ASSESS
Assess — is to observe our current practices and determine whether they will or will not produce and maintain our desired impacts, both now and into the future.
There are two videos below.
The FIRST one is a section taken from the Strategy lesson. You’ve seen it before, but I thought it would be useful to provide that section here as a review for “ASSESSING.”
The SECOND video follows the instructions and shows you how to make powerful assessments.
ASSESS OVERVIEW
ASSESS INSTRUCTIONS
Producing Laser Focus
It is here that we begin to gain the clarity and the laser like focus required to design, build and execute the action plans that will produce the time, energy, creativity and currency required for us to pivot from our current life into the one we design.
Initially, it’s not obvious why assessments produce clarity and focus. But they create an environment in which the impact of our life PARTS are revealed to us, and it is the severity of impact that has humans lean into and remain in action.
Keeping our energy connected to the right things, in the right amounts and at the right times, optimizes our efforts and produces patience, peace, happiness and self-control in our lives.
Surgeons Have More Words
To assess something you must first have a narrative that describes its nature in ways that reveals its [meaning] in your life.
The more complete your narrative, the more powerful your assessments will be.
The more powerful your assessments are… The more focused you become.
A way to think about this is to…
…consider an orthopedic surgeon’s ability to assess the condition of someone’s leg.
Surgeons narratives about a leg and all of the surrounding body parts will have many more descriptive words in it than non surgeons.
It’s the surgeons superior narratives of care that allows them to deliver the value we so desperately need.
So, it is with narratives that we begin the process of assessing our life.
ASSESS
As you follow the steps below you’ll notice that this is a multistep process that “Layers” your thinking into the map in a way that allows it to evolve as it goes.
It’s a creative writing process that requires revisions.
Most people are trying to master life using their “First Drafts”. It’s all about the revisions.
Don’t spend too much time on any single step. Allow the iterative process to do its thing.
Meaning – You’ll want to do this in a single session.
That should take about an hour, which is about 1 minute per type of assessment per each part.
Assess and label each PART in its current state or condition.
[_] On your map, review the impacts, parts and practices for each PART one at a time and color code the PART red, green or blue.
Red = It’s broken now or will be in the future if you keep doing what you’re doing.
Green = It’s supporting your good life with no unacceptable compromises.
Blue = It’s driving time, money, energy & creativity into your life and is more than you need.
[_] Review the entire list again and adjust your assessments.
[_] Update narratives with any insights or epiphanies.
[_] Adjust any of your assessments and update the color again.
Assess the elements trajectory.
Because human beings don’t allow themselves to exist in a “Disrupted” state of being, It’s common for people to use a “Positive Outlook” about their future so that they can have a positive assessment about their now.
We’re pretty good at making up stories to have ourselves feel okay in the moment. There’s nothing wrong this. I mean, if we didn’t do that, we’d not likely make it to lunch.
Where we go wrong is in the way we settle ourselves.
So it is here that we step into the future and consider the trajectory of each PART. This “future state” is where heroes go to think and plan.
We settle ourselves through mature, courageous, integrous and dignified planning.
Go back through the list and:
[_] Ask yourself: “What state will this element be in 5,10,20,30 + years from now if I continue living my life as I am today?
[_] Update narratives with any insights or epiphanies.
[_] Adjust any of your assessments and update the color.
Assess the element’s interdependent nature.
[In-ter-de-pend-ent] – each part requires and impacts the other parts.
This is where hidden blindspots and major synergies will be revealed and captured as we continue our work together.
→ For instance, you might look at your “Finances” and realize that if you doubled the amount of money you made you’d be able to bring your spouse home from work, which could impact the quality of your diet, fun and relationships with both your tribe and your family.
→ Or you may be bred to live a very active, outdoor, multi sport kind of life, but realize that the people in your tribe do not have the time, money or desire to keep up with you, which would generate the negative impacts of not living out your purpose, your authentic self, because you’d be spending your time going out to lunch or dinners with people rather than surfing, climbing or mountain biking with them.
