Find Your Top 5 Core Values
A free core values test that ranks what you actually value most. Instead of asking you to rate a list — where everything sounds important — it makes you choose, so your real priorities separate from the rest.
Take the Free Core Values Test20 questions. About 5 minutes. No payment required.
The Ten Core Values This Test Measures
Your core values are the handful of things you protect when you can't have everything. This test weighs ten of them against each other and ranks the five that matter most to you. Nobody holds all ten equally — the point is to see which ones actually drive your choices.
Achievement
Reaching goals and mastering hard things; measurable success matters to you.
Autonomy
Deciding how you work and live; freedom from control matters more than comfort.
Adventure
Novelty, risk, and new experiences; sameness feels like loss.
Connection
Close relationships and belonging; people over projects.
Growth
Learning and becoming more capable; stagnation is the enemy.
Integrity
Acting on principle even at a cost; being trustworthy and honest.
Recognition
Being seen, appreciated, and respected for what you contribute.
Security
Financial and material safety; a solid floor under your life.
Service
Making others' lives better; contribution as the point of work.
Harmony
Inner peace, calm, and low conflict; protecting your well-being.
How It Works
Work through 20 quick rounds
Each round puts four statements side by side. You mark one as most you and one as least. Being made to choose is what makes the ranking honest.
Get your top 5 instantly
See your five core values, ranked, right on screen — plus where every one of the ten landed. No payment and no paywall on your results.
See what each one means
For every value in your top five: what it looks like lived out, and where it can trip you up when it runs the show.
What You'll Learn
Your ranked top 5 values
The five values your choices put ahead of the rest, in order — a clear starting point for decisions, not a vague word cloud.
Where all ten landed
The full ranking of all ten values, so you can see not just what you prioritize but what you're willing to trade away.
What each value looks like
For each of your top five, concrete signs of what living that value looks like day to day — so the result is recognizable, not abstract.
Where each can trip you up
Every value has a shadow side when it's overused. You'll see how each of your top five can work against you if it goes unchecked.
About This Test
Most values quizzes ask you to rate a long list, and almost everything comes back “very important” — which tells you nothing. This test uses a forced-choice format instead: in every set you have to choose what matters most and least, so your genuine priorities separate from the things that merely sound good. The ten-value framework and all 80 statements were written originally for this test.
It's a self-report instrument, which means it measures the priorities you recognize in yourself. That makes it a useful snapshot and a practical starting point — not a clinical instrument, a diagnosis, or a substitute for professional evaluation.
Your results focus on what to do with them: the values to lead and decide from, and the ways each one can quietly work against you when it goes unchecked.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the core values test really free?
Yes. The full test and your complete results are free — no payment, no credit card, and no paywall on any part of your ranking. We ask for your first name and email to show you your results, and entering your email also subscribes you to the Leading Between The Lines newsletter, which you can unsubscribe from at any time.
How long does it take?
The test is 20 rounds of four statements, and most people finish in about 5 minutes. In each round you just mark one statement as most you and one as least — no long reading, and no rating scales.
Why force a choice instead of rating each value?
Because when you rate values one at a time, nearly all of them come back as important — everyone wants to be honest, growing, secure, and connected. Making you choose between good options is the only way to see which values you'll actually protect when you can't have them all. That's why the result is a ranking, not a set of scores.
How accurate is it?
It's a self-report test, so it reflects the priorities you recognize in yourself — a meaningful but imperfect signal. The forced-choice format makes it harder to just call everything important, so the ranking tends to be sharper than a typical rate-the-list quiz. Treat your top five as a starting point for reflection, not a verdict, and retake it later to see what's shifted.
Ready to Find Your Core Values?
Knowing the five values you actually lead and decide from is the first step toward choices that feel like yours.
Take the Free Core Values Test20 questions. About 5 minutes. Free results.