Wheel of Life Tool
Wheel of Life Tool
Use a graphic representation to identify which life areas are & aren't working
Assess the totality of your life to clarify what you might like to improve by using a graphic representation to identify which life areas are & aren't working.
What is Wheel of Life Tool about ?
What is
Wheel of Life Tool
about ?
What is this Method about ?
The Wheel of Life tool is a process where, in just a few steps, participants create a graphic visualization that is an assessment of various areas of their lives. In the end it gives a broad overview so the participant can see which parts of their lives are going well and which ones could be improved upon.
Wheel of Life tool is part of the Live Your Power workbook, which could be viewed as an in-depth course-length process. Find the full workbook at hostingtransformation.eu.
When and why is this Method used ?
Use the Wheel of Life tool when you want to zoom out and get a broad overview of your life. It's a good starting point for deciding what is the most important challenge in your life to tackle at this time.
Where does this Method come from
?
Original Source Details
There are many similar methods from a wide variety of sources. It is not clear whose was the original, but sometimes Paul J. Meyer is credited.
Audience
Audience
Is participant experience relevant for Wheel of Life Tool ?
It's okay if participants haven't seen the inside of a classroom in years
Other prerequisites for participants
No other prerequisites.
Requirements
Requirements
Experience level of the facilitator
Self explanatory, no experience needed
Number of Facilitators :
1
How Stationary
Stationary necessary, at least in parts
Location requirements
Writing surfaces
Run Through
Run Through
Prep Work (excluding materials)
Be sure there are writing surfaces for all participants, with enough space between them that they can have some privacy while writing.
Pre Exercise
Steps
Introduction
Present the full process and give an overview so the participants understand what is coming and the arc of the experience.
You could say something like "Our lives are so busy and full and the world moves at such a fast pace that it can be easy for our lives to get totally out of balance and we don't even notice that it has happened. To counteract this, we will zoom out to get a wider perspective on our lives and see how we can bring more balance into our personal pictures. Enter "Wheel of Life"! to you. With that clear, you can later select areas to work on that will yield the greatest potential for change.
It's important to point out before we even begin that this is a self-assessment. YOU define satisfaction and success in each of these areas. YOU determine how important each of the identified areas is to you. Please, as much as you can, drop outer assessments or any sense of SHOULD, and make these assessments from your own heart and gut. If you aren't sure what number to put for a certain category, take a moment to get quiet and feel into your body. Ask your body to give a number, rather than your mind.
First you will assess, on a scale of 0-10, your satisfaction exercise can help to clarify what is already good in your life and which areas are unsatisfactory with various different areas of your life. How satisfied are you with your social life? What about your financial situation? And your health & fitness? Or Fun & Recreation? There are 12 categories by which you'll assess your life.
Keep in mind that this is just for you. You won't be asked to share the results so you can be really honest. For the parts of your life that feel good go ahead and give it a 10 and enjoy that! Whether parts of your life are more or less satisfying, it will be most useful to you if you are frank with yourself.
When you decide the number rating for each area of your life you'll mark that line in each segment of the pie.
Once you've made all your assessments, you'll go around the wheel again this time marking how important each area is for you by making the line really thick or less thick.
Then you'll have time to color or decorate the wheel.
You'll list the areas that are working well and make another list of areas that you might like to make some shifts.
Finally, we'll reflect on what the next steps might be.
We'll go through this together step by step, Is that clear enough for now?"
You could say something like "Our lives are so busy and full and the world moves at such a fast pace that it can be easy for our lives to get totally out of balance and we don't even notice that it has happened. To counteract this, we will zoom out to get a wider perspective on our lives and see how we can bring more balance into our personal pictures. Enter "Wheel of Life"! to you. With that clear, you can later select areas to work on that will yield the greatest potential for change.
It's important to point out before we even begin that this is a self-assessment. YOU define satisfaction and success in each of these areas. YOU determine how important each of the identified areas is to you. Please, as much as you can, drop outer assessments or any sense of SHOULD, and make these assessments from your own heart and gut. If you aren't sure what number to put for a certain category, take a moment to get quiet and feel into your body. Ask your body to give a number, rather than your mind.
First you will assess, on a scale of 0-10, your satisfaction exercise can help to clarify what is already good in your life and which areas are unsatisfactory with various different areas of your life. How satisfied are you with your social life? What about your financial situation? And your health & fitness? Or Fun & Recreation? There are 12 categories by which you'll assess your life.
