How Core Values Become Identity Anchors for Authentic Living
- Brainz Magazine
- 4 hours ago
- 8 min read
Written by Dan Williamson, Coach, Mentor, and Founder
Dan is a qualified coach and mentor with 20+ years of experience helping people unlock their potential by challenging perspectives and enhancing self-awareness. He founded Teach Lead Transform, an online platform for self-discovery, learning, and language growth.
Do you ever feel lost in life's chaos, lacking clarity on which path to take when faced with difficult decisions? Most of us fulfil different roles throughout our daily lives, as professionals, partners, parents, or friends. Maintaining a consistent sense of “Who am I?” can be a struggle with often conflicting expectations and demands, depending on the role and situation.
However, there is a powerful solution: utilising core values as identity anchors. In this article, you will discover how identifying and using your personal values creates a foundation for authentic living. Whether navigating professional or personal challenges, or simply seeking greater fulfilment, value-based identity anchors help to simplify decision making, reduce daily cognitive drain and facilitate a more authentic life.
What are identity anchors?
Identity anchors are the core values that define who you are, regardless of the scenario. Core values guide your decisions, actions, and responses in various life situations. Unlike external achievements or roles that may change over time, identity anchors remain relatively constant, providing stability and continuity to your sense of self. These personal values reflect what matters most to you, what you stand for, and what gives your life meaning and purpose.
While values are foundational to our sense of self, language is the tool we use to express those values to the world. The language(s) we speak often shape how we think, feel, and connect with others. For bilingual or multilingual individuals, language becomes more than a communication tool; it becomes a bridge between inner identity and external expression. Choosing how and when to express yourself in English or Portuguese, for instance, can reflect deeper identity layers, cultural roots, or even values like authenticity, inclusivity, or courage.
For example, someone whose core value is connection might feel more themselves when speaking their native language, even if they’re fluent in others. Another person may find empowerment in embracing a second language as a symbol of growth or belonging in a new culture. In both cases, language becomes part of how identity is lived.
Identity anchors function as decision-making frameworks, helping you navigate complex choices by aligning your actions with your authentic self. Viewing decisions through the prism of your identity anchors can confirm or contradict whether the situation or action is in alignment with core beliefs.
Identity anchors can also foster resilience during challenging times, as a reminder of your fundamental strengths and principles, regardless of external influences.
Why establishing core values matters
Establishing core values as identity anchors is essential for several compelling reasons.
Firstly, when you understand what truly matters to you, decision-making is simplified, providing direction, purpose and alignment with your authentic self.
Secondly, core values enhance resilience and stability during challenging times. Identity anchors provide the mental foundation to resist external pressures and setbacks. This inner stability cannot be taken away, regardless of the situation or role you could be thrust into.
Thirdly, identity anchors foster authenticity and integrity in your personal and professional relationships. When your actions consistently align with your core values, you build trust and credibility with others. This alignment also reduces cognitive dissonance, the uncomfortable feeling that arises when your behaviour contradicts your beliefs, leading to greater psychological well-being.
Finally, establishing core values contributes to a deeper sense of fulfilment and meaning in life. Research in positive psychology suggests that living in accordance with personal values is strongly associated with greater life satisfaction and overall happiness.
The cost of living without identity anchors
Living without clearly defined identity anchors can lead to significant psychological and emotional challenges. Core values facilitate intentional rather than reactional decision making, negating external influences and pressures. The lack of internal guidance can subsequently result in life happening to you rather than being shaped by your authentic desires and principles.
The absence of identity anchors frequently creates uncertainty about what truly matters to you and the standards that should guide your choices. This can lead to decision paralysis, where the fear of making the wrong choice prevents any decision at all. Alternatively, it may result in impulsive decisions and later regret because they don't align with your deeper self.
Many individuals without established core values experience a persistent feeling of emptiness or disconnection from themselves. They may adopt values from external sources, family expectations, societal norms, or peer pressure, without questioning whether these values resonate authentically. This unconscious adoption of others' values often leads to living someone else's life rather than your own.
The lack of identity anchors can also contribute to identity diffusion, a state where you lack a coherent sense of self across different contexts. You might behave as an entirely different person in your professional life compared to your personal relationships, creating internal fragmentation and psychological strain.
Signs you need to establish stronger identity anchors
Several signs indicate the need to establish stronger identity anchors in your life. Firstly, you may notice frequent decision fatigue and overwhelm, struggling to make choices because you lack clear criteria for what matters most to you. This indecision often stems from not having established core values to guide your judgment.
Secondly, you might experience your actions regularly contradicting what you claim to value. For example, you might say family is most important while consistently prioritizing work commitments over family time. This is one of the most common examples of cognitive dissonance, the feeling that something just isn’t ‘right’.
Thirdly, when your sense of self is primarily defined by external perceptions, rather than internal, you become vulnerable to manipulation and lose touch with your authentic needs and desires.
Another indication is chronic dissatisfaction and restlessness, despite external achievements or successes. This can signal that your life choices aren't aligned with your true values.
Finally, strong identity anchors provide the inner conviction needed to establish and maintain healthy boundaries with others, giving the confidence to say ‘no’.
The five types of identity anchors
Identity anchors can be understood through five key types that collectively form a comprehensive value system for authentic living:
Personal integrity values: These values govern how you relate to yourself and include principles such as honesty, authenticity, courage, and self-respect. They determine your internal standards for behaviour and form the core of your self-concept. When these values are aligned, so are your inner and outer worlds.
