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