Keep in mind that this is just for you. You won't be asked to share the results so you can be really honest. For the parts of your life that feel good go ahead and give it a 10 and enjoy that! Whether parts of your life are more or less satisfying, it will be most useful to you if you are frank with yourself.
When you decide the number rating for each area of your life you'll mark that line in each segment of the pie.
Once you've made all your assessments, you'll go around the wheel again this time marking how important each area is for you by making the line really thick or less thick.
Then you'll have time to color or decorate the wheel.
You'll list the areas that are working well and make another list of areas that you might like to make some shifts.
Finally, we'll reflect on what the next steps might be.
We'll go through this together step by step, Is that clear enough for now?"
How satisfied are you at this moment in each of the different fields in the wheel?
Mark your satisfaction on a scale between 0 and 10 with a line. Imagine the centre of the circle is 0 and the outer edge is 10. Choose a value between 1 (very dissatisfied) and 10 (fully satisfied).
As a facilitator, you might like to offer additional questions to guide participants in assessing each of the areas. Some prompts could be:
SOCIETAL INVOLVEMENT
This Wheel of Life tool category asks you to reflect on what you are giving back.
How are you giving back to the people around you or the communities that you are a part of?
Do you volunteer?
Do you help out with local sports or clubs?
Are you engaged in political issues to make your community a healthier and safer place for everyone?
SOCIAL & FRIENDS
Now you’re going to evaluate your relationships with other people. This category is about friendship, the next one is about romance and love, and then there's another one for family.
Are your friendships built on a good foundation?
Do you trust your friends?
Do you each support one another?
Are these relationships having a positive influence on your daily life?
LOVE, PARTNERSHIP, & SEXUALITY
If you have a romantic partner,
Is your partner committed to you at the level that you desire?
Are you supporting each other’s growth?
Do your values align?
Are you able to make each other laugh?
It’s very rare to find all these things in another person, so if you find someone who checks a lot of these boxes, you’ve probably found a special someone worth keeping around.
If you don't have a romantic partner,
Do you want a partner at this time?
Are you satisfied with the level of intimacy in your other relationships?
Whether or not you have romantic partner(s),
Do you explore your sexuality?
Do you experience physical pleasure as often and as deeply as you'd like?
If you have a sexual partner(s), do you feel safe with them? Do you communicate honestly about what feels good and what doesn't?
Have you asked for what you want?
FAMILY
It is in our nuclear families that we build the foundations for all the other relationships in our lives. You determine how you define family in this category. It may be biological or it may be chosen family.
Do you trust your family members?
Do you each support one another?
Do you communicate with and visit them as often as you would like?
Are there conflicts that could be healed in some way?
PLACE of LIVING & ENVIRONMENT
Do you feel safe & comfortable in your living place?
Do you sleep well?
Do you have enough space to live comfortably and do the activities you want to do?
Do you have access to resources that are important to you (outdoor spaces, grocery stores, cultural events, classes, etc.)?
Are you happy with the financial cost of this living arrangement?
Are you happy with the social impact of this living arrangement?
Do you see yourself in this same place for the next 5 years?
FINANCE
The financial category encourages you to reflect on whether or not your current income supports your basic needs, as well as the lifestyle you are hoping to live.
Are you going to be happy with the progression of your income over the next 5 years?
Or are you going to have to make changes?
No, money is not the only thing that influences our happiness, but it’s certainly one of the key players.
CAREER, WORK, STUDIES
In this Wheel of Life tool category, you are beginning to think about the job you’re currently working at and rating how satisfied you are with it.
Are you happy where you are, or would you rather be working a different job, potentially in a different field?
Does the career path you’re currently on bring you happiness?
Can it support the lifestyle you desire?
HEALTH & FITNESS
In this category, you aim to rate how physically and mentally healthy you are. You can ask yourself questions like:
How do I feel?
How regularly do I exercise?
What is my diet like?
Are there any changes I’d like to make to live a healthier lifestyle?
FUN & RECREATION
Here, think about what kind of activities you engage in to bring yourself life satisfaction and a sense of life enjoyment. Whether that’s sports, reading, writing, or any other hobby doesn’t really matter.
What matters is that you are engaging in some things that bring you happiness on a regular basis.
All work and no play makes for a dull day, and eventually a dull and unsatisfactory life.
CREATIVITY
How often do you express your creativity?
Are you satisfied with this rhythm and quantity?
What forms does your creativity take?
