Values clarification — identifying what matters most to you at the deepest level — is a cornerstone of ACT therapy for intelligence and provides direction when intelligence removes other navigational tools.
Why Values Matter for Intelligence
Intelligence often disconnects us from our values through avoidance, withdrawal, and reduced capacity. Reconnecting with values provides:
- Direction when intelligence has eliminated other motivation
- Meaning that persists even through difficult intelligence periods
- A basis for action independent of how intelligence makes you feel
Clarifying Your Values with Intelligence
Ask yourself: 'If my intelligence 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 Intelligence
ACT therapy teaches: act according to values even when intelligence is present. Small values-aligned actions, despite intelligence, are more sustainable than waiting for intelligence to lift first.