Finding Meaningful Change: How Motivational Interviewing & Values Sorting Can Enhance Your Life

Creating lasting change in life can be challenging, especially when you’re not sure what drives you. Without a clear sense of purpose, even well-intentioned goals can lose momentum. A powerful way to find direction is by identifying your core values. When you focus on what truly matters to you, it becomes easier to make choices that align with your beliefs and motivations. Motivational Interviewing (MI) and the Values Card Sort exercise can help you uncover your values and use them as a guide for creating meaningful, lasting change.

What is Motivational Interviewing (MI)?

Motivational Interviewing is a collaborative conversation style that helps people resolve ambivalence about change (Miller & Rollnick, 2013). Rather than telling someone what to do, MI focuses on exploring their personal reasons for change. The process emphasizes autonomy, helping individuals make decisions that feel authentic and aligned with their values. It’s especially helpful when people feel stuck or unsure about how to move forward.

In MI, the therapist or coach acts as a guide, helping you reflect on your own goals and how your current behavior either supports or conflicts with those goals. This process builds internal motivation, which is essential for lasting change (Miller & Rose, 2009).

Why Values Matter for Change

At the core of MI is the idea that real, sustainable change happens when it aligns with your personal values. Values are the principles that guide how you want to live and what gives your life meaning. When your actions are consistent with your values, it’s easier to stay motivated and focused, even when challenges arise (Deci & Ryan, 2000).

But the challenge for many is identifying what their core values are. That’s where tools like the Values Card Sort come in handy.

The Values Card Sort: A Tool for Discovering What Really Matters

The Values Card Sort is a practical tool that can help you clarify and prioritize your core values. It’s often used in therapy but can also be done on your own to better understand what drives you. You can access the Values Card Sort here (Center for Evidence-Based Practices, 2012).

Here’s how to do the activity:

1. Optional Print and Cut: Download and print the card deck, then cut out the individual value cards, if you prefer a tactile experience. Alternatively, you can simply view the values on your screen.

2. Sort the Cards: Start by sorting the cards into categories based on how important each value is to you—“Very Important,” “Somewhat Important,” and “Not Important.”

3. Narrow Down: Once sorted, review the “Very Important” pile and narrow it down to the top 5-10 values that resonate most deeply with you.

After identifying your top values, take time to reflect on each one using the following questions:

• What does this value mean to you?

• Why did you choose this as an important value for you?

• In what ways is this value important to you?

• How have you shown this core value in your daily life?

• In what ways could you be even more true to this value?

This reflective process helps you deepen your understanding of why these values matter and how you can align your life with them (Rokeach, 1973).

Using Values to Create Meaningful, Long-Lasting Change

Once you’ve identified your values, you can use them as a foundation for making decisions and setting goals that align with your deeper sense of self. Here are some ways to integrate your values into your journey toward change:

1. Align Your Goals with Your Values
   Goals that reflect your core values tend to be more meaningful and motivating. For example, if “health” is one of your top values, you might set a goal to exercise regularly—not because you feel pressured to, but because it aligns with your desire to live a healthy and fulfilling life.
   Practical Tip: After completing the Values Card Sort, choose one of your top values and set a small, actionable goal related to it. This helps you practice aligning your actions with your values.

2. Use Your Values to Overcome Obstacles
   Change is hard, and setbacks are inevitable. When you face challenges, reconnecting with your values can help you stay grounded. If you’re struggling to stay on track with a goal, ask yourself, “Why is this important to me?” or “How does this relate to what I care about most?”
   Practical Tip: Keep a list of your core values somewhere visible. When you feel unmotivated or stuck, refer to the list as a reminder of why you started and what’s at stake.

Practice Self-Compassion
Lasting change doesn’t happen overnight, and there will be times when progress feels slow. In MI, the focus is not on perfection but on understanding and accepting where you are in the process. Being kind to yourself during setbacks is crucial. Your values can serve as a compass, helping you course-correct when you drift off path.
Practical Tip: When you face a setback, instead of being critical, ask yourself, “How can I get back in alignment with my values?” This shifts your focus from the mistake to the opportunity for growth.

References

Center for Evidence-Based Practices. (2012). Values Card Sort. Retrieved from https://www.motivationalinterviewing.org/sites/default/files/valuescardsort_0.pdf

Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The “what” and “why” of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11(4), 227-268. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327965PLI1104_01

Miller, W. R., & Rollnick, S. (2013). Motivational interviewing: Helping people change (3rd ed.). The Guilford Press.

Miller, W. R., & Rose, G. S. (2009). Toward a theory of motivational interviewing. American Psychologist, 64(6), 527-537. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0016830

Rokeach, M. (1973). The nature of human values. Free Press.