Are you satisfied with these expressions or would you like to shift or expand by learning a new skill or joining a group of some kind?
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
This category on the Wheel of Life looks at how you are investing in your personal growth.
Are you pursuing opportunities that open you up to new experiences?
Are you eager to learn new things?
What are you doing to evolve and develop into the person you hope to be one day?
PURPOSE & SPIRITUALITY
Do you have a sense of meaning in your life? Do you have a sense that you are contributing?
Participating in something that is bigger than you?
Do you have a spiritual community?
Do you connect with others who share your world views? Would you like to be?
Do you spend time with your spiritual practices (meditation, prayer, yoga, singing, church/temple/synagog)?
Are there ceremonies or rituals that you find nourishing?
Do you like to participate in retreats or study groups?
As a facilitator, you might like to offer additional questions to guide participants in assessing each of the areas. Some prompts could be:
SOCIETAL INVOLVEMENT
This Wheel of Life tool category asks you to reflect on what you are giving back.
How are you giving back to the people around you or the communities that you are a part of?
Do you volunteer?
Do you help out with local sports or clubs?
Are you engaged in political issues to make your community a healthier and safer place for everyone?
SOCIAL & FRIENDS
Now you’re going to evaluate your relationships with other people. This category is about friendship, the next one is about romance and love, and then there's another one for family.
Are your friendships built on a good foundation?
Do you trust your friends?
Do you each support one another?
Are these relationships having a positive influence on your daily life?
LOVE, PARTNERSHIP, & SEXUALITY
If you have a romantic partner,
Is your partner committed to you at the level that you desire?
Are you supporting each other’s growth?
Do your values align?
Are you able to make each other laugh?
It’s very rare to find all these things in another person, so if you find someone who checks a lot of these boxes, you’ve probably found a special someone worth keeping around.
If you don't have a romantic partner,
Do you want a partner at this time?
Are you satisfied with the level of intimacy in your other relationships?
Whether or not you have romantic partner(s),
Do you explore your sexuality?
Do you experience physical pleasure as often and as deeply as you'd like?
If you have a sexual partner(s), do you feel safe with them? Do you communicate honestly about what feels good and what doesn't?
Have you asked for what you want?
FAMILY
It is in our nuclear families that we build the foundations for all the other relationships in our lives. You determine how you define family in this category. It may be biological or it may be chosen family.
Do you trust your family members?
Do you each support one another?
Do you communicate with and visit them as often as you would like?
Are there conflicts that could be healed in some way?
PLACE of LIVING & ENVIRONMENT
Do you feel safe & comfortable in your living place?
Do you sleep well?
Do you have enough space to live comfortably and do the activities you want to do?
Do you have access to resources that are important to you (outdoor spaces, grocery stores, cultural events, classes, etc.)?
Are you happy with the financial cost of this living arrangement?
Are you happy with the social impact of this living arrangement?
Do you see yourself in this same place for the next 5 years?
FINANCE
The financial category encourages you to reflect on whether or not your current income supports your basic needs, as well as the lifestyle you are hoping to live.
Are you going to be happy with the progression of your income over the next 5 years?
Or are you going to have to make changes?
No, money is not the only thing that influences our happiness, but it’s certainly one of the key players.
CAREER, WORK, STUDIES
In this Wheel of Life tool category, you are beginning to think about the job you’re currently working at and rating how satisfied you are with it.
Are you happy where you are, or would you rather be working a different job, potentially in a different field?
Does the career path you’re currently on bring you happiness?
Can it support the lifestyle you desire?
HEALTH & FITNESS
In this category, you aim to rate how physically and mentally healthy you are. You can ask yourself questions like:
How do I feel?
How regularly do I exercise?
What is my diet like?
Are there any changes I’d like to make to live a healthier lifestyle?
FUN & RECREATION
Here, think about what kind of activities you engage in to bring yourself life satisfaction and a sense of life enjoyment. Whether that’s sports, reading, writing, or any other hobby doesn’t really matter.
What matters is that you are engaging in some things that bring you happiness on a regular basis.
All work and no play makes for a dull day, and eventually a dull and unsatisfactory life.
CREATIVITY
How often do you express your creativity?
Are you satisfied with this rhythm and quantity?
What forms does your creativity take?
Are you satisfied with these expressions or would you like to shift or expand by learning a new skill or joining a group of some kind?
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
This category on the Wheel of Life looks at how you are investing in your personal growth.
Are you pursuing opportunities that open you up to new experiences?
Are you eager to learn new things?
