Five-Word Core Values Test
Define five values whose absence would make you unrecognizable
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time to result
- ~days to results
- Steps
- 5
- Confidence
- 97%
The Five-Word Core Values Test clarifies the how of a career: the boss, culture, relationships, and working conditions surrounding the work itself. Begin with possible value words, but define each behaviorally because two people can mean completely different things by adventure, spirituality, family, or balance. Remove words that express what you want more of rather than who you consistently are. Then apply Stahl's identity test: if the value disappeared, would people who know you think something was wrong because you no longer seemed like yourself? Keep five words that pass. These values become a practical complement to the core skill set: skills identify what you should spend energy doing, while values help determine the environment and manner in which that work should happen.
Origin
Stahl refined the test after clients chose identical labels such as adventure but defined them as differently as skydiving and trying new restaurants.
Core principles
- 01A core value describes who you already are rather than who you aspire to become
- 02People can use the same value word to mean radically different things
- 03A genuine value is essential to recognizable identity
- 04Career fit depends on both responsibilities and working conditions
How to run it
- 1
Generate candidate words
List values that seem present in your life, such as family, authenticity, spirituality, humor, creativity, or balance. Describe your current identity rather than an ideal person.
Pro tip Ask close friends which qualities are unmistakably yours.
- 2
Define each personally
Write what each word looks like in your behavior. Reject dictionary-level definitions that conceal meaningful differences.
Pro tip Use a concrete example of the value in action.
Watch out Shared labels do not guarantee shared values.
- 3
Remove aspirations
Notice words that represent a quality you want more of but do not naturally embody. Move those to a separate growth list.
Watch out An admired trait is not automatically a core value.
- 4
Apply the identity test
Imagine each remaining value removed. Keep it only if its absence would make you feel unlike yourself and cause others to notice a fundamental change.
Pro tip Look for values that show up across work, relationships, and ordinary life.
- 5
Use the final five
Select five surviving values and evaluate possible roles, managers, and cultures against your definitions. Look for environments where the values can be expressed rather than merely displayed on a wall.
Pro tip Ask behavioral questions during interviews to test the culture.
In the wild
One client defined adventure as skydiving and adrenaline seeking. Another used the same word for trying new restaurants in New York. The label alone would suggest alignment, but their required environments and tolerances for novelty were very different.
→ Personal definitions made the value useful for real decisions.
A client selected peace as a core value, but she and Stahl recognized that she was not naturally peaceful. Peace described what she wanted more of, not the identity she consistently expressed, so they looked for words that represented who she actually was.
→ The final values described current identity rather than an idealized self.
Common mistakes
Keeping words undefined
A broad label can mean incompatible behaviors to different people. Define exactly how the value appears in your life.
Selecting an aspirational self
Choosing qualities you wish you had produces an inaccurate career filter. Separate growth goals from core identity.
Is it for you?
Best for
People who know what work they can do but remain unclear about the boss, culture, and conditions in which they will thrive.
Not ideal for
People seeking a universal list of desirable virtues rather than an honest description of their current identity.
From the transcript
“what are the non-negotiable principles by which you lead your life”
“what you really want to do is pick five words that without that word you don't exist anymore”
“that's when you know you've hit a core value is something that's so deep and clear in who you are that you can't exist without…”
From the episode
YAPClassic: Ashley Stahl on Designing Your Dream Career
YAPClassic