Agile LifeWorks: Values & Principles for Personal Agility

Live an Agile Life:
Creating Space for Change

Values & Principles for Personal Agility

Allow space for change without losing your center

Personal agility is a philosophy, a mindset, and a practice. It’s a way of living that helps you stay grounded—even when life is in motion. Since life doesn’t pause for perfect plans, your approach needs to be adaptive; creating space for the unexpected.

That’s why our personal productivity practice and coaching approach is grounded in Agile values and principles that have been adapted for personal agility.

Whether you’re navigating personal goals, leading a household, or simply trying to show up for what matters most in life, these values can help you realign and move forward, without losing your focus, your rhythm, or yourself.

Values & Principles of Personal Agility

Agile LifeWorks Values & Principles for Personal Agility

Agile Life Values

Core values that guide how we apply agile thinking to personal life.
We are continuously evolving and improving our relationships with ourselves and others.
Through this, we have come to value:

Agile LifeLaunch - Life Balance - Thmb

Individuals
& Connections

over tools & technology

Life is shaped by relationships—within ourselves and with others. While, tools & technology can sometimes help, real chance occurs in connection with others.

Woman at her Agile LifeBoard

Incremental Progress

over perfectionism

Clarity comes from doing. It’s more important to move forward with purpose than to wait to create the perfect plan or find the ideal moment.

Collaboration
& Alignment

over roles & authority

Shared ownership, trust, & mutual respect create momentum—whether in a family, a team, or simply within your own life.

Agile LifeBoard Personal Productivity Practice
Adapting
with Intention

over sticking to plans

Life rarely goes as planned. Being agile means adjusting with clarity, not abandoning direction.

Aligning Actions to Values

12 Principles for Personal Agility

  • Our highest priority is to live a life of purpose & integrity.
    We align our actions to meaningful goals that make a positive difference in the lives of ourselves and/or others.
  • Create space to stay adaptable.
    Life is unpredictable. Creating space allows us and those around us to remain flexible, responsive, and adaptable to change.
  • Build momentum in small, incremental steps.
    Progress is more attainable when approached incrementally making small steps forward.
  • Collaborate with honesty & support. 
    We form authentic connections through honesty, transparent communication, shared goals, and mutual support.
  • Foster trust through transparency, presence, and connection.
    People feel empowered and motivated when they are trusted, supported, and granted autonomy over their decisions.
  • The best form of communication is face-to-face.
    Face-to-face (and present, engaged) communication builds trust and understanding.
  • Measure progress through outcomes that align to values and goals.
    It’s not enough to be “busy.” True progress aligns with our values, our goals, and our emotional growth; not just a task list.
  • Honor all aspects of wellbeing by incorporating rest, reflection, and celebration.
    Balance life by creating space for rest, reflection, joy, and celebration.
  • Pursue meaningful progress, not perfection.
    We hold ourselves accountable to high standards without letting unrealistic expectations stall growth.
  • Simplicity creates space for the unexpected and allows room for change.
    By keeping things simple and avoiding complexity, we create space for change, adaptation, and improvement.
  • Instill ownership and accountability by promoting self-organization… whether in a household, a business, or the pursuit of meaningful goals.
  • Reflect, celebrate progress, and adapt as needed.
    Growth occurs when we pause, reflect, and realign our actions with what matters most.

Agile LifeWorks’ Values & Principles are inspired by the original, 2001 Agile Manifesto for software development.
The values & principles included on this site were adapted to honor the original spirit of the Agile Manifesto for software development while translating its core ideas into a personal context for everyday life.
The Agile LifeWorks’ Values & Principles are not intended to replace or reinterpret the Agile Manifesto, but to extend its value into daily living.

History of the
Original Agile Manifesto

Agile LifeWorks and its programs, offerings, and services are founded on a philosophy commonly used in software development and other product-focused organizations. The original agile values and principles were defined in 2001 by a group of software developers. They represented a variety of development practices that had differentiated themselves from traditional, waterfall practices. During a retreat in Snowbird, Utah, these developers discovered that what set their practices apart from traditional, rigid processes was in how they held space for collaboration, interaction, and flexibility.

While one might expect this Agile Manifesto for software development to be technical, it’s simple, easily understood, and relatable. Although it was designed for work, the truth is: Agile values and principles speak to human-experiences and life in general.

While the Agile mindset has become popular in technology, it is expanding into a variety of industries. Some of these include sales, marketing, and human resources. Since these principles have transformed how people work, Agile LifeWorks has adapted them for everyday use. After all, they foster collaborative conversations, improve work-life balance, and encourage autonomy and accountability with more intentional progress. All in all, their effectiveness has potential to extend beyond teams and organizations—reaching individuals, couples, friends, and families.

Whether you’re leading a team or navigating everyday life, the agile values and principles can serve as a life compass guiding you toward a life of purpose.

Kimberly DeVault Agile LifeWorks B/W

Meet Coach Kimberly DeVault

Since 2008, Agile Coach Kimberly DeVault, has led individuals, teams, and leaders in applying the Agile values and principles in their work practices. As the founder of Agile LifeWorks, Kimberly wanted to take the heart of the Agile Manifesto philosophy and bring it to everyday life—adapting its values and principles for personal agility.

After experiencing firsthand how the Agile principles can transform collaboration, productivity, and team dynamics, she became passionate about sharing their impact beyond the workplace.

If these values can change how teams work together, imagine what they can do for real people navigating real life.

Start Your Journey

Agile LifeWorks

Bringing Agility to Life

Agile LifeWorks was formed to introduce the values and principles for personal agility to everyday people. We hope they inspire and transform the way you work and live.

Discover
Personal Agility