What are you doing to evolve and develop into the person you hope to be one day?
PURPOSE & SPIRITUALITY
Do you have a sense of meaning in your life? Do you have a sense that you are contributing?
Participating in something that is bigger than you?
Do you have a spiritual community?
Do you connect with others who share your world views? Would you like to be?
Do you spend time with your spiritual practices (meditation, prayer, yoga, singing, church/temple/synagog)?
Are there ceremonies or rituals that you find nourishing?
Do you like to participate in retreats or study groups?
How important is each area for you?
Now go around the wheel again and note how important each area is for you. Mark how important each area is by increasing the thickness of the lines accordingly—make it really thick for very important, leave it thin for not all that important.
On the handout, there’s an example of how it might look when you’re done.
It may help to consider for each section: Where would you like the line to be?
On the handout, there’s an example of how it might look when you’re done.
It may help to consider for each section: Where would you like the line to be?
Which areas are you happy with?
Notice which areas have a lot that’s already working well. Write below what, specifically you are happy with. Appreciate yourself for having created it. If you like, decorate, colour in, or accentuate these areas on the wheel.
Which area are you less happy with?
Which areas are you less happy with? List them.
Reflection
Now that we have made our assessments of satisfaction, how important each area is to us, and noted what is working and what has room for improvement, let's take a moment to reflect.
This odd shape might look like a spider web or a blob. It reveals to you which areas of your life require the most effort and attention at this moment.
Now we'll ask ourselves some further questions to deepen our reflection. Write about each of these in your journal. To get the most out of this process, practice being as honest as possible.
Which categories have the lowest score?
Why did you give them such a low score?
Which categories have the largest gaps between their current position and where you would like them to be?
What can you do in order to move the category score from its current position to where you would ideally like it to be?
Which categories have the thickest line, indicating they are the most important to you?
Why are they so important to you?
Which categories are currently having the biggest impact on your life?
Why?
Are there categories that you would like to dedicate more/less attention to?
Why?
By taking a look at your entire life like this, you can also begin making connections between different areas.
What connections do you see between categories? For example, how is your career impacting your personal development?
How are your relationships impacting your finances and life enjoyment?
This odd shape might look like a spider web or a blob. It reveals to you which areas of your life require the most effort and attention at this moment.
Now we'll ask ourselves some further questions to deepen our reflection. Write about each of these in your journal. To get the most out of this process, practice being as honest as possible.
Which categories have the lowest score?
Why did you give them such a low score?
Which categories have the largest gaps between their current position and where you would like them to be?
What can you do in order to move the category score from its current position to where you would ideally like it to be?
Which categories have the thickest line, indicating they are the most important to you?
Why are they so important to you?
Which categories are currently having the biggest impact on your life?
Why?
Are there categories that you would like to dedicate more/less attention to?
Why?
By taking a look at your entire life like this, you can also begin making connections between different areas.
What connections do you see between categories? For example, how is your career impacting your personal development?
How are your relationships impacting your finances and life enjoyment?
Next Steps
From here you might like to do the subsequent exercises in the Live Your Power workbook (such as parsing which of your frustrations are within your control to change and which aren't, identifying next steps to improve the situations that are within your control, etc.) You can find the full workbook as
free, online fillable PDF
free printed 72-page workbook
free digital ebook (you can do the exercises in your own journal)
All of these are available at hostingtransformation.eu.
The wheel of life online tool
An advanced version of the wheel of life
Advanced online tool
Please have a look at our new tool. We are so proud ;-)
Potential for Solely Online & Blended Learning
It sure does! Because it is an individual method, it is easily led online asking participants to either print out a copy of the wheel ahead of time or simply draw one on their own paper. The reflection questions are best done in a journal.
Variations
Variations
Create your own categories
To add another later of complexity and depth, it is possible to guide participants to create their own categories rather than using the ones given above.
Material for
Material
Additional Material Description
We have a printable handout available. This is straight out of the Live Your Power workbook.
Additional Resources Description
Create materials quick and dirty in : 10 min
project
project
IN WHICH THIS method WAS DEVELOPED
ERASMUS +
ERASMUS +
Co-funded by the Erasmus+ Program of the European Union. Find more information about the program and its goals here: https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/.
Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
Creative Commons license:
CC-BY-SA You are free to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, even for commercial purposes with mention of the source: Transformation Hosts International, www. hostingtransformation.eu. If you remix, adapt, or build upon the material, you must license the modified material under identical terms.
