Chart your Wheel
Every December 31st, we make "resolutions..." Promises, out loud, or silently - to do better, to work harder, to get that promotion, to relax more, to loose weight, to get organized. Sound familiar? We've all done it, and we've all felt horrible when we break our resolutions. Now is the time to put away "resolutions" and start achieving!
Below, you will find a wheel. Interesting, not my idea, but one that can change your life. Look at it, play with it, and most of all, be honest with yourself. No one will see your chart - unless you want them to. This is an important step, the first step, to reaching the path to your rainbow.
Out With the Old and In With the New
By Veronica Conway, Certified Professional Co-Active Coach
The end of the year brings up a lot in peoples lives. Not only is there holidays and many celebrations, but there is reflection on the year past and planning for the year ahead. Some questions to ask are…What do you want? How will you get it? What do you yearn to let go of? What is the gap between where you are and where you want to be? What action will you take to get there? These are the questions that a success coach asks of you. As the year draws to a close it is important to assess where you are in life. Below is a quick way to assess your life:
Assess
Seeing the center of the wheel as 1 and the
outer edges as 10, fill in your level of
satisfaction with each area of your life by drawing a straight or curved
line to create a new outer edge with 1 = Not
Satisfied and 10
= Very Satisfied
Now draw a semicircle at the point on the wheel where you indicated your level of satisfaction. For example if you rated career a 5 draw a curved line midway through the circle. If you rated your physical environment a 10, meaning you love your home and physical space, you would draw a curved line that traces the outer edge of the wheel. Connect the lines. You should get a wheel that has varying curves, depending on how you scored the wedges. An example:
The eight sections in the Wheel of Life represent balance. If this were a real wheel, on your car of life, how bumpy would the ride be?
Often when we are not feeling satisfied, we try to go faster. On a bumpy wheel, this often proves unmanageable.
- Vision
Take the wedge that you most want to improve on. Take a moment and think about what would a 10 look like? What would it feel like, what would be happening? Really see it, feel it hear it. For example a 10 in physical environment might mean that your home is completely organized, is decorated in a way that is relaxing and peaceful and that you live in a neighborhood you love.
- Design Action
Write down the
elements of an ideal physical environment in a short paragraph. Next,
design 2 or 3 action steps that you will commit to taking within one
week towards creating the physical environment you love. It might be
organizing your kitchen, or organizing the files in your office. It
might be cleaning out your garage. - Create Accountability
Write down who will hold you accountable for taking those actions, an ally that you can check in with that will support you in creating what you want. This person should be a person who is capable of supporting you, NOT someone who is a negative, or will tell you not to do it. It is crucial that you speak your goals into a supportive network. You could trade accountability with this person, and hold them accountable for something they want.
- Take Action
Now go do the action steps. Action is what creates the results you want in life. The most important time to take action is within 48 hours of establishing a goal. Action creates momentum, which creates sustainable results. If it seems difficult to get into action, ask yourself the question, “What is inaction costing me? What is my inaction costing the world?” It is imperative to get clear about the consequences of inaction in your life.
To your Vision!
Veronica Conway is a Certified Co-Active Coach, speaker, facilitator, and author. She is the founder and president of the Black Professional Coaches Alliance, a network of African-American coaches dedicated to bringing coaching to Black America
Take your first step to be all you know you can be. Schedule a complimentary coaching session with Coach Betty.
Phone: 800-290-8731