The Peak Experiences Triangle
This free tool could help you change your life for the better.
My Peak Experiences Triangle (or PET) is a great tool for helping you work out whether you’re doing enough of what really satisfies you in your life, or work, so you can take action if you're not.
It is as indispensable to individuals as it is to teams. Even if you think you're satisfied with your life or work complete one to check. You may be surprised by what it reveals.​
​How to use it
Watch the video or pop us your email to be sent a copy (the instructions are on the back). Otherwise here's how to use it:
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You (or your team) plot all the activities, tasks, (etc) that you currently do, or have been doing over the past couple of weeks on the triangle, and estimate how much time they take up. The resulting distribution enables you to compare the amount of time you spend doing activities which engage and satisfy you with those that disengage and dissatisfy you.
Use the vertical 'Engagement' axis to rate activities you find engaging and the horizontal 'Purpose / Calling' axis to rate them for how meaningful or aligned to your purpose they are (going with how strong you are at them if it's easier or if you're not sure of your purpose). This gives you their placement on the triangle. If you want to rate work activities on the same triangle as non-work (home and leisure) simply draw a vertical line straight down the middle (at 5) dividing the triangle in two and rate your respective activities either side. It works just the same.
Your best activities (scoring 5 - 10 on the Engagement axis) will give you ‘FLENERGY’ - Flow, Engagement and Energy, the path to a satisfied life. But the VERY best - those also aligned to your calling - will cluster around the peak of the triangle; they are your peak experiences! Less engaging activities will fall towards the bottom of the triangle eg from 1 - 5 on the Engagement axis, and those you're weakest at or least align with your purpose will sit around the bottom corners of the triangle (using the space either side, left or right, it doesn't matter). Having finished plotting all your activities you then estimate how much time you've spent on them either in brackets beside them or on the right hand side.
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The final step is to compare the distribution of activities you’ve plotted, and the amount of time you’re spending on high versus low engagement activities and reflect on the result. Spending too much time on activities in the bottom half of the triangle and especially towards the base corners compared to activities in the top half, and ideally around the peak likely indicate you're not getting as much satisfaction from life or work as you could. This is a prompt to take action (and consult a life coach - hint! :). Conversely, the results may reinforce to you that you are doing enough of what gives you ‘FLENERGY’ and your balance of high to low engagement activities is about right (life will always involve some low engagement activities after all). Good for you if that’s the case!
Curious to find out how your life and work stack up? Pop your email in the pop up box and we'll send you a PDF. To get the pop up again simply reload the website or page, it will reappear after 8 seconds. Alternatively use the contact form below.