Values Bullseye Worksheet: See Where You Are on Target and Where You Have Drifted
The Values Bullseye Worksheet helps you compare everyday actions with your personal values. Name what matters in each life area, reflect on the gap, and choose a practical next step.
Reviewed byJack Bartel, PsyD
About this tool
The Values Bullseye Worksheet is an ACT reflection tool for seeing where everyday actions match what matters to you and where you would like to make a change. Based on the approach developed by Tobias Lundgren and colleagues, it helps turn broad priorities into practical choices without treating your ratings as a judgment of your character. Values in ACT are chosen life directions: the kind of person you want to be and the qualities you want to bring to what you do. Unlike a goal, a value is never finished; being a loving parent is something you practice through daily actions.
The bullseye divides life into four domains: work and education, leisure, relationships, and personal growth and health. For each, you name what you value and then mark how closely you have been living in line with it. A dart in the center means you are acting fully on that value; a dart out at the edge means you have drifted far from it. The picture that emerges shows, at a glance, where your life is aligned and where the gaps are.
The point is not to score yourself or feel guilty about the gaps. In ACT, a gap between your values and your actions is simply useful information: it tells you where committed action would be most meaningful right now. Many people find that even a small step toward a neglected value lifts their sense of vitality more than chasing feeling good directly.
This exercise pairs naturally with a fuller values clarification and with a committed action plan, where you turn the gaps you find here into specific, doable steps.
Lundgren and colleagues published a psychometric evaluation of the Bull's-Eye Values Survey in 2012. They reported preliminary support for using it to assess values, differences between values and actions, and barriers to valued living. That research concerns the published survey. This educational worksheet uses reflection prompts and ratings to support personal planning; the study does not validate this web version as a clinical test or establish a diagnostic cutoff.
There is no total score to aim for since the four domains are independent snapshots, not a single number to optimize. A domain sitting near the edge is not a failure, it is a pointer. Many people find it more useful to track this bullseye every few weeks than to fill it out once, since the picture that matters is whether the gap in the domain you chose to work on is narrowing.
If you complete the bullseye and find every domain sitting far from center, or committed action feels impossible no matter how small the step, that is a sign to bring this to a therapist rather than work through it alone. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is built for exactly this kind of stuck point, and you can search the Psychology.com therapist directory for one who practices it.
To make a rating useful, write down the behavior behind it. For example, valuing reliability at work might mean clarifying a deadline before agreeing to it. Valuing connection might mean sending a thoughtful message when meeting in person is impractical. These are examples to adapt to your circumstances, not standards everyone should adopt. A difficult feeling can be present while an action still expresses a value.
Look for practical barriers before concluding that you lack motivation. Caregiving, disability, unsafe relationships, financial pressure, and limited access to resources can restrict your options. A value does not require you to ignore those limits. If a planned action depends on someone else changing, identify an action you can take yourself, such as asking for information, requesting support, or protecting time to rest.
The ACT Worksheets Library provides related exercises. Use the Values Clarification Worksheet if you are unsure which qualities you personally choose, or the Committed Action Plan Worksheet to turn a priority into a specific action and a backup plan. The Values Test can offer additional self-assessment prompts, but neither tool decides which values you should hold.
References
- Lundgren T, Luoma JB, Dahl J, Strosahl K, Melin L. The Bull's-Eye Values Survey: a psychometric evaluation. Cogn Behav Pract. 2012;19(4):518-526.
- Harris R. The Happiness Trap. 2nd ed. Trumpeter; 2022.
- Lundgren, T., Luoma, J. B., Dahl, J., Strosahl, K., & Melin, L. (2012). The Bull's-Eye Values Survey: A psychometric evaluation. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1077722912000387
- Association for Contextual Behavioral Science. Bull's Eye Values Survey (BEVS). https://contextualscience.org/bulls_eye_values_survey_bevs
Cite this source
Psychology.com. (2026, September 16). Values Bullseye Worksheet. Psychology.com. https://psychology.com/tools/values-bullseye
Values Bullseye Worksheet FAQ
What is the Values Bullseye?
An ACT exercise where you rate how closely you are living by your values across four life domains. The closer to the center your rating, the more on-target you are. It makes abstract values concrete and shows where to aim next. This free worksheet and PDF support reflection and planning. The ratings describe your perspective on recent behavior, so they are not a diagnosis or a measure of your personal worth.
What is the difference between a value and a goal?
A goal is a specific outcome you can complete, while a value describes how you want to act over time. For example, arranging a call is a goal; being a caring friend is a value you can express in many situations. Choose goals that fit the value and your actual circumstances, then revise them when circumstances change.
Should I feel bad about the gaps?
A gap can be useful information about an area that matters to you. It does not establish that you are failing or choosing badly. Before planning a change, consider what has limited your options, including health, money, responsibilities, and support. Choose a feasible action and allow yourself to acknowledge disappointment without turning the worksheet into self-criticism.
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.
How often should I fill out the Values Bullseye?
There is no fixed schedule, but many people repeat it every few weeks or after a major life change. Redoing it lets you see whether the gap in a domain you have been working on is narrowing, which is more useful than a single one-time snapshot. When you revisit it, consider the same life area and describe what you actually tried. Changes in circumstances can affect your rating even when you made a meaningful effort.
Does the Values Bullseye work for depression or anxiety?
It is not a treatment on its own, but ACT approaches that use values work like this have been studied for both. If gaps between your values and your daily life feel connected to low mood or worry, a therapist can help you use it alongside broader support, and a self-assessment can help you understand what you are dealing with. The worksheet itself cannot establish why you feel stuck, diagnose a condition, or predict whether a particular treatment will help you.