Wondering how to live a meaningful life? The above podcast from the Savvy Psychologist (Dr. Jade Wu) breaks it down in four easy steps. Listen to the brief podcast above, or check out more information below.
How to Live a Meaningful Life
(Hint: It’s About Values)
If goals are points on a map, values are the North Star that guides you and gives your life meaning. Learn the values that drive you, and make a plan to act on them, using these four steps.
Some Fast Facts
- Values are things that matter to us in the grand scheme of life.
- Values are different from goals. They offer lifelong guidance, and can never be checked off a list.
- Knowing your values makes you resilient to change and open to opportunity.
- Values give your life meaning and purpose, which is fulfilling for much longer than the temporary satisfaction of chasing goals.
How Do I Figure Out What My Values Are?
Knowing your values is easier said than done. Many of us have never even given thought to our values, much less made a systematic effort to define them.
But it’s never too late. The great thing about values is that they’re evergreen. They’re also flexible, changing with you as you get older and wiser and more self-aware. This means you can and should revisit your values at any age. And it means “no pressure!”
Defining your values isn’t a riddle with only one right answer—there are many answers, and you get to decide what they are. Here’s how to get started.
- Step 1: Do a values card sort
- Step 2: Make sure what you’ve identified really are values, not goals or obligations
- Step 3: Rate each value’s importance versus your current alignment with it
- Step 4: Set some value-driven goals
To get the full breakdown of these four steps, either listen to the podcast above or check out The Savvy Psychologist article on Quick and Dirty Tips.
