Anyone who wishes to achieve more in life can benefit from learning to use a tool called the Wheel of Life. This tool is often used by life coaches for reasons including:
- To assess balance
- To assess satisfaction and fulfilment
- To help with goal achievement
- To assess progress
This tool can be used by anyone for the same reasons to help achieve more in life.
The Wheel of Life is drawn on a piece of paper as a circle divided into 8 equal segments with each segment representing an area of life. A typical wheel may be segmented into the following life areas:
- Finance
- Occupation
- Personal relationship/romance
- Health
- Fun and recreation
- Friends and family
- Physical environment
- Personal growth
The wheel is often modified by coaches to meet the needs of their practice and individual clients. For example Pam Richardson defines work/career, money, health/fitness, family, relationships, personal growth, fun and leisure, physical environment.
How to Complete a Wheel of Life
The Wheel of Life shows eight life areas and satisfaction or fulfillment in each is assessed by the client on a scale of 0 to 10. For example, questions may include:
- "On a scale of 0 to 10 how satisfied are you with your finances?"
- "On a scale of 0 to 10 how satisfied are you with your occupation?"
This type of questioning is continued for each of the remaining eight points. It is usual to complete a Wheel of Life quite quickly, recording the scores based on instinct and initial thoughts, without analysing the answers too much.
The circle is completed by using 0 in the middle and 10 at the outside and shading the area of the score (see example picture below).
It is important to realize that there are no "right" or "wrong"answers – scoring 10 on every life area is not necessary. The answers will change over time, and the real value of the tool is in the relative scores, rather than the actual score. Some people will score highly for most areas, other people will score lower for most areas.
Assessing Balance, Satisfaction and Fulfillment
Once the wheel is complete, the balance across all the life areas can be seen easily.
Significant differences in scores can help clients gain insight into their life. If all areas score the same except for one low score then perhaps work in that life area would be beneficial or, if one area scores highly, then maybe all the other areas need work to bring all scores to that one.
Assessing Progress
The scores on a completed Wheel of Life change based on many factors. It is common for clients to complete a wheel of life at the start of a series of coaching sessions and then to complete another one later (perhaps towards the end of the booked sessions). This allows both coach and client to see the progress that has been made through coaching.
How a Wheel of Life Can Help With Goal Achievement
A wheel of life can help uncover hidden dissatisfaction or priorities in a client’s life. If these higher priority items are not acknowledged and dealt with then achieving goals in another life area can be more difficult.
The wheel of life is sometimes used to help a client uncover a hidden priority by showing an area of low satisfaction or fulfillment.
There are many websites offering Wheel of Life downloads, which can be used by everyone to help assess life.
References:
Dawn Brewer - I have a portfolio career - as a writer, management consultant, instructor and coach - after twenty years in the corporate world. My ...
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