How to Unlock a Richer, More Fulfilled Life with The Life Inventory Assessment featuring Maurice Thibodeau: Part 1

Unlock the secrets to a balanced life with Maurice Thibodeau, the creator of the Life Inventory Assessment tool, as he joins us to share his insights on personal growth.

Maurice's innovative approach extends beyond the traditional Wheel of Life by offering a more intricate exploration of our daily existence through 13 unique categories.

NB: This interview has a full video, which you can watch on my YouTube channel. You can check it out here.

Together, we delve into the five crucial well-being measures – happiness, capability, time alignment, presence, and body awareness – and reveal how a mere 15-minute self-evaluation can illuminate the path toward fulfillment and highlight areas needing nurturing.

Join me as I reflect on our experiences using the Life Inventory Assessment to set personal, professional, and joint goals, emphasizing the significance of vision articulation and commitment to personal growth.

The support of partners, coaches, and structured planning becomes the backbone of our journey. This conversation aims not only to inspire but also to equip you with the understanding that identifying weaker life facets and focusing on improvement is a stepping stone to a more enriched life experience.

Wrapping up the episode, we touch on the transformative effects of compassion and the importance of community in personal development. 

Whether you are looking to strengthen your self-awareness or seek a compass to navigate the complexities of modern living, this episode provides a roadmap for meaningful change.

Join us and become part of a conversation that could redefine your personal and professional life.

Connect with Maurice:

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Instagram

Transcript

Dai Manuel: 0:02

Hello and welcome to a unique and exhilarating episode of the 2% Solution Podcast. Today is not just any episode. We're thrilled to have a special guest, maurice Dibidou, the creator and innovator of the Life and Tori assessment. This episode will dive deep into the essence of the impact of this groundbreaking tool, which has been transforming lives in all domains, from personal well-being to professional growth. Join us as we explore, with Maurice's expert guidance, how to effectively utilize the Life and Tori assessment to elevate every aspect of your life. You're about to discover insights and strategies that are not only educational but truly life-changing. Don't forget to subscribe and share this episode with anyone on a self-improvement journey. Let's begin this transformative experience together, right here on the 2% Solution Podcast. That is a perfect question, the way that you said it.

Dai Manuel: 1:02

The wheel like why re-create the wheel? The wheel of life is not something new. It's been around for a very long time, even back, if you look at indigenous cultures. Right, we've gotten the four quadrants Then, as we advanced and evolved in life and had more things to take care of the wheel of life, which is typically represented by relationships, finances, health. There's usually about seven categories in what I would call the more evolved wheel of life that many people I think in personal development would be familiar with. Why reinvent it? Why go deeper? Why have 13 categories? Really great questions. For me it was around completeness. This has been a journey of 20 years of self-reflection in personal development. Every time my wife and I would go and look during our retreat, look at our lives, it'd be like what are all the facets that we are managing, that we're thinking about? If there was a facet that wasn't quite complete in that initial wheel and it felt still important enough to stand on its own so not quite complete and important enough to stand on its own then we would bring it to the forefront. We'd say, okay, that's another category. Part of the why is the power of focus. One of the books in my earliest influence the power of focus we are living in.

Dai Manuel: 2:31

I think most of us have privilege. It's truly a privilege of living an abundant life. An abundant life begins. It's not only those seven categories, but most of us are dealing with a lot more different than seven roles where we're thinking about our spirituality, perhaps we're thinking about our extended family. We're thinking about our mental and emotional health now our physical health, all these different categories of life and the abundance that we're living. What happens in that abundance is we get quickly overwhelmed. It's an over shock to the system, to the brain, and we're just like whoa, I don't know what to do or what to think about. So we just slow down. And we slow down and say, okay, let's take a bird's eye view of all the roles, and for me, 13 is what felt most complete.

Dai Manuel: 3:32

Someone could be going through a life review. They could add more, they could just ignore some of them. It doesn't really matter. But it's about slowing down and getting that bird's eye view of, okay, what are all the roles that you're actually playing.

