The Wheel of Life

The Wheel of Life®
Finding Balance in Your Life
When life is busy, or all your energy is focused on a special project, it's all too easy to find yourself off
balance, not paying enough attention to important areas of your life. While you need to have drive and
focus if you're going to get things done, taking this too far can lead to frustration and intense stress.
That's when it's time to take a "helicopter view" of your life, so that you can bring things back into
balance.
This is where the Wheel of Life® (or Life Wheel) can help. Commonly used by professional life coaches, it
helps you consider each area of your life in turn and assess what's off balance. As such, it helps you to
identify areas that need more attention.
Click here to view a transcript of this video.
Figure 1 below shows an example wheel of life with example "dimensions" (we'll explain how to choose
the right areas of life or dimensions for you below).
Figure 1 – Wheel of Life Example
Wheel of Life Example
The Wheel of Life is powerful because it gives you a vivid visual representation of the way your life is
currently, compared with the way you'd ideally like it to be. It is called the "Wheel of Life" because each
area of your life is mapped on a circle, like the spoke of a wheel. The concept was originally created by
Paul J. Meyer, founder of Success Motivation® Institute, Inc.
Using the Tool

There are three ways you can use this tool. One is to use our interactive tool below. You can also use an
app, like the Smart Coaching Wheel , to plot and update your wheel.
Alternatively, use the following steps to create your Life Wheel by hand and assess your balance. (This
allows you to define your own dimensions.)
Start by downloading our free worksheet which contains a blank Wheel of Life diagram as shown in
figure 2, below.
Figure 2 – Wheel of Life Template
Wheel of Life Template
1. Brainstorm Life Areas
Start by brainstorming the six to eight dimensions of your life that are important for you. Different
approaches to this are:
The roles you play in life, for example: husband/wife, father/mother, manager, colleague, team
member, sports player, community leader, or friend.
Areas of life that are important to you, for example: artistic expression, positive attitude, career,
education, family, friends, financial freedom, physical challenge, pleasure, or public service.
Your own combination of these (or different) things, reflecting the things that are your priorities in life.
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2. Write These Down on the Wheel
Write down these dimensions on the diagram, one on each spoke of the life wheel.
3. Assess Each Area
This approach assumes that you will be happy and fulfilled if you can find the right balance of attention
for each of these dimensions. And different areas of your life will need different levels of attention at
different times. So the next step is to assess the amount of attention you're currently devoting to each
area.
Consider each dimension in turn, and on a scale of 0 (low) – to 10 (high), write down the amount of
attention you're devoting to that area of your life. Mark each score on the appropriate spoke of your Life
Wheel.
4. Join up the Marks
Now join up the marks around the circle. Does your life wheel look and feel balanced?
5. Think About Your Ideal Level
Next it's time to consider your ideal level in each area of your life. A balanced life does not mean getting
5 in each life area: some areas need more attention and focus than others at any time. And inevitably
you will need to make choices and compromises, as your time and energy are not in unlimited supply!
So the question is, what would the ideal level of attention be for you in each life area?
Plot the "ideal" scores around your life wheel too.
6. Take Action
Now you have a visual representation of your current life balance and your ideal life balance. Where are
the gaps? These are the areas of your life that need attention.
And remember that gaps can go both ways. There are almost certainly areas that are not getting as
much attention as you'd like. However, there may also be areas where you're putting in more effort than
you'd ideally like. These areas are sapping energy and enthusiasm that may better be directed
elsewhere.
Once you have identified the areas that need attention, it's time to plan the actions needed to work on
regaining balance. Starting with the neglected areas, what things do you need to start doing to regain
balance? In the areas that currently sap your energy and time, what can you stop doing or reprioritize or
delegate to someone else? Make a commitment to these actions by writing them on your worksheet.
Tip:
You can use the Wheel of Life as preparation for goal setting or coaching. It helps to identify the areas
you want to work on and is a great way of visualizing your current and desired life. Once you are
working on improving your life balance, it's also a useful tool for monitoring your life balance as it
changes over time.

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What are the steps to use the Wheel of Life tool?

What are the benefits of using the Wheel of Life tool?

The Wheel of Life®

Finding Balance in Your Life

Click here to view a transcript of this video.

Figure 1 – Wheel of Life Example

Wheel of Life Example

Using the Tool

Figure 2 – Wheel of Life Template

Wheel of Life Template

1. Brainstorm Life Areas

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Join the Mind Tools Club Today!

2. Write These Down on the Wheel

4. Join up the Marks

5. Think About Your Ideal Level

Plot the "ideal" scores around your life wheel too.

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