[_] Review the entire list again considering the interdependent nature of your elements.
Ask yourself:
“How does this element impact other elements right now?”
“How will this element impact other elements in the future?” (Consider finances and family)
[_] Update narratives with any insights or epiphanies.
[_] Adjust any of your assessments and update the color.
Consider Others.
Review your list again, but this time consider the impact each element may have on other people in your life.
For instance, your career may require a commute or constant travel that takes you away from your friends, family, fitness, fun and community.
[_] Review the entire list again, considering the impact your elements have on others.
[_] Update narratives with any insights or epiphanies.
[_] Adjust any of your assessments and update the color.
The Results
With this level of awareness you’ll begin to immediately shift your focus and energy to that which truly impacts your ability to live a good life.
I call this an “Early Win” because right now, like today, this awareness alone can begin to realign your current way of being with your desired way of being.
Really consider the amount of space, flexibility and freedom that can open up for you right now, by doing nothing more than NO LONGER noticing or caring about that which doesn’t matter. It’s liberating.
Strategic Writing
When we write, we expand our understanding in ways that produce new thinking—thinking that leads to more powerful distinctions, which allow us to better identify and fulfill the purposes for which we were created.
1: In what ways is the below true?
“Assessments create an environment in which the impact of our life PARTS are revealed to us, and it is the severity of impact that has humans lean into and remain in meaningful action.”
2: Explain why the below is true:
“The more powerful your assessments are…the more focused you become.”
3:How will the below statement impact you life in 10 Minutes – 10 Days – 10 Months – 10 Years
With this level of awareness you’ll begin to immediately shift your focus and energy to that which truly impacts your ability to live a good life. I call this an “Early Win” because right now, like today, this awareness alone can begin to realign your current way of being with your desired way of being.
1: In what ways is the below true?
“Assessments create an environment in which the impact of our life PARTS are revealed to us, and it is the severity of impact that has humans lean into and remain in meaningful action.”
We are able to see those important details and contexts that are missed without this kind of assessment. Those details and contexts impact our lives every day more than most people are willing and able to understand and admit: these are able to ruin our life (if we don’t care about them), or they are able to increase the quality of our lives and the lives of those we love and lead (if we understand them a are able to care for them – by caring for them, I mean the ability to identify, assess, and prioritize them.). They impact our lives so much that we want to remain in meaningful action, when we “taste” living in this environment of this kind of assessment; we can even see the results of this assessment in a very short time.
2: Explain why the below is true:
“The more powerful your assessments are…the more focused you become.”
The more powerful my assessments are, the more power (time, energy, currency, and creativity) is produced. It seems to be motivation, but it is something else: motivation means trying to achieve something IN THE FUTURE, but making powerful assessments means to see the results of our decisions and deeds NOW. When we produce the power NOW, and not only “somewhen in the future”, we can use this already produced power for creating next results, and another amount of power. It is something like building a house, stone by stone, brick by brick. That’s what powerful assessments enable.
3:How will the below statement impact you life in 10 Minutes – 10 Days – 10 Months – 10 Years
With this level of awareness you’ll begin to immediately shift your focus and energy to that which truly impacts your ability to live a good life. I call this an “Early Win” because right now, like today, this awareness alone can begin to realign your current way of being with your desired way of being.
in 10 Minutes – I will be a little bit confused and overloaded by information, but I will already be able to realize some first detaily and contexts in 10 minutes that I was not able to see before. These things will make sense to me so much that I will want to continue.
in 10 Days – I will keep working on that, discovering more and more new things. And I will already be able to see the first real results in my life that produce power. My personal life will start to change first.
in 10 Months – There will be long-term results of using this level of awareness, and I will be able to invest the power produced by this way into other things as well. My personal, professional, and financial life will start to change tangible and sustainable. I will also start to think about how to help other people to care for their own concerns. I will learn how to claim responsibility for my own life, and care for it.
in 10 Years – My life will be completely different than it would be without this level of awareness: dignified, enjoyable, living with humility and respect to others, myself and God, still learning and discovering new things for me. I will care not only for myself, but I will help other people to care for their concerns, and I will make money this way, so both me and people I love and lead will live a good life.