Dai Manuel: 3:47

And then the power of focus is looking at each one of those roles and asking these questions, and not just asking the one question how happy do I feel right now? That's a great question and it's, in the assessment, fantastic question, and it's not nearly deep enough. It's like how happy are you? Great, but what else is going on? What's going on under the surface of that happiness or lack of happiness? And that's where these other four elements come in. So why? Well, we were going through it. It wasn't. It was never enough for us to know if we were happy or not. Generally speaking, you already know that the real power comes in asking that question and then boldly moving towards it to say why, and that's where it's and what else is happening underneath the surface.

Dai Manuel: 4:41

So for every one of these life categories, we ask five essential questions. We call them the well-being measures, and it's are you happy? And then each one of these are on a scale and then it's oh great, let's check in on how capable you feel in this category of your life. Do you feel totally capable or totally incapable? Whatever the answer is always with extreme care and compassion. This isn't a point to go in and have harsh judgment into how you're living. It's a point to go in like an explorer, with like extreme about keeping amounts of love, because this is what's really needed to say okay, how capable do I really feel about creating the love relationship that I want, about creating the financial, and then you rate that. So that's one of the other categories.

Dai Manuel: 5:30

The third one is what's your time alignment? We all have one infinite or no, not infinite source of time. That's right. I wish the other. We all trade it right, we're trading it. How do you feel? Is that the right amount of time for you when you're going through your day, for your life, for your age and stage, without judgment. Is that right for you? You take that self-analysis. So that's time alignment.

Dai Manuel: 6:00

Next is presence. Presence is a really nice gauge. It's like when you're doing the thing, are you in it? And with the beautiful distractions of technology and everything else around us, it can be really easy not to be in the thing that we're doing. Right, we're constantly getting pulled. So just check in. How present are you in all those categories when you're in it, are you in it?

Dai Manuel: 6:27

And then one of my favorite questions at the end this is usually missed in most assessments and so important it asks the user to check in with their body. The body scans are just, oh my gosh, what a great way to become extremely present for the moment. Right, yes, and the body has such inherent wisdom and we usually find the blind spots. We find a lot with this question. And the question says check in with your body with each one of these categories. Bring this category to your mind and then check in with your body and do you feel positive and lift it to somatic scale? Lift right, or do you feel negative and heavy? And you automatically know. If you feel heavy, it hits you right, you know it Totally. Oh my gosh it's funny that I'm just going to interject here.

Dai Manuel: 7:25

That term is a term that, like even in my men's group, we often use that in our what's at feed. Right, if you're experiencing this moment of, just the best way to describe it is just heavy. You just feel way down, you feel like Atlas shrugging, trying to hold that world up on our shoulders right, totally, and it doesn't feel like there's a lot of reprieve and the lower back starts to hurt. Hey, can somebody help me lift this please? And that's sort of how we look at it amongst this sort of brotherhood or this mentorship community is really, how do we invite support? Because, hey, as men, I'll be the first to own this. It's asking for help's never been one of my strong suits. I'm working on it, but it's not one of my strong suits and, as such, having a way to describe those moments when we feel overwhelmed or under pressure or heavy, it's nice to know that can be related and other people can instantly get it and empathize and then support.

Dai Manuel: 8:17

So I appreciate that your tool emphasizes that, because I find that is something that obviously a lot of the other tools which are. They're great for what they are. They're just out of date with how we've evolved as a species and especially, just that global consciousness now is much more aware of these conversations and these aspects that make us up right. Anyways, thank you. Thank you for having that. Keep going. Keep going, more of these great stuff.

Dai Manuel: 8:40

No, I'm so glad you were you interjected with that segue, because one of the important parts about this tool I created it for our own use, so that the community was going on inside. We could make it present, conscious. Then we had planned for it, set goals around it, create a beautiful, fulfilling life that was in alignment with our values. So to bring this out to the world and I love that you shared the men's group, because men particularly, but I think society honestly, even as a greater whole we're not particularly taught, particularly as soon as we get, we start to get on taught how to properly express our emotions, so we're not taught to express what's really going on and this tool guides that. So, particularly for the guys, when you're done, you get this life map that shows exactly how you're living and it's got some guidance there to help you resonate with how to express it and then when you could bring that, oh, yeah, yeah, when you bring that I'm playing the guidance piece, but just we'll come back to that. But just I'd love to talk on that, like, how do you actually take what you learn and then start to make some shifts with it, right, because I think that's the one thing I see.

