The Six Pillars of a Fulfilled Life

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I wrote previously that I created the LEVELL Framework nearly two decades ago. It's basically a mashup of other things that have existed out there to asses and plan your life. In my case, it came after writing a bucket list, drawing a timeline of my life, and ordering some of the things I wanted to accomplish and a flexible deadline. It ended up becoming a map of my life, and it's helped me make many decisions throughout it.

The LEVELL Framework is a holistic approach to self-assessment and improvement that focuses on six key areas: Love, Exploration, Vitality, Education, Legacy, and Livelihood. It is also a guideline to lay out what we want to achieve in each area throughout our lives. Each of these areas plays a crucial role in our overall well-being, and by focusing on them, we can create a more fulfilling and balanced life.

Whether you're looking to strengthen your relationships with loved ones, become more adventurous and curious, take better care of your physical and mental health, continue learning and growing, or find a career or business that you're passionate about, the LEVELL Framework can help you get there.

So, let's dig into each area:

Love

Yes, it's corny. But for most humans, it's the most crucial area. Love is about valuing and investing in the people who matter most to us, being intentional about our relationships, practicing empathy and understanding, and focusing on self-love. It's about creating a solid support system in our lives that will help us navigate through the ups and downs of life.

Sometimes, friends and relationships just... happen. But many other times, we need to be intentional about them. Making a conscious effort to call an old friend, visiting relatives in other cities, or having regular date nights with our significant other... These are some ways we have to keep this area of our lives... alive.

Exploration

Exploration helps us to broaden our horizons and discover new things. It's about being curious, taking risks, and venturing. From the voyages of Ferdinand Magellan to the first steps taken by Neil Armstrong on the moon's surface, human history is full of examples of people who pushed the boundaries of what was possible through exploration. You don't need to want to go to the edge of the world, but you can start by going to the edge of your city.

By embracing the spirit of exploration, we can learn new skills, gain new perspectives, and open ourselves up to new experiences. Whether traveling to a new country, trying a new hobby, or learning a new language, there are endless opportunities for exploration.

Vitality

Vitality refers to our physical and mental health. It's about taking care of ourselves, our bodies, and our minds and ensuring we have the energy we need to live an active life. One way to achieve this is by setting and achieving fitness goals, such as running or swimming challenges. Running a marathon, for instance, requires a high level of physical preparation and mental preparation, such as setting a goal and creating a plan, which can improve your overall well-being.

Another way to boost our vitality is by learning new sports and activities, such as golf, kitesurfing, and mountain biking. In my case, golf has become such an activity. Golf is a great way to get some exercise and fresh air while also challenging yourself mentally. It requires focus, patience, and strategy, which can improve your mental well-being. Engaging in activities you enjoy is fun and makes it easier to stay motivated, thus increasing the likelihood of making it a regular habit.

Education

Education is about continuous learning and personal growth. It's about actively seeking new knowledge and skills, challenging ourselves to learn and grow as individuals, and learning from others. It's about developing new skills, learning to think critically and creatively, and learning from life experiences. It's about constantly upgrading our brain's software to become a better version of ourselves.

Many of us may take education for granted and make excuses such as "I'm learning a lot from work" or "I'm too busy to learn new things." However, it's important to remember that learning new things is beneficial not only for our professional growth but also for our overall well-being.

Education can range from doing an MBA or a master's degree, learning how to write code, or creating YouTube videos. Wherever your curiosity takes you, it's essential to learn new things. The key is to find something that interests you and that you are passionate about. It's also important to remember that learning is not just about gaining knowledge but also about developing new skills and thinking critically and creatively.

Livelihood

Livelihood pertains to our primary source of income and our professional lives. It is what we do for a living and how we make a living. Livelihood is what people from the outside will see us as: "an entrepreneur," "an executive," "a golfer," "a YouTuber," or "a broadcaster." It's essentially what will occupy most of our day during certain periods of our lives. It's what will be part of our bio or our Twitter profile.

Livelihood should be aligned with our values and our goals in the other areas of the LEVELL Framework. It's also important to consider how our livelihood will enable us to achieve our other goals in the other areas of the LEVELL Framework. For example, if we have set a goal to run a marathon or to learn to kitesurf, it's important to consider how our livelihood will allow us to have the time and resources to pursue these goals. It's about finding a balance between work and personal life.

Conclusion

By prioritizing and focusing on each of these areas, we can create a more fulfilling and balanced life. The framework helps us to be intentional about our relationships, be curious and adventurous, take care of our physical and mental health, continue learning and growing and find a career or business that aligns with our values and goals. Ultimately, the LEVELL Framework serves as a map for our lives, guiding us to make decisions and achieve our goals in each area.