A Personal Evaluation

Before you read further, we suggest that you take a few minutes and assess how you feel about each of these vital elements in your own life. You may find it helpful to answer the questions below. As you read each set of statements, circle the number that best represents where you are: 0 means you feel best described by the statement on the left; 4 means you feel best described by the statement on the right; 1, 2, or 3 means that you identify with some position in between. If you prefer, you can answer this questionnaire electronically and have it automatically scored at www.franklincovey.com/lifematters.

WORK
I really don’t like my work. Maybe: My work environment (my boss, the people I work with, the lack of freedom or opportunity, etc.) is terrible. I feel like my job is meaningless and boring, but I don’t have the education or skill to do something I’d like better. I only work because I have to.	0 1 2 3 4	I really love my work. I feel a sense of joy and contribution in doing it.
I’m a fairly good employee, but I don’t think either my boss or I would say I’m really great. I don’t get the ratings, raises, or promotions I’d like.	0 1 2 3 4	I feel I am a good worker. I do my job well, and I believe my employer would rate my performance on the job as “excellent.”
If I lost my job, I have no idea what I’d do.	0 1 2 3 4	My employability is not an issue. I have enough education and skill to get another good job should the one I currently have fall through.
My family has little or no idea of what I do on the job. We rarely talk about my work (except when I complain about it), and I never take family members to my workplace. All they know is that when I’m at work, I’m not meeting their needs at home.	0 1 2 3 4	My family knows about and appreciates the work I do. They’re familiar with my workplace. They see my work as a positive contribution to the welfare of the family, and also to those who use the product or service I help create.
I feel like I work too many hours and neglect my family.	0 1 2 3 4	I feel comfortable with the amount and quality of time I spend on the job and with the results.
Total work score: (0-20): ____

FAMILY
I know family is important, but it feels like a lot of work. There are too many demands, too many arguments, too many people to please.	0 1 2 3 4	I love my family. I really enjoy spending time with them on a daily basis, and they enjoy spending time with me.
I don’t know how to make my family better. I feel so tired when I get home, I just want to be by myself and “crash.”	0 1 2 3 4	I try to be—and believe I am—a good family member (husband, wife, parent, etc.). I find joy and satisfaction in really investing in my family role.
The only things we really enjoy as a family are recreational—going on vacations, going to movies or sports events, etc.	0 1 2 3 4	As a family, we know how to work and learn together as well as play together, and we enjoy doing it and getting the results.
We live in the same house, but it feels like we’re individuals going in different directions. We don’t have a shared vision, open communication, or enough trust in each other to pull together as a team.	0 1 2 3 4	We have a sense of shared vision, and we generally have open communication and shared problemsolving. Together, we feel we have strength and resilience to face the issues and handle the tough challenges of life.
I’m not satisfied with the amount of time I spend at home. Work and/or other things keep me away from the family too much.	0 1 2 3 4	I feel good about the amount and quality of time I spend with my family and with the results.
Total family score: (0-20): ____

TIME
I nearly always feel like I’m running fast, “putting out fires,” and trying to get everything done. But if I were to stop and ask myself if what I’m doing really matters, much of the time the answer would be “No.”	0 1 2 3 4	I focus on achieving my highest priorities. I feel satisfied that I generally spend my time on what matters most.
I feel constantly torn between work and home. I’m always busy, but I feel like I’m not meeting the needs in either arena.	0 1 2 3 4	I feel comfortable with the way I balance my time between work and family and with the results.
I rarely have time to invest in personal development or building relationships. I know it’s important to exercise and eat right, but I don’t do it. I’m so busy . . . it feels like there’s never time.	0 1 2 3 4	I take time on a regular basis to invest in personal development and quality relationships. I also invest time in maintaining personal well-being so that health and energy are not limiting factors in my life.
To me, technology feels like: A jungle—confusing, overwhelming . . . I have no idea how to get through it. A “necessary evil”—a “have to know” I struggle with on the job. A “black hole” that sucks up my time and money— with little positive return.	0 1 2 3 4	I appreciate technology. I invest appropriate time in keeping up on new developments, and I’m able to use technology effectively to help me accomplish what matters most.
What are my children learning about “time” from living in our home? Probably that you have to spend it working like crazy (often at unpleasant tasks) and worrying like crazy (usually about money) . . . and the best relief from working and worrying is to go on vacations, buy things, or watch TV.	0 1 2 3 4	In our home, we try to maintain an environment of positive, peaceful interaction and growth. We try to teach our children the principles of time management and life leadership that will empower them to live happy, balanced lives when they’re adults.
Total time score: (0-20): __

