How does "Rate your current position in each domain" work?

A gap between stated values and actual behavior creates cognitive dissonance — a motivating tension that generates energy for change when faced honestly rather than suppressed. The visual format makes the gap undeniable without requiring a lecture or confrontation from outside: the person places the mark themselves, which means they are generating the discrepancy, not being told about it — a key self-persuasion mechanism.

How does "Choose one domain to move toward the bullseye this week" work?

Choosing all four domains simultaneously creates competition for limited behavioral resources and predictably results in none moving. Selective focus preserves willpower and attention for one domain where a concrete action is feasible now. The criterion "where a small move would matter most" pragmatically favors the domain with the best leverage — often not the one the person judges most important in the abstract, because importance and leverage diverge.

How does "Turn the chosen domain into a committed action" work?

The bullseye diagnoses; committed action closes the gap. Without this step the exercise is purely reflective and changes nothing. Linking a specific behavior to the value identified in the chosen domain activates the same mechanism as implementation intentions: the if–then commitment that fires automatically rather than relying on in-the-moment motivation.

How does "Review the bullseye weekly to track real movement" work?

Without a feedback loop, values work can feel like an endless aspiration rather than a measurable practice. The weekly re-marking creates a behavioral feedback loop: movements inward are immediately reinforcing (evidence the practice works), and movements outward are diagnostic (signal that the action or frequency needs adjustment). This transforms the bullseye from a one-off assessment into a living instrument that changes behavior over time.

How does "Use the bullseye to resolve competing values" work?

Values conflicts (career vs family, health vs social obligations) are often experienced as impossible dilemmas. The bullseye reframes them by introducing the neglect dimension: the question is not which value is more important in the abstract but which domain is most starved of action right now. The most neglected domain usually has the lowest absolute cost of a small move and the highest proportional benefit — making the choice more tractable than a pure priority ranking.

Tobias Lundgren — ACT

What is the ACT values bullseye and how do you use it to live by your values?

Translating abstract values into a concrete map of where to move next

Short answer

The values bullseye, developed by Tobias Lundgren within the ACT framework, is a visual exercise in which you rate how close your current behavior is to the bullseye in four life domains — work, relationships, personal growth, and leisure. It converts abstract values into a concrete gap-analysis, making it easier to choose one committed action that moves you toward the center. The exercise is part of the established ACT toolkit; direct evidence for the instrument is limited but the underlying ACT framework has substantial support.

Most values exercises end at naming the value. The bullseye goes further: it shows you the gap between the life you want and the life you are living — domain by domain — so you can choose one concrete step that closes it. Developed by Tobias Lundgren as part of ACT-based work, it is now widely used in ACT therapy, coaching, and sports psychology. The practices below walk through how to use it well, what the mechanism is, and where the evidence is honest.

The practices (6)

Why it works

Values only guide behavior when they are explicit. Most people hold values implicitly and inconsistently — they surface in moments of pain but not in planning. Mapping them domain by domain surfaces conflicts (where values compete) and blind spots (domains where no value has been named) before they silently shape choices. The four-domain structure prevents the common error of naming one life area (typically work) while leaving others empty and reactive.

How to do it

1Take a page and draw four sections: Work/Education, Relationships, Personal Growth/Health, Leisure.
2In each section write: "The person I want to be in this area is someone who ___."
3Write a direction, not a goal: "who shows up present for my children" rather than "who is a good parent."
4Check that each statement is genuinely yours, not an inherited expectation.

Evidence

Observational

Explicit values-mapping is a core ACT technique; it is grounded in self-determination theory research showing that explicitly chosen, autonomous values sustain behavior more effectively than externally imposed ones.

Honest caveat: The four-domain structure is clinical design; the evidence base is the broader ACT and SDT literature rather than this specific format.

Common mistake: Writing goals ("get a promotion") rather than values ("be someone who brings full skill to my work"). A goal is completable; the bullseye value is the direction you keep aiming.

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