Dai Manuel: 9:58

So many people do wheels of life and other assessments and then we get like this score, this rating, or an idea of where we're at, but then it's okay, well, now, I was like what? Now? This is great, but what does it mean? Yeah, thank you, please keep going. Yeah, no, perfect, because the and that that does differentiate this tool and assessment from others is that this isn't. I don't know, maxim is still a magazine, but you know, I'm not sure I remember that I was in my 20s man, I remember that magazine. It's no one medicine magazine assessment.

Dai Manuel: 10:30

Or you go and it takes you five minutes to go and you get this response Right and then it goes away, like this tool is really for the person that's ready to look like they're, they're committed in it's like takes about 15 minutes to answer the questions Right and today's attention span so automatically, so like the listeners that that might be listening to this automatically. That might eliminate a whole ton of them. Because 15 minutes, where do I have that? But man, 15 minutes is still less than 2%. Sure, that's the 2% of your day. You're right, man, it's 1%, that's even better. And then the other 15 minutes, really, looking at the results, it's best when you have a coach, because your coach can really kind of on, on, on, pack them, but if you're committed to go in and look and read the guidance that is there.

Dai Manuel: 11:30

So in each life category, basically, they show up as bubbles on a life map and the bubbles will will fall into quadrants based on their level of fulfillment and priority. A lot of technical jargon to say they can click on something in their life that they have a click and interest in, they know they want to examine more deeply. They click on that bubble and, boom, the. This beautiful graphic comes up. It shows how they answered questions, the questions on all the well being measures. Then it's got self directed coaching notes based on how they answered it.

Dai Manuel: 12:08

Okay, this might be happening for you. Does it feel like this? Here's some activation considerations. So if somebody did nothing else but Took a notepad and a journal offered themselves first of all heard me. First of all, care and compassion, yes, said okay, I'm gonna look at this, Not with harsh judgment, I'm gonna be honest. And then they went there the results. I read the guidance and just resonated. But what resonates with me? What actions could I take? What could I learn? That's taking awareness to moving it to activation Love it. How did you and your wife then so obviously I this has been developed for the last couple decades and to where it is now, which is a beautiful platform and tool that's readily accessible to pretty much anybody and everybody.

Dai Manuel: 13:00

I love the fact that you and I connected on LinkedIn because I'm always looking for unique tools to better allow me to support my clients and my communities, and when I saw this and you gave me the walkthrough, I was like, oh my gosh, Not only do I want to help people with this tool, I want to do it, man. I'm like personally. I want to do it for my own clarity and confidence in what I'm. What doesn't it next year look like for me, especially as I'm spending now as we get closer to the end of the year 2024 is in sights, and I love doing these types of things, usually to end a year but also to start a new year, because I find it so Beneficial as far as setting up my expectations for myself and being realistic with what's actually possible or not. And and also, I'm a big believer, what's the weakest link?

Dai Manuel: 13:43

If there's 13 points of assessment here, well, which was my worst? Or my two worst? How could I improve those two? Because we always like to do the stuff that we're good at. That's the thing. Like being a Coach and a trainer for almost 30 years. I've never got a problem when clients see movements that they like to do. Oh, we got bench press today, yeah, and the kids get all excited. I'm like, all right, well, that's fine, but you know, we really got to do some pull-ups to. And I go pull ups. I don't like them, I'm not very good at them, and so we always like to do the things that we feel good at, right, and but yet we avoid the stuff that we don't feel good at. And then we wonder why don't I get better in those areas, right, and we we feel frustrated around that. So I really appreciate this and I was wondering maybe you could share with your own personal story when you started taking this assessment?

Dai Manuel: 14:28

How did you Implement to begin with? Let's just talk about story of the first 12 weeks after you learn this information. What was like? Because I know this is a tool that you use and reuse regularly, which makes total sense, because our lives change, we change, so our assessment scores and results will change. But you know specifically for you when you really started to leverage this in your own life, what were some of the changes.

