Wheel of life: what is it and how is it used to detect needs

Many times, people, as multidimensional beings that we are, feel that several of the aspects that make up our lives are not fully realized and we want to improve, but we do not know where start.

That is why we are going to present in this article one of the most useful self-analysis tools, the wheel of life. Coming from the field of coaching, it allows to have a greater awareness of the aspects to be improved in each one and to start this process of self-realization. Let's take a closer look at what it is and how to do it.

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What is the wheel of life?

The wheel of life is a graphic tool from the field of coaching, which allows to have a greater awareness of the aspects that make up each one, what is the degree of satisfaction perceived of each one of them and also start the process of self-improvement. Visually, It allows to know if the vital needs or desires of the person are in balance or not.

The person who developed this technique was Paul J. Meyer, one of the leaders in coaching, personal and professional development, known for being the founder of the Success Motivation Institute. Meyer took as inspiration for the elaboration of this technique the wheel of life of the Tibetan Buddhist religion.

Usefulness of this technique

Meyer's wheel of life is a technique of self-analysis of the different areas that the person considers important in his life. Thanks to that, helps to have a better awareness of how these vital needs and desires are being satisfied or not in the current moment, as well as allowing you to compare with past moments and see if you are making any kind of progress.

Basically the advantages offered by this technique are as follows:

• Identification of which areas are considered important to the person.
• Awareness of the degree of life satisfaction.
• It lets you know where to start to improve.
• It stimulates the initiation of a process of change.
• It helps to be constant, favoring focusing on the least satisfactory aspect.
• Lets be aware of how far you are progressing.
• It can be applied both on a personal and professional level.

How to make it: steps to follow

Although the technique itself is easy to develop, a number of steps must be followed to ensure that the self-test is performed in the most satisfactory way.

1. Represent the areas in a circle

First, proceed to represent the areas considered most important of the person in a circle.

On the internet there are multiple pages where you can download a template with the wheel of life already made, in addition to mobile applications that also have a virtual wheel. Another option, more common and simple, is to draw a circle on a sheet of paper and manually write the names of each area outside its circumference.

Each person is different and therefore you can consider as prominent areas in your one or the other. That is why the number of areas and their name is highly variable.

However, the most common are the following: family, couple, health, friendship, work, studies, economy and personal success.

2. Score every aspect

Once the number of areas considered fundamental in the life of the person has been selected, they are given a score based on the degree of satisfaction perceived for each one of them.

Usually, Scores range from 1, not at all satisfied, to 10, fully satisfied. The lower the score, the closer to the center of the circle the point will be placed for that particular aspect.

Scores from 8 to 10 mean that you are very satisfied in the particular area. From 5 to 7 means that, although you are not very unhappy, an improvement should be initiated. Less than 4 means that a way to improve them must be sought urgently.

3. Join areas and analyze

Once values ​​have been assigned to each area, they proceed to join them by drawing a line and, thus, a geometric figure is drawn.

When the values ​​given for each aspect have been joined, it will be possible to see what the life of the person is like in broad terms.

If the figure that has been drawn is more or less harmonic, similar to a circle, it means that there is a certain balance in the person's life. On the other hand, if the figure is irregular, with ups and downs, it indicates that there are areas that are less satisfied than others.

It should be said that the fact that there is a certain harmony does not mean that the person feels satisfied. It is possible that, in fact, all aspects are so low that there is harmony as to how dissatisfied you are in general with your life.

4. Start the change

Once the points where you are least satisfied have been identified, it's time to start improving.

First of all, it is important to meditate on whether you have been sincere or have been exaggerated dissatisfaction with this element. In case you have been sincere, you can proceed to improve. You do not necessarily have to start with the lowest score, although it is a good starting point.

To achieve the change it is necessary to develop an improvement plan. It is very important to meditate in depth how the selected aspect will be improved, and possible obstacles that may be encountered along the way must also be taken into account.

Brainstorming is extremely necessary at this pointIn addition to being able to consult well-known ways to find balance in the short and long term. It is quite productive to select goals to be achieved in the short term, which are realistic but, at the same time, stimulating, since they will make it easier to reach the final goal and help to stay focused and motivated.

To be aware of the progress that is being made, it is highly recommended to have a diary in which everything is noted what is being achieved, in addition to dedicating time each week to assess the state of the situation in general.

Also, as a follow-up, it is advisable to make, after a certain time, a new wheel of life, comparing how the process was starting and how it is now.

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What does each plot mean?

As we have already mentioned, each person is different and, therefore, will give greater importance to different aspects in Compared to the rest of its congeners, however, there are certain areas that tend to appear on most wheels of the life.

Next we will see some of them, offering sample questions that can help in the satisfaction analysis, both general and particular, of the person.

1. Health

Do I usually have a cold? Do I take too many medicines? Do I exercise regularly? How many times have I been sick in the last month? Should I go to a doctor? Do I need psychological help?

2. Job

Am I satisfied with my work? Is it what you wanted to be? Is there a possibility of being promoted? Am I working on what I have studied? What job options do I have?

3. Couple

I love my couple? Am I satisfied in this relationship? Does it satisfy me sexually? Am I enough for him / her? It's enough for me? Is there still the same magic as at the beginning?

4. Family

Who is my family Do my parents, brothers / sisters and other blood relatives fit into my concept of close family? Are my closest friends my real family? What are the family dynamics to which I am exposed? Does my family love me? I love my family?

5. Friends

Do my friends satisfy me? What is a friend to me? Do I call anyone friend? Do I feel like they are really my friends?

6. Studies

Do I like what I study? Am I good for what I'm studying? Am I really learning? Should I dedicate myself to something else?

7. Personal success

Am I comfortable with my life? Do I really think better times are going to come? Am I someone important in something? What can I offer to the world?

8. Economy

Do I earn enough? Am I spending too much? Should I save more? How can I better manage my money? Do I need help from a manager?

Bibliographic references:

• Kübler-Ross, E. (2013). The wheel of life. Vergara.
• Zeus, P., & Skiffington, S. (2004). Practical "Coaching": Complete Guide to Techniques and Tools. McGraw-Hill, Interamerican of Spain.