Values clarification — identifying what matters most to you at the deepest level — is a cornerstone of ACT therapy for coaching and provides direction when coaching removes other navigational tools.
Why Values Matter for Coaching
Coaching often disconnects us from our values through avoidance, withdrawal, and reduced capacity. Reconnecting with values provides:
- Direction when coaching has eliminated other motivation
- Meaning that persists even through difficult coaching periods
- A basis for action independent of how coaching makes you feel
Clarifying Your Values with Coaching
Ask yourself: 'If my coaching were less present, what would I be doing more of? What kind of person would I be?'
Values are not goals (achievable and done) but ongoing directions: being a present parent, creating beauty, contributing to others.
Values-Based Action in Coaching
ACT therapy teaches: act according to values even when coaching is present. Small values-aligned actions, despite coaching, are more sustainable than waiting for coaching to lift first.