Dai Manuel: 14:48

You know is right away yeah, so that the how, yes, yes, awareness to activation and we like. So when I say we and it's the context of my wife and I do our retreats together, yes, yes, you don't have to have a partner, you could have a partner. But so when I say we, that's the context, stop the royal we yeah, I know, I get it, yeah, I totally get it. So we always had a blind for activation. This wasn't like a curious journey that we're gonna go look at things and so our activation commitments and it helps to have an accountability partners to whether it's a coach or ice life partner or whatever.

Dai Manuel: 15:29

So when we go through, we actually had our categories, yeah, list it out. And then questions like what is your ideal vision for this category in this year. What are your commitments? Based on what you know, and and so we would do that with all in one to the year, we look at all 13 categories and then typically based on, like you mentioned, find the weak spot. Yeah, especially now that we've been doing it for so long, we could have really kind of end up key either one or two areas of focus where we say, hey, that's like I'm really focused on this right now in my life. Again, that focus brings momentum. So what am I focused on and what are, what's my vision? And then what are my commitments? And then another major part is what supports do I need? We actually have a question for each other that as we go through and share it's how can I support you in this? And it's like that dialogue happens.

Dai Manuel: 16:30

So there's kind of a there's. There's Like actually a conscious and a deliberate commitment, the person to themselves and what they want to do, and it's out in the open to that other person. So they know like they're gonna, they're gonna be on the trail with them, watches, wetnessing, supporting. So that's kind of that's the structure of it. And within that structure, if I think of like some of the most dramatic and grateful benefits to our life is, hey, when things it's just like doing your favorite exercise, when things are good, things are fine. Yeah, it's not. It's when you get overwhelmed, it's when you meet failure, it's when you meet challenge, when those things hit. We would have we had this framework. You mean like in real life hits, maurice. Yeah, I Was like just thinking, I was like you know, you mean like when life happens, oh, I get it. Fuck, murphy's law, right of life. It's just you think it might not happen. Well, chances it will like it. Just, that's life. And he can't expect life to not have the unexpected, and so I can appreciate that, and so I I'd like to hear more. Just, real good.

Dai Manuel: 17:44

This is brief because you, I know that a lot of people are wondering right now, because we're talking a lot about what it is and why it became and also how to implement. I think what's going to be great is this is the first half of this podcast and the second half. Everybody, you get that when I, maurice and I are going to reconnect and record the second half, and so when you're hearing this, it's segue and you get to hear it all in one episode, but this is recorded over a series of a week because I'm doing the assessment and then Maurice is going to take me through it, so you can actually see how this is done, utilized, but then implemented. Yes, and I think it's the implementation part, maurice, where most of us fall short. Like we love all these assessments. People like to know, but it's once, now, what are you going to do about it? And that is usually the issue, because it's very intimidating, right, the amount of choices we have and things that we can start doing, and I guess you, as someone that's really leveraged this tool and helped so many people, also utilize this.

Dai Manuel: 18:39

What is the best strategy for then implementing? Like to start doing something intentionally with the information that you get, because I think that is like the piece that I know my audiences and I struggle with too. I mean, I have the best of intentions. I go to a weekend conference and I'm like well, rob, this is awesome, take all these notes. And then I get home on Monday and I'm like now what I see this being very much, probably the same sort of situation that most of us deal with. So I'm going to turn it over to you and just walk us through this, because I know this will be another conversation we have after you have given me my assessment. You bet I wish it was one answer. That would be so cool. And the reality is, and it's actually one of the gifts of the tool is this the strategy is going to depend on the individual and what they're working on and part of what. So when we go through it, we'll be able to demonstrate this live.

Dai Manuel: 19:30

So, first of all, let's say it's a life category, pick a life category. I should say finances right now? Sure, right. And so, first of all, like clarity, are you clear on what you want? Right, so I used to be, I used to be. If you're asking me right now, is that rhetorical? Well, yeah, go ahead. Problem where? Yeah.

