"Good values are like a magnet – they attract good people."

John Wooden

Basketball Coach

The ViDA Values Rulebook: A Comprehensive Guide to Living in Alignment with Your Core Values

Introduction to ViDA Values

At ViDA (Values-Driven Achievement), we define values as states and traits that drive behaviour, decisions, and human interactions. They are not abstract goals but the lived experience of who we are in the present. Values are the compass that guides us toward fulfillment and alignment with our personal and collective purpose. This guidebook will help you understand the nuanced principles of values in the ViDA framework.

We have major rules, and more values guidelines listed below. The main ViDA Values Rules are:

Values are STATES and TRAITS
Values are not PRINCIPLES
Values words are NOUNS that represent a QUALITY
Values pass the "That Person is so full of..." test
Value words are not PRESENT PARTICIPLES
Values are not TERMINAL GOALS or future states

1. Values Are States and Traits

Values represent present states, not abstract aspirations or future-oriented movements. They start as a feeling or a Values State. They reflect how we exist here and now. For example:

A value might be care, as it represents a state of being.
However, caring, as a present participle, implies movement toward something rather than embodying it.

Rule: Live your values as a state of being. Avoid the temptation to frame them as aspirational actions or processes.

2. Values Are Not Principles

Values are the “how”, while principles are the rules that operationalize values. Principles are different, and their application and utility are crystal clear. For example:

If your value is integrity, a corresponding principle might be, “Always speak the truth, even when it’s difficult.”

Rule: Use principles as tools to put values into action, but do not conflate the two.

3. Values words are nouns that Represent a quality

Values words must be nouns representing a stable and intrinsic character quality. These words should describe a state of being or a trait that reflects who you are at your core, rather than an action, process, or external aspiration.

Examples of Compliant Values Words: Integrity, Empathy, Courage, Wisdom, Resilience

Prohibited Words:

Verbs (e.g., "Empower" could be agency, influence, empowerment)
Present participles (e.g., "Caring" could be care, compassion, empathy)
Abstract goals or outcomes (e.g., "Health" could be disciplined, energetic, wholesome)
External needs or aspirations (e.g., "Security" could be stability, confidence, trust)

Key Rule: A values word must be a noun that communicates a quality of character.

4. Values pass the "Person is so full of..." Test

Values words must describe intrinsic, stable qualities of character that naturally fit into the phrase: "That person is so full of ______." This test ensures values are understood as inherent traits rather than actions, achievements, or temporary states.

Examples:
✅ "That person is so full of kindness."
❌ "That person is so full of caring."

Rule: A valid value word must be a singular, abstract noun that conveys an intangible, positive trait. It should not be a verb, adjective, participle, or outcome-driven concept.

5. Values are not present participles

A value is not a present participle because it reflects a stable state of being, not an ongoing action or aspiration.

Present participles (e.g., "caring," "learning") evoke movement and effort, implying an action in progress rather than an intrinsic quality.
Framing a value as a present participle can create feelings of striving, impermanence, and self-evaluation, distracting from its grounding nature.
Values should affirm who you are now, offering stability and confidence, rather than prompting a need to prove or achieve them.

Rule: Always define values as states or traits, not actions or processes, to embody authenticity and alignment in the present.

6. Terminal Values Inform But Are Not Values Themselves

Terminal values, such as community, health, and family, are overarching goals. They describe the outcomes we desire in life, but they are not the states we inhabit while striving for these ideals. Instead:

The values that drive community might be connection, trust, or respect.
Health might be driven by discipline, vitality, or balance.

Rule: Define the states and traits that align with your terminal goals. Focus on how you want to live, not just what you want to achieve.

Guidelines for Value Words

When it comes to articulating values, words matter. While the following are not rigid rules, these guidelines serve as essential tools to help you clarify and ground our understanding of value terms. Values are not just abstract concepts—they are the lived experiences and traits we sense, intuit and experience. They define who we are and how we act. By adhering to the principles above and using the guidelines below, we can ensure our value words resonate authentically and guide meaningful decisions and behaviours. Let’s explore the nuances that bring clarity and power to describing our values.

Use Adjectives to Clarify Core Values

Values can be refined through adjectives, providing clarity and depth. For instance:

Connection can be expanded to loving connection, intellectual connection, or controlled connection.

Rule: Modify core values with adjectives to reflect their precise meaning and relevance to your life.

Values Are Not Needs

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs reminds us that values emerge when basic needs are met. However, needs and values are distinct:

In survival mode, values like protection and resilience may take precedence.
In calm, flourishing environments, values like creativity and exploration dominate.

Rule: Recognize how circumstances shape which values surface. Values reflect your authentic state within the context of your environment.

Values Are Not Beliefs

Beliefs are deeper constructs that shape values. They reside in the spiritual and emotional realm, forming the foundation of our value states. For instance:

A belief in fairness might manifest as a value of justice.

Rule: Examine the beliefs that inform your values to ensure they align with your authentic self.

Values Are Not Purpose

Values define the how; purpose defines the why. Values inform your purpose. For example:

Purpose: To help others achieve their potential.
Value: Generous impact, which informs how you fulfill that purpose.

Rule: Differentiate between your driving purpose and the values that guide how you pursue it.

Values Are Not Your Mission or Core Philosophy

Your mission is the job you do every day, and your corporate philosophy is the broader culture of your organization. Values are distinct:

Mission: Building houses.
Values: Quality, integrity, hard work.

Rule: Values are a part of your culture but do not encompass your entire philosophy.

Values Are Emotional and Meaningful

Values elicit an emotional response and feel natural, genuine, and authentic. They resonate deeply because they reflect your true self.

Rule: If a value doesn’t evoke emotion or meaning, it may not be authentically yours.

Values Can Be in Conflict

Frameworks like the Competing Values Framework and Schwartz’s Theory of Values illustrate that values often conflict:

Creativity vs. control.
Performance vs. teamwork.

Rule: Embrace and manage conflicting values. Understand their dynamics within your life and work.

Contribution vs. Self-Interest Values

Values like justice serve society, while values like hedonism prioritize personal pleasure. Neither is inherently bad, but balance is crucial.

Rule: Acknowledge both self-interested and contribution-driven values and strive for harmony.

Shadow Values

Shadow values are hidden or denied values that can fuel destructive behaviours. For example:

Power and achievement can drive success but may become toxic when unacknowledged.

Rule: Identify and integrate shadow values to prevent them from undermining your goals.

Conclusion: Living ViDA Values

The ViDA framework offers a structured approach to identifying and living your values with clarity and intention. By understanding the nuances of values as states, not needs or principles, and by embracing their emotional depth and potential conflicts, you can align your life with your truest self.

Final Rule: Values are not something you have; they are something you live. Be present. Be authentic. Be aligned.