What is identify core values?

Identify core values is a concept in personal epistemology: A value you cannot articulate is a value you cannot deliberately act on. The act of putting values into precise language transforms them from vague feelings into operational guides.

Example: You say you value 'freedom.' But what does that mean? Financial independence? Schedule autonomy? The ability to speak your mind without consequences? Creative self-expression? All four are real values, and they lead to radically different life choices. Until you can write a sentence that distinguishes your version of freedom from every other version, you're navigating by a word rather than a compass bearing.

This concept is part of Phase 32 (Value Identification) in the How to Think curriculum, which builds the epistemic infrastructure for value identification.