Dai Manuel: 19:55

So, if there's clarity, let's assume yeah, this is what I want, okay, well, are we clear on why you're not there already? And sometimes it's well a matter of it might be timing and patience and mindset oh, you're not there, you're not there yet and that's okay, but look where you were and look at where you are and look where you're going. Powerful, right. So clarity, thank you. Then, do you have a plan? Do you have a plan to get to where you're going, do you know your next step? Just your next step. And if that yes, no, okay, then that goes into a different right. That's a different strategy. And then there's the emotional kind of mindset, one which is often found in the actual emotional activation question. But it's okay.

Dai Manuel: 20:37

So how are you thinking and feeling about your finances right now? And then there's some words there that help people. But if you're like, well, I'm devastated, I just feel hopeless, I'm never going to get there, okay, well, do you think that's the fuel that's going to get you there? If you wake up every day feeling hopeless or devastated, or feeling like you don't have what others have or what you deserve, that's not the energy that's going to get you there faster. So let's talk about that, right? So that's more of a coaching, therapeutic discussion. Okay, well, why do you feel that way? Where did that feeling first begin? What are those ideas based off of? You get that like really rich conversation going and within a session that might just get changed where it's like no, this is the way I'm thinking about it. And now you put in like better fuel and all of a sudden you feel better about it because you're like, oh, this is where I am.

Dai Manuel: 21:34

So the strategy depends and I look at the wellbeing measures and that kind of ask a couple of questions or working with somebody. So the strategy depends on where you're at and what's preventing you from living that fulfilled life or that outcome that isn't there right now. So if I were to break it down into one thing, if I had to, it's at the end of the day, it's commitment, yeah, and frequency and consistency as a two key metrics or concepts. Like I just think about people that want to make health changes. I mean, without frequency and consistency, it's going to be a long journey. Like it's a lot of start, stop, continue and it can be very demoralizing, right, yes, Like when we start to question like, oh, I've been doing this for three months, I don't see any results as well, in three months, how much time do you think you've really put yourself under tension?

Dai Manuel: 22:30

And what I mean by that is in a moment to make yourself uncomfortable. Like fitness is not something most people sign up for. Oh, I love fitness, I love working hours. I just hopefully people get to a place where they start to enjoy it, but often it's a chore right To get going. It's that mind over matter situation Like I need this. It's good for me. I know all of you about it after I've done it and sure enough we do and that becomes sort of a self-fulfilling prophecy. However, it is very subjective at times too, and I like how your when we go through this for myself.

Dai Manuel: 23:01

I think it's going to be really useful for everybody listening and watching this right now, because it's an example of how do we actually take what we learn with the clarity. But then how do we confidently go forward with it, and I do know that's the big part that all of us struggle with, all of us. I don't know anybody that's immune to this. There comes stages in our lives where we're dealing with a lot of pressures. We might feel like things are heavy and taking action just seems what some molehill feels, like Everest. I can't even imagine going to base camp right now. I'm just too exhausted and I think people get the point.

Dai Manuel: 23:34

But what are your thoughts on, just not so much the implementation now, but specifically this consistency and frequency place? What's your words of advice for people that wants to get this information? How do they find that, like it's, not everybody is going to have a coach or a mentor, because I also recognize you sort of have to pay to play with those kind of relationships, which is very every coach and mentor I've had in my life. There's been some sort of financial commitment, because people pay attention to what they pay for. They just do and I value their time and their energy and of course I have no problem paying for them. But you get out of it what you put into it and I know that your tool because it's how much is it to do the test again, the assessment the assessment is 97 bucks to do the yeah, awesome, yeah, that's such a great deal 100 bucks and you get this clarity. But then it's okay, well, now what? And so what's your sort of thoughts on that for those that maybe don't have access to coaches or mentors at this point in time in the life, yet they get the assessment done. What's sort of the guidance for them? So glad you asked that.

Dai Manuel: 24:36

I was like you can never break anything down to one thing and I said commitment and commends the external thing, it's the thing that of course, just do the things, and there's the other side. It's like why don't we do the things that are best for us? Why do we all kind of fall into those deep walls. And what do we need? If we had one tool, whether it was and actually I think it's we end up paying coaches for it, therapists for it, if they're coming from the places that I hope they are.

