When you work out your total score from the Scoring instructions provided on the next page, it will give you a fairly accurate picture of how you see yourself and how you currently feel about your present lifestyle. It will also provide you with a wide range of clues as to the major areas in your personal life that you might choose to work on if you are to improve the quality of your lifestyle. Generally, questions that have been answered by a YES response pinpoint what are likely to be specific areas of concern. The questions in Set A refer to more serious lifestyle problems and issues than those in Set B questions.
Overall, if you have answered YES to more than about ten of the total questions, the likelihood is that your present lifestyle is somewhat out of control and it is in your interests to do something about it. The Program contained here can offer you some valuable help to take immediate charge of your life and assist you in working intelligently to improve your lifestyle so that it becomes more rewarding and fulfilling.
WORKING OUT YOUR SCORE
DO NOT READ OR CONSULT THE SCORING KEY ON PAGE 47 UNTIL YOU HAVE ANSWERED ALL THE QUESTIONS IN THE LIFESTYLE EVALUATION QUESTIONNAIRE AND CALCULATED YOUR SCORE.
Steps in Scoring Your Questionnaire
By now you should have completed the boxes on the previous pages which show the total number of each of the five possible answers in the questions listed in Set A and in Set B.
Look at your collated responses to the Set A questions: [numbers 5, 8, 9, 11, 15, 17, 20, 21, 24, 28, 31 and 32]. Score these as follows:
For each YES answer to any of the above questions, record your score on each question as 4
For each SOMETIMES answer to any of the above questions, record your score on each question as 3
Look at your collated responses to the Set B questions: [numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 10, 12, 13, 14, 16, 18, 19, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30 and 33]. Score these as follows:
For each YES answer to any of the above questions, record your score on each question as 3
For each SOMETIMES answer to any of the above questions, record your score on each question as 2.
Now total all your above scores : that is, the YES and the SOMETIMES scores in Set A questions PLUS the YES and the SOMETIMES scores in Set B questions.
Notice that no scores are recorded for any NO, OCCASIONALLY or RARELY responses to any of the 33 questions.
Now, using your total score, look at the assessment of your present lifestyle as determined by your replies to the Lifestyle Evaluation Questionnaire. Assessments are based on total scores of under 40, between 40 and 59, between 60 and 75, and over 75.
This assessment provides a general indication as to the probable state of your present lifestyle and, in particular, your perception of it.
Validity of the Scoring System
PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE IS NO EXPERIMENTALLY ESTABLISHED OR SCIENTIFIC BASIS FOR THE VALIDITY OF THE SCORING SYSTEM BEING USED IN THE PHOENIX SELF-HELP LIFE PLAN.
THE SYSTEM USED TO SCORE THE VARIOUS QUESTION RESPONSES IS BASED SOLELY ON THE AUTHOR'S OPINION AS TO WHAT IS , OR IS NOT, LIKELY TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON AN INDIVIDUAL'S PERCEPTION OF THE QUALITY OF THEIR LIFESTYLE.
HOWEVER, THE QUESTIONNAIRE SCORE ACHIEVED BY ANY PERSON IS PROBABLY A SAFE AND SOUND POINTER AS TO HOW THAT INDIVIDUAL ASSESSES HIS OR HER PRESENT LIFE CIRCUMSTANCES.
THE SCORE YOU GAIN GIVES YOU A VALUABLE BASELINE TO START FROM WHEN YOU BEGIN TO CONSTRUCT YOUR PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN.
Now take your total score to the SCORING KEY breakdown on the next page. Select the appropriate score category and read the brief comment on your lifestyle evaluation.
YOUR SCORING KEY
Your Total Score Assessment, if you scored...
Total of under 40
You are largely in control of your life and your lifestyle is generally very stable and rewarding. Congratulations on your score. Nevertheless, you may want to work for further personal development. If so, the Phoenix Self-Help Life Plan will help you to do this.
