Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: Discovering Your Core Values
Do you ever feel like you’re running on autopilot? Busy, but not moving in the direction you truly want? Many of us spend our days checking off tasks, chasing goals, or fighting with difficult thoughts, without stopping to ask: What really matters to me?
That’s where Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) comes in. One of ACT’s core processes is exploring and clarifying your values—the qualities and directions that give life meaning. Unlike goals, which can be achieved or failed, values are ongoing. They serve as a compass, guiding you through life’s challenges and choices.
In this article, we’ll explore:
What values mean in ACT
The difference between values and goals
Simple values exercises you can try today
Common challenges people face in values work
How the ACT Essentials App can help you explore your own values
What Are Values in ACT?
In ACT, values are freely chosen directions that reflect the kind of person you want to be and the life you want to live. They’re not about what others expect from you, but about what you care about deeply.
Examples of values might include:
Connection
Growth
Service
Creativity
Courage
Compassion
Values aren’t destinations. Instead, they’re ongoing qualities of action. You don’t achieve compassion once and for all—you live it moment by moment, choice by choice.
Values vs. Goals: Understanding the Difference
A common stumbling block in values work is confusing them with goals. Here’s the distinction:
Goal: Something you can complete or achieve.
Value: A chosen direction that you can embody indefinitely.
Examples:
Goal: Run a half-marathon.
Value: Caring for your health and body.
Goal: Publish a book.
Value: Sharing knowledge and creativity with others.
When you accomplish a goal, it’s finished. But your values continue to guide your next steps. Goals succeed or fail, but values always remain available to you.
Why Values Matter for Mental Health
Life is full of pain, uncertainty, and difficult emotions. We can’t eliminate these experiences entirely, but we can choose how to respond. Living by your values gives you direction, resilience, and clarity—even in the middle of hardship.
Research on ACT shows that clarifying and committing to values can help with:
Anxiety & stress management: Values give you a reason to act even when your mind says “stay safe.” Twohig & Levin (2017); Kashdan & Rottenberg (2010)
Motivation: Knowing why you’re doing something makes effort sustainable.
Levin et al. (2012)Decision-making: Values simplify choices when you feel pulled in many directions. Ciarrochi et al. (2010); Hayes et al. (2012)
This ability to stay open, present, and aligned with values in the face of difficulty is called psychological flexibility, and it’s at the heart of ACT.
Common Challenges in Values Work
Even though values sound simple, people often get stuck. Here are three common barriers, and how to move through them:
“I don’t know my values.”
→ Start by noticing moments when you feel alive, fulfilled, or proud. These experiences usually point toward values.
“My values clash.”
→ That’s normal. Many people hold values that compete (e.g., freedom vs. security). Balance and flexibility are part of the process.
“I keep slipping away from my values.”
→ That’s okay. ACT isn’t about perfection—it’s about noticing when you drift and gently realigning with your compass.
Using the ACT Essentials App for Values Sorting
The ACT Essentials App is built to make values exploration practical and accessible. Within the app, you can complete a Values Sort exercise by selecting from a curated list of common values and narrowing down your top choices.
For those who subscribe ($9.49/mo), the app also offers reflection questions designed to help you connect values to real life. For example, if you choose growth, you might be prompted to reflect on:
What does this value look like in your daily life?
What is one small action you can take today to embody this value?
How can this value shape or improve the way you connect with others.?
These guided reflections turn abstract ideas into practical steps, making it easier to live your values in daily life. And because the app tracks your exercises, you can revisit your reflections over time and notice how your relationship with your values evolves.
In short, the app becomes a pocket-sized compass you can carry with you, reminding you of what matters most.
Bringing It All Together
Values work isn’t about achieving a perfect life or eliminating pain, it’s about living with intention. By clarifying what truly matters, and taking small steps in that direction, you create a sense of meaning that carries you through both joy and difficulty.
ACT offers many tools, but values are at the heart of it. Whether through a simple journaling exercise, a conversation with a loved one, or using the ACT Essentials App, you can begin to discover and live by your values today.
Next Steps
Watch the YouTube video: How to Discover Your Values with ACT