Dai Manuel: 25:06

The thing that we need it's compassion. I want to use a C word, so it goes with commitment and compassion, but really at the base of compassion is love. What does that mean? That's fluffy. At the end of everything, self-love is the most powerful thing. When we're working with coaches, we're working with therapists people that are whether it's a fitness coach what are they doing? When they're carrying you on, they're believing in you with confidence and they're loving you.

Dai Manuel: 25:37

So when we approach our self-development, our forgiveness, our moving through challenges with a lens of, hey, this happened or this is where I'm at and I love it, yes, please, thank you more. It's a mantra I love. Yes, please, thank you more. Wherever I am right now, I love it, I love me, and that's where it can. That fear and that judgment is where it's usually like we get caught in it. So it's huh, just love on yourself.

Dai Manuel: 26:11

If you're going through that on your own, if you're reading the results of anything. If you're looking at any part of your life, yeah, look at it with discernment. And then when you go to kind of look at the what's going on and why, do that through the lens of self-compassion, radical self-compassion and if you get stuck there, then go get support. If you don't have the funds for a coach, you have people in your life that love you, whether or not you are in a position to receive it or see it right. That's another like the first thing and opening up is to, you know, sometimes asking being okay to be vulnerable, being okay to go to someone and then, deep down, they got your back, because everyone deserves that type of support. We all need it from time to time. We really do.

Dai Manuel: 27:02

And I think, just to add to what you're saying, is there's also wonderful access to free communities out there and coming to it. But I always do remind, as a little caveat to this, is just joining a community isn't enough. Yeah, you got to find a community that you feel like you belong to, because that sense of belonging is so critical, so critical, at least to keep us showing up and to get that unconditional, positive support that we're all looking for. But it's also nice to see other people that might be a few steps ahead of us on the journey, as well as be able to support those that might be a few steps behind us. Perhaps it gets us reengaged and re-envigorated as well as reminds us of how far we've come to and, like I, even have my 2% collective community is just to plug that Once again a free community that leverages a lot of these conversations and information, tools and resources and just provides them that access, along with the accountability and that group support.

Dai Manuel: 27:56

Just wasn't trying to guide you down that path, but I just thought you better interject with that question or statement, because I know that sort of is that next piece for those that are motivated but maybe just unsure of how do I do this? Because I'm all by myself, no one gets me Because I also know there's a lot of people that have family. I hear this all the time. What if the people around me aren't very supportive? I'm like, oh really, well, why don't you find new friends? Well, it's not friends, it's family, it's okay. Well, fair enough, it's find that community, all right.

Dai Manuel: 28:24

So, maurice, so this is wonderful. We've got this great foundation around the why, the how, the what. Who's doing it. I'm going to be doing it and obviously the when is before we go into the second half of this podcast. So for those of you who are listening and watching, this is awesome because now you've learned all about this assessment and specifically gotten some really cool, useful strategies which are very applicable whether you do the assessment or not. But this next half stay tuned because we're going to dive in. Maurice is going to help me understand my responses, my assessment, but also specifically help me identify what are some of the instant actions I can start to do to move the needle forward in those two or three areas that I want to see big changes in next year.

Dai Manuel: 29:09

And that wraps up our insightful episode of the 2% Solution Podcast where we've come into the power, the like and mentory assessment. But the journey doesn't end here. You absolutely cannot miss part two, where I'll be reviewing my own life in the mentoring assessment with this creator, maurice. This episode promises to be a real eye opener, as we'll get firsthand look at how these principles are applied in real life, offering an unparalleled opportunity to learn and grow. Maurice's insights and expertise make this a must listen episode, as it will provide practical, real world applications of the concepts we've discussed. So ensure you're subscribed to the 2% Solution Podcast to catch this next episode. Share this journey with friends and loved ones and let's continue to grow together. Remember you're not smiling and thridering, at least every day? Well, there's a rough round of improvement. So until next time, keep striving for that 2% improvement and see you in the next episode of Maurice.