The Next Step in Finding Meaning: Turn Values into Action

In the first step in finding meaning, you identified your core values: the qualities and priorities that matter most to you. Knowing your values is valuable. Living them is where meaning really grows.

This article is about turning values into action.

Values vs goals

It helps to understand the difference between values and goals:

Goals are things you can achieve and tick off: run a marathon, get a promotion, save a deposit.
Values are ongoing directions you move in: health, growth, security. You never "finish" a value.

This idea is central to acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), a form of therapy developed by Steven Hayes and colleagues. ACT encourages people to identify their values and take "committed action" in line with them, even when that action involves discomfort.

Goals are useful because they give values a concrete shape. But a life built only on goals can feel like a treadmill: achieve one, chase the next. Values give goals meaning.

Step 1: One action per value

For each of your top values, write one or two small actions you could take regularly. For example:

Value	Small, regular action
Family	Eat dinner together without phones three nights a week
Health	Walk for 20 minutes after lunch on weekdays
Creativity	Spend Sunday morning drawing or writing
Generosity	Volunteer once a month
Learning	Read for 15 minutes before bed

Small and regular beats big and rare. A weekly habit you sustain will add more meaning than a grand gesture you make once.

Step 2: Value-based goals

Now set one goal for the next three months for each of your top two or three values. Make sure each goal clearly serves the value. Ask: why does this goal matter to me? If the answer is mainly about status, approval or comparison, consider whether it truly reflects your values.

Step 3: Notice daily choices

Values show up in small decisions all day long: how you respond to a stressed colleague, whether you call a friend back, what you do with a free hour. Try asking yourself, a few times a day: what would someone who values [your value] do right now?

When values conflict

Sometimes values pull in different directions. Career ambition might clash with family time. Security might clash with adventure. This is normal. A few approaches help:

Seasons: Accept that different values may take priority at different times of life.
Creative solutions: Look for ways to honour both, such as an adventurous holiday with family.
Explicit choices: Make the trade-off consciously rather than drifting.

Expect discomfort

Living by your values isn't always comfortable. Speaking honestly, trying something new or setting boundaries can bring anxiety. ACT emphasises that discomfort doesn't mean you're on the wrong path; it often means you're doing something that matters.

Review monthly

Once a month, look back:

Which value-based actions did I take?
Which values did I neglect?
What got in the way?
What will I adjust next month?

Meaning in the ordinary

Meaning isn't only found in big achievements or dramatic life changes. It's found in ordinary acts done with care: cooking for people you love, doing your work well, helping a neighbour, noticing beauty. When everyday actions reflect your values, ordinary life becomes meaningful.

Try this

Take your top three values. Write one small, regular action for each and put them in your calendar for the coming week. At the end of the week, notice how it felt.

Sources and further reading

Hayes, Strosahl & Wilson: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (Association for Contextual Behavioral Science)