MONEY
I don’t know where the money goes. It feels like there are always unmet needs and we’re always behind. The economic factor is a driving concern in our lives.	0 1 2 3 4	I feel satisfied that we have enough money to meet our needs and that we’re spending our money on what matters most.
Either: I have ongoing credit card debt and I’m paying interest every month. Even if I get a raise, the money disappears, and it seems like I’m no better off than I was before. Me living a budget? You’ve got to be kidding! I do not have adequate reserves set aside for retirement, children’s education, or other future needs.	0 1 2 3 4	I feel that I’ve developed a significant degree of financial competence. My affairs are in order, I am not in major debt, I regularly live within my means and contribute to a reasonable retirement plan and other savings goals.
Finances are basically a major pain in our family. We usually don’t talk about it; we argue about it. We’re not in agreement on earning or spending priorities, and our spending is not coordinated.	0 1 2 3 4	Finances are one of our family’s strengths. Dealing with money issues has helped us develop shared vision and values, effective systems, character strength, communication and trust.
We basically live from paycheck to paycheck and have few or no financial reserves. If one of us were to lose our job, we’d be in a terrible pinch.	0 1 2 3 4	Our family’s welfare is not completely at the mercy of circumstance. We have sufficient resources set aside to weather some of the storms of economic fluctuation and temporary
Either: We just buy our kids the stuff they want or need. We’ve tried to give our kids earning jobs or allowances and encourage them to be careful with their money. In either case, we haven’t sat down and taught our children the basic principles of financial well-being. (In fact, we’re not even sure we know them!)	0 1 2 3 4	We regularly take the opportunity to teach and give our children experience in living principles of financial management that will empower them to be effective money managers in their own families
Total money score: (0-20): ____

WISDOM
I tend to get lost in the “busyness” of each day. It’s difficult for me to maintain an ongoing sense of purpose and direction. I don’t know how to recognize the inner promptings of conscience. I often feel confused and torn.	0 1 2 3 4	I feel a sense of overall meaning and purpose in my life and that I live each day true to my own inner promptings.
Decisions are hard for me. I have difficulty sorting through issues and knowing what matters most at the time.	0 1 2 3 4	I am comfortable making day-to-day decisions and feel they contribute positively to my overall direction and life balance.
I get frustrated when unexpected things come up that threaten to alter my plan for the day.	0 1 2 3 4	I’m able to respond to unanticipated work and family needs with confidence and peace.
I’m inspired by good thoughts, but I rarely have time to read. If I do, it’s usually job-related “have to” reading or “escape” reading. I hardly ever take time to draw from the more uplifting, ennobling thoughts and literature that nurture the soul.	0 1 2 3 4	I take time to regularly replenish my store of wisdom, judgment, and perspective.
Our family rarely or never spends time together reading and discussing great thoughts.	0 1 2 3 4	We regularly take time as a family to read and discuss some of the major wisdom literature of the world.
Total wisdom score: (0-20): ____ Total overall score: (0 to 100): ____

Your total score will give you a holistic picture of how you feel about work, family, money, time, and the degree to which you feel you integrate them into a satisfying, balanced whole. The section scores will highlight areas of greatest potential for improvement. We recommend you retake this survey periodically to help index your improvement.

Because life is moving at an increasingly fast pace, the consequence of having one or more of these essential life elements out of order is becoming more and more severe. If you aren’t highly employable and good at your work . . . if you don’t have the character and competence to be a good spouse, parent, son, daughter or sibling . . . if you’re in debt over your head and constantly pressed by economic concerns . . . if you’re stressed and feel as if you never have enough time and that important things in your life aren’t getting done . . . these things are going to negatively, significantly, and increasingly impact on the quality of your life.

But the good news—actually, the great news—is that when you do get work, family, money, and time aligned and working together, they not only provide a sense of competence and fulfillment in each individual area, they create a powerful synergy and a driving engine that keeps you moving forward with increased energy and overall life satisfaction. They also transform daily challenges into the “resistance training weights” that build enduring wisdom, character, and life balance capacity.