1: In what ways is the below true?
“Assessments create an environment in which the impact of our life PARTS are revealed to us, and it is the severity of impact that has humans lean into and remain in meaningful action.”
The statement rings true.
We often ignore or underestimate the impacts of different parts of our lives — unless we assess them and bring them clearly to mind. Without that process, it’s easy to assume things are fine, or will get better on their own, or to feel stuck and believe nothing will help. And even when there’s some pain, a small current discomfort will often win out over a vague, severe pain that lies in the future.
Assessments change that by making the situation visible. When we look not just at where we are, but at where we’re headed — the trajectory — it breaks the illusion of stability. And when we see how one domain is affecting another, or how our state is impacting people around us, it brings clarity to what’s really at stake. We’re no longer guessing. The severity of the impact — whether current or projected, direct or cascading — becomes more obvious. And once it’s obvious, meaningful action becomes much harder to ignore.
2: Explain why the below is true:
“The more powerful your assessments are…the more focused you become.”
The statement is true almost by definition — in a sense, it’s tautological. A more powerful assessment is one that brings greater focus. What makes it powerful is that it sharpens our understanding of where we are, what matters, and what’s at stake.
Part of that comes from emotional impact — especially when a vague future consequence becomes real enough to feel in the present. Without assessment, the impact of our choices remains abstract, easy to ignore or rationalize. But a strong assessment can surface something that hits emotionally and breaks through our default patterns.
The four layers of assessment — current range, trajectory, interaction between domains, and impact on others — are a way of walking around the situation, seeing it from multiple angles.
That gives a clearer picture and a better chance of finding the angle that resonates. And once that emotional clarity hits, distractions fall away. Focus emerges not from effort, but from knowing exactly what needs to be done.
3:How will the below statement impact your life in 10 Minutes – 10 Days – 10 Months – 10 Years
With this level of awareness you’ll begin to immediately shift your focus and energy to that which truly impacts your ability to live a good life. I call this an “Early Win” because right now, like today, this awareness alone can begin to realign your current way of being with your desired way of being.
In the next 10 minutes, this awareness is like putting on a new pair of glasses — suddenly, what matters most comes into sharper focus. It helps reveal both opportunities and threats to my future that I might have otherwise missed.
Over the next 10 days, that clarity starts to disrupt the ordinary routine. Small shifts begin — maybe not enough to immediately move a domain into the right range, but enough to shift the trajectory. And that alone starts to create a sense of momentum and hope.
By 10 months in, I’d expect to see real results from those changed routines. Habits will have taken root, and if I’ve continued the practice of assessment and awareness, they’ll be more intentional. It’s not just about change anymore — it’s about consolidation and building a more stable foundation.
Ten years from now is a big stretch of time, but with consistent awareness and alignment, I’d expect to be close to the targets I’ve set. And if not, I’ll at least know why — and have the tools to course-correct. More than likely, I’ll be choosing new targets, because growth keeps shifting what “a good life” looks like.
QUESTION #1: In what ways is the below true?
“Assessments create an environment in which the impact of our life PARTS are revealed to us, and it is the severity of impact that has humans lean into and remain in meaningful action.”
ANSWER #1: That statement is true in several powerful and practical ways:
1. Assessments Force Focus on Reality, Not Assumptions. Most people drift through life based on assumptions, habits, and inherited narratives. Assessments create a structured environment that makes you slow down and face the actual outcomes of your actions and inactions.
When you stop and ask: Is this part of my life adding or draining power (time, energy, creativity, currency)? …it naturally forces clarity. It brings the hidden or ignored into view. That visibility alone is powerful.
2. Severity of Impact Sparks Urgency. Humans are wired to respond to threats. The moment you identify that a part of your life is truly causing harm or heading toward collapse (i.e., RED), you no longer experience it as abstract.
