are in synchronisation with these values you feel content and at ease. There are two types of values: ends values and means values. The more important are ends values. Often means values get confused with end values, sometimes distracting an individual from their real end values. This is explained in more detail in this article by Mike Munro Turner about values and beliefs.

One of the most important aspects of the coaching process is identifying and understanding the client's values, for both the coach and the client.

Your true values may not be easy things to identify. One way you can start this process is to make a pack of cards with the words above, one word per card. You may choose to add a few of your own. Be careful to consider whether they are ends values and not means values in disguise. Over a period of time, sort the cards into those that have meaning to you and those that don't. Speak the word out loud; imagine the value in context. Does it ring any bells for you? Once you have two piles you can start to sort your values into an order list with the most important one at the top. You may find some hard to choose between and they can lie alongside each other. You may even decide to discard some during this process. This process may need to be considered over a couple of days.