ACT Values Worksheet
Clarify what truly matters to you across the main areas of life, so you have a compass for everyday choices and a foundation for committed action.
About this tool
Values are the heart of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. In ACT, values are freely chosen directions for how you want to live: the qualities you want to bring to your behavior over the long run. They answer questions like 'What kind of partner, friend, parent, or worker do I want to be?' and 'What do I want to stand for?' Values give life meaning and serve as a compass, especially when difficult thoughts and feelings make the path unclear.
A crucial distinction in ACT is between values and goals. A goal is something you can achieve and tick off: get the job, run the marathon, get married. A value is an ongoing direction you can never finish: being diligent, being healthy, being loving. Goals are like points along a journey; values are the direction you are heading. This matters because once you reach a goal, the question becomes 'now what?', whereas a value keeps guiding you. It also means you can act on a value today, no matter your circumstances.
Clarifying values is freeing because it shifts the focus from feeling good to living well. ACT does not promise to remove pain, and chasing pleasant feelings often shrinks a life. But you can choose, right now, to act in line with what matters, even alongside discomfort. People often find that doing so brings a deeper sense of vitality and purpose than pursuing happiness directly.
Once your values are clear, the natural next steps are to see where your life is and is not aligned with them, using the Values Bullseye, and to turn the gaps into concrete steps with a committed action plan.
- Hayes SC, Strosahl KD, Wilson KG. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: The Process and Practice of Mindful Change. 2nd ed. Guilford Press; 2012.
- Harris R. The Happiness Trap. 2nd ed. Trumpeter; 2022.
- Wilson KG, Sandoz EK, Kitchens J, Roberts M. The Valued Living Questionnaire. Psychol Rec. 2010;60(2):249-272.
ACT Values Worksheet FAQ
What are values in ACT?
Freely chosen directions for how you want to live: the qualities you want to bring to your behavior over the long run, like being loving, honest, or curious. They act as a compass for everyday choices and a foundation for committed action.
What is the difference between a value and a goal?
A goal can be achieved and crossed off, like getting a job or running a race. A value is an ongoing direction you never finish, like being diligent or kind. Goals are points on a journey; values are the direction you travel.
What if I'm not sure what I value?
That is common. Try noticing what moves you, what you admire in others, or what you would want said about you at the end of your life. Values become clearer with reflection and as you test them through action.
Is my information saved?
No. Everything stays in your browser. Your entries are never uploaded or stored, and the PDF is generated on your own device.