#05: On the Wheel of Life, sweet spots, and Roger Federer
aiming for optimal distribution
Welcome to Nuclear Wisdom, a weekly newsletter where I share observations and ideas on self-expansion and modern well-being.
Today at a Glance:
Quick update
Concept: The Wheel of Life
Idea: sweet spot > balance
Read time: 4 minutes
On the Wheel of Life, sweet spots, and Roger Federer
More will kill you.
Ok… Overdramatized?
Unquestionably.
On purpose?
Yes.
When did you last chase more when it should’ve been less?
“More” is not the right answer. It has never been.
Look at nature, the economy, and physics.
What do you notice?
Balance.
Equilibrium.
That’s where the magic is, or?
More of one thing means less of another.
It’s a trade-off you make with each decision.
The cost of opportunity is present in every corner.
To achieve better and more fulfilling results, balance is critical…
At least according to conventional wisdom. Blind balance is a poor solution.
That’s an idea I’ve been playing with since my 2-hour ferry ride from Finland to Estonia a few weeks ago.
During the last 20 minutes of my 2-hour ferry ride from Finland to Estonia, I skimmed through the Wheel of Life concept.
The Wheel of Life
Imagine a circle divided into eight sections, like slices of your favorite pizza (or pie).
Each of these slices represents a different area in your life.
It’s a tool to help you look at these different areas without the hassle of having to “connect the dots.”
While everybody tries to convince you to “see the bigger picture,” the best tactic often remains granular inspection.
The bigger picture will show itself after taking a few slices and paying them your full attention.
Unlike your favorite pizza, you don’t want to decorate the slices with toppings but name them after your key life areas.
Ditch the mushrooms and mozzarella; add health, relationships, career, etc.
While you want to score each “slice,” the wheel of life is not a pie-charting exercise. Leave the latter to the corporate interns out there.
It’s like zooming in on a huge group photo on which you’ve spotted yourself or a loved one.
You go into detail.
The exercise is simple.
There is no right or wrong for this.
Cut pizza into slices. Name and examine key life areas. Assign score from 1-10.
Although I firmly believe that writing is free therapy and much more effective than thought alone, I’ll spare you the pen-and-paper evangelism.
No need to channel your inner Hemingway.
You can use the Wheel of Life as a 5-minute mind game the next time you’re on the road or waiting for your coffee.
Hitting the sweet spot
When I examined my “social life” slice of the Wheel of Life, I got surprised.
My gut feeling rating for this one was a 6.
Striving for a higher score as a true ENFP personality would (Extraverted, Intuitive, Feeling, and Perceiving), my initial inclination was to maximize my social interactions.
On average, for the past few months, I have been seeing my friends “only” three out of seven days a week, so I scored 6 - thinking that more days would lead to a perfect 10.
Only by zooming in and looking at scores of other favorably high areas was I presented a different truth.
I love spending time with friends as much as possible, but at what cost?
Sacrifices in personal growth? Career?
Not the best idea, considering that opportunity cost compounds over time. Similar to interest rates, but with a thick minus instead.
Rather than pursuing the misconception that more is always better, I discovered the importance of identifying and aiming for the sweet spot.
My social life, the way it is, gives me the optimal amount of free resources necessary to keep moving forward, all without neglecting quality time with quality people.
I have space on my calendar to nurture personal projects, indulge in hobbies, engage in deep work, and spend time with myself.
Zooming in helped me understand that. It also showed which other areas need more work in particular.
Hitting the sweet spot in one area will inevitably enhance other areas of your life rather than detract from them due to an overabundance.
Lessons from Legends
The idea of the sweet spot applies universally.
Pablo Picasso embodies the pinnacle of artistic innovation.
Throughout his life, he is said to have produced about 147.800 art pieces. 13.500 of which are paintings. He found the perfect sweet spot between abstraction and representation, now known as Cubism.
Roger Federer hit the sweet spot in sports like only a few ever will.
By consistently striking the perfect power, precision, and timing overlap, he claimed the record of 237 consecutive weeks at No. 1 in the world rankings.
Not everyone is or wants to become the next prolific artist or star athlete. But most people I know are almost obsessed with well-being, striving to build a holistically fulfilling life for themselves. Myself included.
Achieving this is not merely a consequence of balance but optimal distribution.
Don’t mindlessly chase more or have someone tell you that “you need more balance.” Pause. Tune in. Inspect your Wheel of Life.
“Better learn balance. Balance is key. Balance good, karate good. Everything good. Balance bad, better pack up, go home. Understand?” - Mr. Miyagi, The Karate Kid
Sensei is a wise man, but even the wisest of concepts is no one fits all solution.
Seeking balance is not wrong. It’s good.
But life’s never been about robotic balance.
It’s about performing that killer shot in tennis like Roger does.
Thanks a bunch & until next time,
Mete
Be the catalyst for inspiration – start by sharing this newsletter with your circle.
Ready to make waves? Hit that forward button!