You realize: “This will affect me, others I care about, and possibly my future legacy.” The greater the impact, the more emotionally and intellectually compelling it becomes. That intensity is what keeps someone in meaningful action. Not motivation, but urgency born of truth.
3. We Take Action When We Feel the Stakes. Most people don’t act because things feel “fine enough.” But when you see in red a part of the map is clearly undermining your health, relationships, finances, or purpose, then you feel the cost.
“If I don’t change this, I will suffer, and so will others.” That is where transformation begins. Assessments move you from vague intention to high-stakes awareness, which triggers strategic, consistent action.
4. Assessments Give Direction to Our Energy. Without an assessment, your energy is scattered across too many things, some are important, some are irrelevant. But when you assess the severity of impact, you gain clarity about what truly matters, and your energy begins to organize itself around those few, high-leverage moves that produce growth and healing.
In Summary: Assessments shine a light on what’s really happening. Severity of impact creates emotional and strategic urgency. That urgency fuels consistent, focused, meaningful action, and that focused action leads to real transformation.
QUESTION #2: Explain why the below is true:
“The more powerful your assessments are…the more focused you become.”
ANSWER #2: This statement is true because powerful assessments act like lenses that sharpen our vision, making it easier to know what to ignore—and what to act on immediately.
1. Powerful Assessments Cut Through Clutter. When you deeply assess a part of your life, not just at the surface, but at the level of: its current impact (positive or negative), its future trajectory, its interdependence with other parts, and its effect on others… you eliminate guesswork and ambiguity.
This frees your brain from having to juggle dozens of vague “should’s,” and instead focuses it on what must be done, now.
2. Focus Is the Byproduct of Clarity. Focus isn’t something you try to do. It’s something that naturally arises when you’re clear on: What matters, why it matters, and what it costs to delay.
When your assessments are powerful, they give you reasons that resonate, and those reasons naturally pull your attention in the right action.
3. Assessment Anchors You to What’s Real. We often bounce between priorities, distractions, and others’ expectations. But powerful assessments reconnect you to your life—your purpose, your values, your desired impacts.
That makes you less reactive, and more deliberate, because you’re no longer operating from social pressure or emotional noise—you’re operating from a place of grounded truth.
4. Powerful Assessments Create Clear Next Steps. When you assess with depth, you don’t just see a red flag—you see the cause, the consequence, and the correction. That transforms your focus from “What should I be doing?” to “Here’s what needs to happen next.” That single shift eliminates procrastination and fuels execution.
In Summary: Powerful assessments reveal what’s essential. They strip away what’s noise. They clarify your next right move. And in doing so, they naturally produce deep, sustainable focus.
QUESTION #3. How will the below statement impact your life in 10 Minutes – 10 Days – 10 Months – 10 Years
With this level of awareness you’ll begin to immediately shift your focus and energy to that which truly impacts your ability to live a good life. I call this an “Early Win” because right now, like today, this awareness alone can begin to realign your current way of being with your desired way of being.
ANSWER #3: Here’s how that powerful statement could realistically and meaningfully impact my life across those four time frames:
In 10 Minutes: I’ll feel the shift. A weight lifts. My mind clears. I realize that I don’t need to solve everything all at once—I just need to start noticing what matters and what doesn’t. Even the act of asking, “Is this worth my time, energy, creativity, or currency?” will start to silence distractions.
Immediate impact: A sense of agency returns. I stop drifting and start deliberately noticing what adds to my life and what drains it.
In 10 Days: I’ll see patterns emerge. I’ll begin reorienting my habits, decisions, and conversations around what’s red, green, and blue in my life map. A few small pivots such as cutting a task, rethinking a relationship, upgrading a practice. Each one can produce more clarity, calm, and capacity.
Near-term impact: My calendar, priorities, and mindset will begin reflecting my actual intentions.
I’ll feel less scattered, more effective, and noticeably more aligned.
In 10 Months: I’ll have momentum and measurable results. New practices will be locked in.
Old habits that drained me will be long gone. Relationships, finances, health, and creativity will all show evidence of strategic decisions made from this early awareness.
