Top 5 Priority Countdown – Step 4, Related – Happiness Scoring Shift (Aug Scores vs Jan 1 Scores)

Building upon a LINK recent article that looked at the shifting of priorities for key DOLS, I have a few updates around the happiness scores I placed on each priority DOL.  Going into the article, I was testing a theory that went something like this:

I’ve outlined the two most recent reporting periods where I sat down and recast my DOL priorities along with a corresponding happiness score.  I focused in on my top 5 Dimensions of Life in terms of these priority scores and the corresponding happiness scores are investigated here.  The table below captures the complete list of DOLS, the Top 5 from August 2017, the Top 5 from January, and the net ‘power ranking’ changes over the two timeframes.  One thing to note – I did stack rank all 13 DOLs – however to keep things a bit focused – I am focusing on the top 5 only.

Here’s the raw data for your consideration:

As I focus on the net changes in the happiness scores – a few things are apparent.  As a reminder, the happiness score is a 1-10 ranking – with 1 being just miserable and 10 being world class awesome sauce being poured out everywhere.

So my #1 priority area – Entrepreneurial Business Plans / Delivery experienced a bump of 2 points on the happiness scoring to a middling value of 6.  This reflects the level of progress I made in the latter part of last year, and the recognition that there is much left to do given the neglect historically in this area of my life.  As I continue to pour energy and action into this bucket of my life – I expect the happiness score continuing to rise up this year.  I’m effectively doubling down this quarter on this area of my life.  This area is aligned with my theory of greater focus and priority resulting in greater meaning and happiness.

My #2 priority DOL – Professional Career & Work – dropped a digit regardless of my continued focus and domination of this DOL during the final two months of the year.  The biggest contributor to this reduction in happiness is moreso on my career clarity than on anything else.  My work life was arduous, expectedly so, during the final few months of the year.  We did end up delivering on the major initiative that we were focused on – so the gratification of delivery was deep and true in January when I set this score.  I was overly focused on doing my job in this DOL than building towards my career plans.  Ideally, they are aligned – however this theory of alignment assumes that the individual is doing a job that is aligned with their greater career aspirations on some level – perhaps multiple levels.  This level of clarity and alignment is not where I want it at the moment, and the first quarter is my opportunity to work this conversation as I usually do at least twice per year – typically Jan/Feb and July/Aug time frames.  This area does not exactly support my theory coming into this article – the dissonance is due to the lack of focus on my career, even as I prioritized my work life heavily.  Perhaps there’s an opportunity to split this DOL in the next release of the EAF?

My Financial DOL is languishing in terms of happiness increases.  I have an article or two on this topic in mind.  For now – my results are not what I had intended in this DOL given the goals I had set at the beginning of the year, let alone in August.  In Q1 – I expect this to be an area of life that ABSOLUTELY has a breakthrough or two given my past avoidance of certain goals I have set for myself.  Correspondingly, the progress achieved in this area will juice my level of happiness.  This is an area that reflects my inability to follow through as strongly as I would have liked on a few key deliverables last year – in spite of my stated priority on this DOL.

My Health & Physical Fitness DOL happiness score dropped like a rock from August to January.  My health has improved substantially, my overall muscle mass has improved, and my cardio is at a higher happiness level than a five.  The biggest driver on the happiness score during this period is an increased unevenness in terms of my lifting schedule and a higher bodyfat %.  I started 2017 with a stated goal of 10% bodyfat, and I was sub 12% for a two month period earlier in the year.  As I started the year, my body fat was hovering 15-16%.  This simply pisses me off, and it points to a lack of discipline on my diet more than anything else.  I’ve been attacking this strongly this year, and I expect a return to lower double digits – ultimately single digits by the end of the year.

 My Character, Discipline, & Integrity happiness score remained unchanged.  As I start the year, I expect this area to develop more fully with a happiness score likely to stay the same or notch up a point.  This is an example of an area where I’m quite happy with myself, and I believe it is time to take this to the next level given goals in other areas of my life.  This DOL is an enabling type of DOL that cuts across all other DOLS – so the return on my energy and action will be one that is an indirect amplifier across many other areas.  This notion of amplification and indirect benefit is one I’ll be developing quite a bit more later in the year.

My Energy and Spiritual DOL fell completely out of the Top 5 dropping 3 slots to a position of 8 out of 13 – in terms of priority.  My happiness score moved from a 6 to an 8 during this same timeframe.  This is a fantastic example of results given my focus, and shifting my priority/focus to another area now that I’ve got this into a happiness score where I’m comfortable shifting into something else.

My Values, Purpose, and Legacy dropped the most – it went from #1 in August to #12 in January – in terms of priority.  My happiness score moved from a lowly 3 to a 7 during this same timeframe.  The correlation of priority and happiness is strong here, and I feel it to be true in my bones.  I poured a ton of energy into this DOL during the final few months in preparation for a kick ass 2018.  I entered the year with a very, very clear point of view on my dreams, vision and blueprints, OYMs, and some key goals for the years.  The dissonance and lack of confidence I experienced a few years ago has been gutted from my life.  The purpose that pervades everything about me is now strongly in front, centered, and being worked every day.  This is a gift that I intend to help others uncover for themselves through this project and other efforts planned to be unleashed in the future.