Assess Your Balance with the Wheel of Life (Step 2A)

05 Jan

Life can feel busy and full of priorities pulling you in many directions. It can be challenging to step back and see the bigger picture of where you are thriving and where there might be room for improvement. The Wheel of Life is a helpful tool to reflect and assess how balanced and fulfilled you feel across key areas of your life. It also helps to assess and determine which area you would most like to focus on in the year ahead.

The end of the year is a great time to do a personal assessment of your life and the different areas that make up your world. In Step 2A of the Performance Planner (page 10), you have the opportunity to complete a Wheel of Life assessment. This visual tool guides you to reflect on eight main areas of life, rate your satisfaction, and create a clear picture of where you might want to focus your energy.

Why the Wheel of Life Matters

The Wheel of Life is not about achieving perfection or balance in every area. It is about creating awareness of where you feel aligned and where small shifts can lead to greater fulfillment.
This step provides a foundation for setting meaningful goals that reflect what matters most to you.

Here is why this step is impactful:

Clarity: Visualizing your satisfaction across different areas helps you see what is working well and what might need attention.
Focus: By identifying areas that feel less aligned, you can direct your energy toward creating improvements where they will make the biggest difference.
Perspective: This exercise is a chance to step back and consider your life holistically, rather than getting caught up in day-to-day details.

How to Complete Your Wheel of Life (Page 10)

Reflect on the Eight Areas:
The planner provides a template with areas such as health, finances, relationships, and personal growth. Use these or customize them to fit your life. (For example, volunteering might be under faith or fun. Learning new skills might be under growth or fun. A boyfriend/girlfriend might be under immediate family or friends. Pick the area that supports the key quadrants for you.)

Here are ideas for each of the eight areas:

- Career/Work: Current job or business, satisfaction, salary, bonuses, benefits, coworkers, location, flexibility, challenge, opportunities for growth, sense of fulfillment, work-life balance, retirement plans, educational opportunities, and future potential.
- Faith/Growth (Spiritual): Spiritual beliefs, reflective practices, commitment, traditions, community participation, teaching and sharing with others, family involvement, reading or studying, connection with God or a higher purpose, meaning of life, personal growth experiences, and giving back through volunteering.
- Environment/Space (Office/Home): Living space, cleanliness, organization, ambiance, ability to relax at home, workspace functionality, vehicle maintenance, addressing nagging tolerations, creating an inspirational and supportive environment, and satisfaction with your surroundings.
- Finances (Money/Resources): Income, savings, investments, budget, spending habits, debt, financial security, retirement plans, estate planning, tax planning, cash flow needs, insurance protections, charitable giving, and donating to causes you care about.
- Health (Fitness, etc.): Physical condition, energy levels, mental and emotional well-being, fitness, sleep, nutrition, preventative care, posture, hygiene, overall appearance, sports or physical activities, stress management, and holistic health practices.
- Immediate Family (Significant Other, etc.): Love relationship, mutual goals, parenting, family dynamics, family activities, communication, shared values, support, children’s education, instilling self-esteem, and traditions.
- Extended Family/Friends (Social): Relationships with extended family, friendships, networking, supportive mentors, clubs or organizations, community service, political involvement, charitable efforts, entertaining others, family reunions, and meaningful connections.
- Fun/Recreation: Hobbies, music, relaxation, creative activities, travel, cultural experiences, significant ideas, time with friends, audiobooks or reading, enjoying nature (like sunsets and flowers), activities that spark joy, and volunteering as a joyful way to connect and contribute.
Rate Your Satisfaction: For each area, rate your current level of satisfaction on a scale from zero (could not be worse) to ten (perfect). Be honest with yourself—this is a personal reflection, not a judgment.
Assess the Areas:
- The Gain: Why did you give it the score you gave it? What were wins and successes? What is good?
- The Gap: What kept it from being a 10? What is not what you want or desire? What is not working?
- What Would Make It a 10?: What actions and activities would make a difference next year? What would you like to commit to doing that would make that area better?
Reflect: Are there areas where you feel stuck or want to grow? Which areas feel strong and balanced? What one area, if improved, would naturally impact the others positively too?

Example Reflections

- Personal: Health is rated a 9 because of consistent exercise, but finances are a 4 due to lingering debt. Improving my finance area would also improve my health by reducing stress.
- Professional: Career is rated a 7 with good momentum, but personal growth is a 3 because there has been little time for new learning opportunities. If I grew by learning a new skill, it would both raise the 3 as well as open new opportunities in my career.

Next Steps: How to Use Your Wheel of Life Insights

Celebrate Your Wins: Acknowledge areas where you feel high satisfaction and plan a way to celebrate it! Reflect on what you are doing that makes these areas strong and what is important to keep doing.
Identify Focus Areas: Choose one or two areas to prioritize for improvement this year.
Set Goals: Use these reflections to start setting specific, actionable goals in Step 4 of the planner.

Taking the Exercise to the Next Level

Journal Your Observations: Write about your ratings and why you chose them. This deeper reflection can help uncover patterns or insights.
Share with a Partner: Discuss your wheel with a trusted friend or coach to gain a fresh perspective or support.
Revisit Quarterly: Life shifts, and so will your Wheel of Life. Check-in throughout the year to adjust your focus as needed.

The Wheel of Life is a simple yet powerful tool to help you see where you are and where you want to go. Take 20-30 minutes to complete this step and reflect on your findings. Small adjustments in key areas can create ripple effects that bring more fulfillment and alignment to your life.

Happy assessing!