Your Strategic Life Portfolio: A Tool to Build a More Fulfilling Life (G-sheet Template included)

This 2-minute exercise can give you clarity on how to recalibrate your life

In the pursuit of a fulfilling life, it is sometimes essential to review our priorities and where we allocate our attention. I first saw this tool in this insightful article by senior consultants at Boston Consulting Group - and here I’m simply sharing a template that anyone can use, as well as expounding on how the framework can be interpreted:

An example of a completed Strategic Life Portfolio

Your Strategic Life Portfolio

The tool involves evaluating different areas of your life based on three key dimensions: Importance (the vertical axis), Satisfaction (the horizontal axis), and Time Invested (dot size). By plotting these aspects on a matrix, you can gain valuable insights into how you are currently balancing your commitments and where adjustments may be needed.

See here for the template:

The Four Quadrants

1. THRIVE- High Importance, High Satisfaction (HH): Areas that are both crucial to you and bring you joy and fulfillment. | Key Action: Invest more time

2. STRUGGLE - High Importance, Low Satisfaction (HL): Areas that hold significant importance but do not bring you the expected satisfaction or happiness. | Key Action: Make more enjoyable

3. COMFORT - Low Importance, High Satisfaction (LH): Activities or aspects that bring you satisfaction but may not hold much significance in the grand scheme of things. | Key Action: Have less guilt

4. IGNORE - Low Importance, Low Satisfaction (LL): Areas that neither contribute significantly to your life nor bring you satisfaction. | Key Action: Invest less time

Using the Tool Effectively

Here are some examples of how to interpret your results:

• If you find yourself spending considerable time in the Low Importance, Low Satisfaction quadrant for any area of your life, it may be time to reassess why these activities or commitments are taking up your valuable hours.

• If you notice multiple bubbles in the High Importance, Low Satisfaction quadrant, it is worth reflecting on why these areas are deemed important in the first place, or whether there are things you can do to make these areas more joyful.

By regularly employing this tool to evaluate and realign your priorities, you can make informed decisions about where to focus your time and energy, ultimately creating a more fulfilling and balanced life.

Hope this helps anyone who needs it, and feel free to share.

Cheers,

-J

Food for thought: What else should I write about? Do you have any questions you want answered? Message me here or write it as a comment, and I’ll respond.