Using the wheel of life to set better goals

People often focus on just one type of goal, when in reality there are many different areas of life worth investing in.

I sometimes use the Wheel of Life with coaching clients when they want to explore their life as a whole. There are lots of different examples of the Wheel of Life available online, but there's a great one here on Life Coach Directory: 

Life Coach Directory Wheel of Life tool

These kinds of tools can be really useful for evaluating where you're currently spending your time and energy. They look a little like a dartboard and can easily be personalised with the areas of life that matter most to you.

While it's traditional to create one overall Wheel of Life, you might find it helpful to create separate versions for work and your personal life.

Wheel of (business) Life

Ask yourself where you need to focus your attention regarding work over the coming months, and how you're feeling about them now.

The areas will vary depending on your role or business, but you might include:

• Core or essential activities (daily, weekly and monthly).
• Long-term goals and strategy.
• Workplace relationships that need developing.
• The different roles you perform.
• Administration.
• Personal and professional development.
• Corporate social responsibility.

Wheel of (day-today) Life

Now consider the areas that matter most outside work.

For example:

• Family and friends
• Your partner
• Health and well-being (physical, emotional and mental)
• Creativity and hobbies
• Recreation and fun
• Personal growth
• Life purpose
• Spirituality

Wheel of (personal) Life

This could be included within the previous two wheels or become a separate exercise.

It's important to think not only about what you want to do or have, but also about how you want to be.

For example:

• Happy
• Healthy
• Content
• Joyful
• Relaxed
• Trusting
• Excited

This is incredibly important.

Otherwise, you can find yourself constantly achieving and doing, yet still feeling exhausted, stressed and dissatisfied.

"Learn from the past, set vivid, detailed goals for the future, and live in the only moment of time over which you have any control: now."
– Denis Waitley

What tools and skills do you already have?

Taking the analogy a little further, what do you need to help you hit the marks on your own Wheel of Life?

1. Mindset

I've put this first because your mindset influences everything else that follows.

2. Confidence and conviction

When clients create action plans, I often ask them how confident they feel about achieving them.

On a scale from 0 ("It will never happen") to 10 ("I'm absolutely certain I can achieve it"), where are they?

If the answer is below eight, we explore what concerns them.

This is often where the deepest coaching conversations begin.

3. Skills and knowledge

Is there knowledge you need to gain or skills you need to develop in order to achieve your goals?

4. Resources

What resources will help keep you moving forward?

Do you need:

• Time?
• Financial resources?
• Supportive people?
• A coach, mentor or counsellor?

Remember, asking for support is often a strength rather than a weakness.

How a Wheel of Life becomes a strategy for you

Many of us become very good at firefighting but rarely make time to step back and create a strategy, that prevents the fire in the first place. 

Whether you want a new career, a healthier lifestyle, a new hobby or a successful business, you'll need a clear plan for getting there.

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
– Mark Twain

Using the Wheel of Life after a setback

Once you've built your wheel, evaluating what's important to you and how you feel like you're handling them at the moment - how do you adjust this in the face of adversity?

Ask yourself:

• How well do I deal with obstacles?
• Can I learn from mistakes rather than dwelling on them?
• Am I willing to ask for help when I need it?

Our ability to overcome setbacks often determines whether we succeed or give up on our end goal. Mistakes, failures and disappointments are all part of the journey - that's the reason the wheel markers start at zero - it's okay to have nothing good to point to in that area just yet. 

The important thing is learning from them and continuing to move forward, and moving up the scale. 

No one succeeds entirely alone. Knowing who can support you and being willing to ask is one of the most important ingredients of success in both work and life.