Interpersonal values: These values dictate how you engage with others and expect others to engage with you and include compassion, loyalty, respect, or vulnerability. Interpersonal values shape your approach to friendships, family, romance and professional connections.
Achievement and growth values: These values relate to how you develop and express your potential in the world. They might include creativity, excellence, learning, or perseverance. These values drive your approach to challenges, determine your standards for accomplishment, and influence how you invest in your personal and professional development.
Community and societal values: These values extend beyond individual concerns to how you contribute to the greater good. They might include justice, equality, or service to others. These values connect your individual purpose to broader societal concerns and responsibilities.
Transcendent values: These values relate to your sense of meaning, purpose, and connection to something larger than yourself. They might include spirituality, legacy, wisdom, or harmony. Transcendent values provide existential grounding and often become increasingly important as you move through different life stages.
11 steps to establish your identity anchors
1. Self-reflection journalling
Set aside time to thoroughly self-reflect on the values that resonate with you. This list is a great starting point to identify potential core values.
How these values manifest themselves can be a key indicator of what makes you feel most alive, fulfilled or proud. Conversely, identifying when you felt conflicted, uncomfortable, or regretful can serve as pointers to values that were being compromised. Use these reflections to create a non-judgemental list of potential values.
2. Values clarification exercise
Once you have an initial list of potential values, engage in a values clarification exercise to distinguish between aspirational values (those you think you should have) and authentic values (those that genuinely resonate with your core self). For each value on your list, ask yourself: "If no one ever knew that I hold this value, would it still be important to me?"
3. Identify your core non-negotiable values
From your clarified list, identify your core non-negotiable values. These are the values that, if compromised, would fundamentally undermine your sense of integrity and self-respect. Core values are the foundation of your identity anchors and should be protected at all costs.
4. Prioritize your core values
Prioritize your values by ranking them in order of importance. This prioritization is crucial because values can conflict with each other, requiring decisions about which value takes precedence in specific situations. While all your core values matter, understanding their relative importance helps resolve dilemmas when multiple values are at stake.
5. Define values in behavioural terms
Transform abstract values into real behaviours by defining what each value looks like in reality. For example, if "integrity" is a core value, describe the behaviours that demonstrate integrity in your daily life, such as keeping promises, speaking truthfully, or reliability. Linking to an actual behaviour helps make the value ‘real’ and more identifiable when building related habits and actions.
6. Create a values statement
Craft a personal values statement that articulates your core identity anchors and their significance in your life. This statement serves as a declaration of your fundamental principles and can be referenced during challenging times or major transitions. An effective values statement is concise, authentic, and emotionally resonant, capturing the essence of what matters most to you.
7. Test your values against life decisions
Apply your identified values to significant life decisions, both past and present. For past decisions, evaluate whether they aligned with your core values. If the decision did, analyse why, and ask the same question if it was a negative outcome.
For current decisions, consciously use your values as criteria for evaluating options and making choices. This practical application helps refine your understanding of your values and their role in your decision-making process.
8. Seek feedback from trusted connections
Share your identified values with trusted friends, family members, or mentors who know you well. Ask for their honest feedback about whether these values align with the person they know you to be. Others sometimes see patterns in our behaviour that we miss ourselves, offering valuable insights into potential blind spots or unacknowledged values that influence our actions.
9. Integrate values into daily routines
Create daily practices that reinforce your core values, embedding them into your routine rather than treating them as abstract concepts. This might involve morning reflection on your values, regular journaling about how you're honouring your values, or establishing specific habits that align with each core value. Consistent practice transforms values from ideals into lived experiences.
10. Revise and evolve your values
Recognize that while core values remain relatively stable, their expression and prioritization may evolve as you grow and face new life circumstances. Periodically review your identity anchors, perhaps annually or during major life transitions, to ensure they still resonate with your authentic self. The only constant in life is change and revision and reflection are necessary as you move through different life stages.
11. Create environmental supports
Design your environment to support and reinforce your core values. This might involve surrounding yourself with people who share or respect your values, choosing work that aligns with your principles, or creating physical reminders of your values in your living or working space. Environmental supports make it easier to live in accordance with your identity anchors by reducing friction and providing consistent reinforcement.
Start your journey today
Establishing core values as identity anchors isn't just a theoretical exercise; it's a transformative journey toward authentic living and purposeful decision-making. By identifying and applying your personal values, you create a foundation that guides you through life's complexities with greater clarity and confidence.
If you're ready to embark on this journey of self-discovery and authentic living, take the first step today. Begin with simple self-reflection about what truly matters to you, beyond external expectations or societal pressures. Pay attention to moments that feel deeply right or profoundly wrong. These emotional responses often signal alignment or misalignment with your core values.
Read more from Dan Williamson
Dan Williamson, Coach, Mentor, and Founder
Dan is passionate about continuous growth to positively impact others. As a qualified coach and mentor, he empowers people to deepen their self-awareness, strengthen their personal identity, and unlock their true potential. Using his own self-discovery experiences as a foundation, he helps individuals develop bespoke strategies to enable them to live as their authentic selves.
Through his writing on Teach, Lead, Transform, his online learning, language and self-discovery platform, his aim is to stimulate thinking and awareness to empower self-directed personal growth.
