What is periodic values check-in?

Periodic values check-in is a concept in personal epistemology: Schedule periodic values check-ins to ensure your priorities still reflect who you are becoming.

Example: A software engineer conducts a quarterly values review. Last year she listed 'career advancement' as her top value. But reviewing her calendar, she spent most discretionary time mentoring junior developers and turning down promotions that would move her away from hands-on work. Her quarterly check-in reveals the gap: her operative value is craft mastery and generosity with knowledge, not advancement. She updates her stated values to match and immediately feels less internal friction about her next career decision.

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