What Is The Difference Between Values And Goals

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Knowing the difference between values and goals will help you significantly in your personal development journey.

Setting values-aligned goals will enable you to reach success higher than you ever thought was possible and feel fulfilled while working towards them.

As a Mindset and Productivity Coach for perfectionists, I am always pushing my clients to switch their mindset from being goals-driven to being values-driven to help them break the cycle of go-go-go- and burnout.

It is a process that I had to go through myself which is why I am so passionate about teaching others the benefits of values-based living. In fact, this WHOLE BLOG, The Valued Life, is based on that principle.

In this article, I will break down the difference between values and goals with examples and explain how values influence goals.

What are values?

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, values are ‘the beliefs people have, especially about what is right and wrong and what is most important in life, that control their behaviour’.

Your values are often a combination of ideas and principles picked up from your upbringing, life experience, culture, society, and social media (nowadays) and form the foundation of an idealised version of yourself.

When you have strong values you have a clear moral compass that motivates you and helps you make decisions when there isn’t a clear path in front of you.

Your values also help you feel in alignment with your true self and purpose, for example, we feel ‘off’ when things go against our values.

It’s an emotional subjective feeling/mindset that we all have inside of us that dictate HOW we want to live our lives and WHAT we stand for.

They define your character.

10 examples of values

Lifelong learning – having a growth mindset and choosing to learn new things
Honesty – telling the truth and being transparent with yourself and others
Integrity – doing what you say you’re going to do and staying true to your values
Compassion – showing empathy and concern for others wellbeing
Respect – valuing the dignity and rights of other people and yourself
Responsibility – being accountable for your actions and duties
Innovation – valuing creativity and new ideas
Courage – choosing to stand up for the right thing even when it is scary
Sustainability – being a steward of the environment and eco-friendly
Adventure – venturing to new locations and immersing yourself in different situations

What are goals?

Well, according to the Cambridge Dictionary definition, goals are simply ‘an aim or purpose’.

Goals are specific targets that you set to achieve in the future. they are clear, measurable and specific outcomes that you set individually or within an organisation/team to complete within a specific time frame.

They should be objective not subjective with actionable steps and strategies to help you reach your desired outcome in the different areas of your life.

For example, aiming to be happy is NOT a goal because it is subjective and vague. What does being happy mean? How will you measure it? What is the timeframe?

It isn’t something that can be achieved methodically and is based on a subjective feeling.

10 examples of goals

Getting a promotion or a new job within the next year
Completing your degree certification within a set time
Running in the London Marathon in April
Saving £1000 in the next 3 months
Getting to Intermediate level in a new language in the next 2 years
Arrange a family reunion in November this year
Join an art class and stay for at least 10 sessions
Volunteer at a chosen charity for 50 hours in total
Visit 30 countries before turning 30 years old
Finding a new church that resonates with your beliefs before Christmas

A table showing the difference between values and goals

How are values and goals different?

Having clear values and goals is necessary if you want to be successful in life however there are some major differences between the two.

For example, your values are much broader than your goals since they set the foundation for the type of person you want to be.

Whereas your goals, when in alignment with your values, help you BECOME the person you want to be with clear actionable steps.

Here are some key differences:

1. How decisions are made

Goals: decisions are based on whether or not you will be able to achieve your predefined goals
Values: decisions are based on your personal beliefs and long-term vision

2. What success means

Goals: success is achieving a specific goal or milestone
Values: success is feeling fulfilled, purposeful and in alignment with your true self

3. Approach

Goals: there is a set plan with each step mapped out – you might be reluctant to make changes if it impacts your goals
Values: you’re flexible and open to changes that align with your values

4. Timeframe:

Goals: there is a predefined timeframe, with specific milestones and endpoints
Values: it is a lifelong journey that is stable and not about reaching specific milestones

5. Motivation:

Goals provide extrinsic motivation (comes from outside of yourself) based on a specific outcome e.g. getting a promotion
Values provide intrinsic motivation (comes from within yourself) and guide overall behaviour e.g. desire to learn or be a kind person

6. Focus

Goals are future-focused e.g. you plan and map out your goals for the future version of yourself
Values are now e.g. you can start behaving in alignment with your values right now with no preparation. If you want to be kinder you can start today

7. Achievement

Goals are concrete things that can be achieved
Values are abstract and subjective. They are behaviours and ways of being that we strive for every day

How do values influence goals?

It is really important to have goals that are in alignment with your values because it makes them more meaningful and fulfilling so you’re more likely to have the motivation and commitment to actually achieve them.

It also makes it easier for you to prioritise your goals when they are in alignment with your values because you’re able to check in with yourself and make difficult decisions.

Whereas if you had goals just for the sake of having goals, you might lose motivation or end up achieving goals that make you feel unhappy. And there is absolutely no fun in that!

Here are some more ways values influence goals:

Goals in alignment with values are more meaningful
Helps you prioritise goals in order of importance
Gives you the ability to be consistent in working towards your goals (e.g. if you value integrity, you will do what you say you’re going to do)
Gives you the strength to keep going when times get hard because you know your goals are meaningful and purposeful
You’ll feel happier when working towards your goals and a deep sense of satisfaction when you achieve them

What happens if your values are not aligned with your goals?

Many of my perfectionist clients struggle with living a goals-based life so they jump from goal to goal without truly reflecting if their goals are in alignment with their values.

For example, they race to climb up the career ladder, securing promotion after promotion only to reach the top and realise that it didn’t bring them the success that they thought they wanted.

This is why I STRONGLY recommend all people but especially perfectionists work on transitioning from a goals-based life to a values-based life.

If you’re not sure where you sit on this scale, here are some signs your goals are not in alignment with your values:

Feel a lot of guilt and shame regularly
Constantly feel confused and bounce between different decisions often
Suffer from anxiety and depression
Go through cycles of go-go-go and burnout
Are not consistent with your behaviour
Feel inauthentic and like you are playing a role
Achieving goals doesn’t make you feel happy
Feel like you are sacrificing your present for a future that might not bring you happiness
Act in a way that contradicts your principles and compromises your integrity
Have strained relationships with the people around you

Conclusion

It’s very clear that values and goals are heavily interlinked however there is a big distinction in the formation and characteristics of both of them.

Values are your foundational principles and beliefs that hold you accountable to yourself, whereas goals are specific, measurable and achievable outcomes for the future.

If you want to feel satisfaction and fulfilment in your life then it is ESSENTIAL that you make the effort to align your goals to your values and live a values-based life.

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What Is The Difference Between Values And Goals – 7 Key Differences