When what you do aligns with your values – your gut feelings and fundamental beliefs about what is important and what feels right – you’re much more likely to feel a sense of satisfaction and purpose.
Your values can guide how you spend your time — what to study, which activities and summer experiences to explore over the next few years, and eventually what career to pursue.  
- Your values are why you’d want to do something,
- Your actions are what you decide to do (what activities you do in your free time, what summer experiences you seek, what job you try after graduation),
- Your strengths are how you can approach it.  
Identifying Your Values
1) Take a look at a list of values and circle or jot down your top 15-20.
2) Now, group together those 15-20 into your top 5 themes. (For instance, philanthropy, community, and generosity could be grouped as service to others.)
3) Think back to your most significant and meaningful involvements in high school and college so far- inside or outside of the classroom. Also bring to mind a person/people you admire and what about them is valuable to you.
- Do your top values themes show up when you think about these experiences/people?
- How did those experiences or people embody your values in a meaningful way? How will they impact your choices going forward?
4) Consider: Your WHY (values) = your motivations and what fulfills you.
- What is most meaningful & satisfying to you?
- What feels non-negotiable?
- How will you measure your life? Or, if that feels too big… How will you measure your college experience?
Values-Forward Mindset
You’ll benefit from allowing your values/your why to inform your decisions. A lot of people over-focus on what they are doing and how they are doing it. This is the danger of comparing yourself to others or doing things to please others. Others may have a different sense of purpose underlying their actions!
If you only focus on what you do and how you do it- kind of checking boxes- you could end up feeling unhappy or unfulfilled in college or in life after college. High school can sometimes feel like a box-checking experience. College and career should be more driven by you.
Leadership, activities, projects, service, and experiences like research and internships give you time to pay attention to what makes you feel happy, proud or fulfilled and then talk with others to learn ways to do more of it. So, as you consider possibilities- in college or beyond, check to see if they align with your top values themes.
Draft Your WHY/Purpose Statement
Your WHY = Your reason for doing what you do. Your purpose and motivations. What fulfills you.
A formula: I want to (list a contribution you want to make) so that (list an impact it will have).
Examples:
- I want to drive innovation in healthcare so that more people around the world have access to lifesaving care.
- I want to use my creative talents so that my community is vibrant and inclusive.
- I want to champion sustainability and renewable energy so that future generations will enjoy clear air, food, water and a comfortable climate.
Notice that your statement doesn’t list WHAT you’ll do (a specific job or project), or HOW how you’ll do it. Those answers will depend on your strengths, interests, and skills. One way to envision possibilities based on your WHY is to type your statement into ChatGPT and ask for a list of industries and roles you might consider.
I want to use my creative talents so that my community is vibrant and inclusive.