There’s nothing wrong with chasing money.
But let me ask you — should it come at the cost of your core values?
Open to discussing this below!
I see so many people (especially the youth) running after money while pulling others down. Not all of them, though!
Aren’t we missing something important here?
That’s exactly why I put together this list of core values — values I believe everyone should live by, especially those in leadership or management roles.
Because when you’re at the top, values flow down to everyone below you.
Of course, I haven’t covered everything.
This is just my POV.
Here’s the list of core values with a short definition for each:
- Authenticity — Being true to yourself and your beliefs.
- Achievement — Reaching goals through effort and skill.
- Adventure — Seeking new, exciting, and risky experiences.
- Authority — Leading others with recognized power and influence.
- Autonomy — Freedom to make your own choices.
- Balance — Maintaining stability between life’s different areas.
- Beauty — Appreciating aesthetics, nature, and artistic expression.
- Boldness — Acting with courage and without fear.
- Compassion — Caring deeply for others’ suffering and needs.
- Challenge — Pushing beyond comfort zones for growth.
- Citizenship — Contributing to the good of your community.
- Community — Building strong, supportive relationships with others.
- Competency — Mastering skills and performing effectively.
- Contribution — Giving back to causes greater than yourself.
- Creativity — Expressing original ideas and imagination.
- Curiosity — Always seeking to learn and discover more.
- Determination — Persisting through obstacles toward your goals.
- Fairness — Treating everyone equally and justly.
- Faith — Trusting deeply in beliefs beyond evidence.
- Fame — Being widely known and celebrated.
- Friendships — Building lasting bonds of trust and support.
- Fun — Enjoying activities that bring joy and laughter.
- Growth — Continuously improving personally and professionally.
- Happiness — Experiencing joy, fulfillment, and contentment.
- Honesty — Telling the truth and being transparent.
- Humor — Finding joy and laughter in life.
- Influence — Affecting others’ thoughts, actions, or decisions.
- Inner Harmony — Feeling at peace within yourself.
- Justice — Upholding moral rightness and fairness for all.
- Kindness — Acting generously, selflessly, and gently.
- Knowledge — Pursuing understanding and wisdom continuously.
- Leadership — Guiding and inspiring others toward a vision.
- Learning — Acquiring new skills, facts, or insights.
- Love — Deep affection, care, and connection with others.
- Loyalty — Staying true and devoted to others.
- Meaningful Work — Doing work that feels purposeful and valuable.
- Openness — Being receptive to new ideas and experiences.
- Optimism — Expecting good outcomes and staying positive.
- Peace — Living free from conflict and fear.
- Pleasure — Enjoying life’s sensual and emotional joys.
- Poise — Maintaining grace and composure under pressure.
- Popularity — Being liked, admired, or accepted widely.
- Recognition — Gaining acknowledgment for your efforts.
- Religion — Following a spiritual or faith-based system.
- Reputation — How others perceive your character and actions.
- Respect — Valuing others’ feelings, rights, and traditions.
- Responsibility — Owning your duties and actions.
- Security — Feeling safe, stable, and protected.
- Self-Respect — Valuing your own dignity and worth.
- Service — Helping others selflessly and consistently.
- Spirituality — Connecting to something larger than yourself.
- Stability — Building a predictable, steady life foundation.
- Success — Achieving goals and fulfilling ambitions.
- Status — Achieving a position of prestige or honor.
- Trustworthiness — Being reliable, honest, and dependable.
- Wealth — Accumulating valuable assets or resources.
- Wisdom — Applying knowledge and experience thoughtfully.
Wait!
Did you just skim through the values, bouncing somewhere else?
Ideally, you should bookmark this page — or better yet, share it with someone close to you.
Anyway, I hope you learned something new today and are feeling inspired to adopt at least three core values into your life.
Actually, let’s keep it even simpler — start with just one today.
If you ask me, start with “Happiness.”
Note: Every value listed here matters deeply.
Many of these personal values were inspired by my time working with colleagues, CEOs, and my wife.
— Shailesh Thakran
That’s all, folks.
This is “Core Values” in brief.