Total of 40-59
It seems your lifestyle is perceived by you as being somewhat problematic at the moment. It is in your own interest to do something about it. You are in the right place to consider taking appropriate action by working on a self-improvement plan. Hopefully, you will proceed to work through the Program set out here.
Total of 60-75
Your score is high indicating a lifestyle with which you are seriously ill at ease. This is not a matter you can afford to ignore. It seems essential that you work to take more control over your own life. The Program set out here gives you an excellent opportunity to deal with the disquiet you are currently experiencing.
Total of over 75
It is clear that much is out of joint in how you are living at the moment. Your score should set your alarm bells ringing. It demonstrates that there is much work to be done if your lifestyle is to become stabilised. Hopefully, you will be willing to invest some energy into taking immediate steps to begin re-planning your life. The Phoenix Self-Help Life Plan provided here may be an excellent starting point.
YOUR REACTION TO YOUR SCORE....
Unless you achieved a score of less than 40, the message is clear that there is a need to work on your present lifestyle if you are to experience the quality of life that you desire. If you are convinced that this is true, that’s a great starting point for entry to the Plan's Program. If you are still unsure as to whether personal change is necessary or worthwhile, take another look at your Questionnaire responses. In particular, look closely at your answers to those questions in Set A. Can you really accept the number of YES and SOMETIMES answers you have recorded?
More About The Scoring System
You will already have noticed that some questions incurred higher scores when you answered YES or SOMETIMES than other questions. This is because the first set of questions (Set A) [numbers 5, 8, 9, 11, 15, 17, 20, 21, 24, 28, 31 and 32] refer to more serious behaviours or states of mind than those in the second set (Set B) [numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 10, 12, 13, 14, 16, 18, 19, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30 and 33].
Generally, individuals answering YES or SOMETIMES to Set A questions are more likely to have some form of distressed lifestyle than those who answer YES or SOMETIMES to Set B questions.
In fact, how you answer the first set of questions (Set A) can be a real index of how you view your present lifestyle. If, for example, you answered YES to more than four questions from this set, it may be that some form of counselling, psychological guidance or medical intervention is advisable.
If you fall into this latter category, you need to give immediate serious thought as to what is the best course of action for you. Working through the Program may be beneficial but is probably not sufficient for your lifestyle reorientation.
As already pointed out, no scoring has been allocated for OCCASIONALLY and RARELY responses in either set of questions as responses of this frequency are likely to be widely experienced by many individuals in the ups and downs of normal living.
NOW THAT YOU HAVE COMPLETED THE LIFESTYLE EVALUATION QUESTIONNAIRE AND WORKED OUT YOUR SCORE, IT'S TIME TO ASK YOURSELF SOME IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
THE BIG QUESTIONS
You are now facing the BIG QUESTIONS:
You may be quite surprised at how your scoring worked out. If you achieved a low score then you know that your current lifestyle is largely appropriate for your continued general peace of mind. Nevertheless, the exercise will probably have highlighted a few areas where minor lifestyle improvements might be worthwhile. If you decide to proceed with the Phoenix Plan, use one or more of these areas to build the goals for your Personal Plan for self-improvement.
On the other hand, your results on the Questionnaire may show that there are a significant number of life areas which are not as you would like them to be and clearly need some fairly urgent thought and attention. It is important that you do not become discouraged or depressed at this discovery. Rather, try to see your results as indicating a call for considered action. Do not be overwhelmed by the extent of life changes that are implied because of your results, but carefully and methodically work out a few of the top priority issues for improving your current lifestyle.
Hopefully, whatever your score, you will recognise that there is no present advantage or long term gain in taking no immediate action or in postponing your intention to work at self-improvement.
If you choose to take either of these negative options, you are much less likely to return later and to work seriously at improving your lifestyle.
NOW is probably the very best time in your whole life to take on the vital task of self-improvement and lifestyle renewal.
What Do I Do Now?
If you are up to the task or willing to have a try, go to the next chapter. Chapter 3 tells you how to set up your Personal Plan.
If you are not yet ready or able to continue work on the Program, make a resolve to return to it at a later date.