Mid-term impact: I’ll have increased my surplus of power of time, energy, creativity, and currency.
I’ll also have built new standards for what I say yes and no to, and others will feel that boundary.
In 10 Years: This single shift in awareness will be one of the turning points I trace back as foundational. Why? Because I didn’t just “optimize” a few behaviors, instead I rebuilt the way I see, assess, and act on the parts of life that matter.
Long-term impact: I’ll have designed a life that’s aligned with who I am and who I’m becoming, and not who others told me to be. I’ll be surrounded by people and systems that reinforce and multiply my impact. And I’ll have left a blueprint by example that others can follow.
1: In what ways is the below true?
Assessments create an environment in which the impact of our life PARTS are revealed to us, and it is the severity of impact that has humans lean into and remain in meaningful action.”
If we’re just doing an academic exercise we won’t grasp the life and death nature of brokenness. We’ll be unlikely to change. If instead we grasp the severity of the problem and the impacts that are/will happen, we’ll be motivated to do whatever it takes to make a change and transform strategically.
2: Explain why the below is true:
“The more powerful your assessments are…the more focused you become.”
Our level of assessment dictates our understanding of the severity of the problem and the dire need to change. It provides focus on the practices that will strategically transform us to become the kind of people who can harmoniously care for all the parts of life now and in the future.
3:How will the below statement impact your life in 10 Minutes – 10 Days – 10 Months – 10 Years
With this level of awareness you’ll begin to immediately shift your focus and energy to that which truly impacts your ability to live a good life. I call this an “Early Win” because right now, like today, this awareness alone can begin to realign your current way of being with your desired way of being.
Continuing to practice this level of assessment provides immediate impact from the awareness it creates, but as I progress and hone the regular practice of assessing the state of life’s parts, I’ll reap the benefits over time in a compounding way.
1: In what ways is the below true?
“Assessments create an environment in which the impact of our life PARTS are revealed to us, and it is the severity of impact that has humans lean into and remain in meaningful action.”
The more we recognize the why of the various parts of our life – our marriage, career, health, etc – the more motivated we become to assess and optimize (create & modify practices) those areas of life.
2: Explain why the below is true:
“The more powerful your assessments are…the more focused you become.”
The better I understand where I am and where I want to be, the better I understand where to focus my effort and attention. Iterative assessment should produce continuous improvement of impacts.
3:How will the below statement impact you life in 10 Minutes – 10 Days – 10 Months – 10 Years
With this level of awareness you’ll begin to immediately shift your focus and energy to that which truly impacts your ability to live a good life. I call this an “Early Win” because right now, like today, this awareness alone can begin to realign your current way of being with your desired way of being.
As I map out my Operational Strategy toward my purpose, I become more and more like the person I envision for myself across each time domain. Awareness of purpose and how to achieve it helps me drop distractions and continue to progress. I’m especially motivated by my faith in a God who desires me to steward all I’ve been given and may one day say “well done.”
1. In what ways is the below true?
Assessments will create clarity if carried out appropriately. I’ve completed each of the assessments but then struggled to incorporate them into my life because I put them back on the self. I can see why this statement is true but only if completed, reassessed, and refined and incorporated into my life. So, the statement is true only to the point of my actions but absolutely true if the process is rehearsed until it becomes part of everyday life.
2: Explain why the below is true:
This certainly ties back to my first statement. It doesn’t matter how powerful an assessment is if you don’t continue to reassess and understand the impact in your day to day life. I’d say a powerful assessment might pull someone off track because they don’t think of themselves in the way the assessment characterized them. You mentioned being in a disruptive state of being in the Elements Trajectory. I feel that’s where I need to be to learn and understand because getting uncomfortable is where the growth takes place.
3:How will the below statement impact your life in 10 Minutes – 10 Days – 10 Months – 10 Years
I can see the impact for 10 minutes or even 10 days but from there, real work is required to change the current state of being. 10 months of assessment done the correct way will change everything in your life. 10 years will create a legacy. Caring for each part of life is dependent on the other parts and it starts with this timeline.