Four Levels of Being Model – Framework for Empowerment

by Benay | May 1, 2012 | Coaching Skills |

What is the Four Levels of Being Model?

The Four Levels of Being Model is a framework that helps you objectively understand and visualize the current level you are living at AND to identify what changes, if any, you need to make to take yourself to the next and even better level of you.

It’s one of those amazing tools that, over time, helps you empower yourself from within (as opposed to relying on external forces to keep you motivated and on track) and to gauge how much you need to push yourself to be happy.

Activities + Feelings = Level of Being

The Four Levels

Below, you will find a detailed description of each level. While you are reading, have a think about which level you are at right now.

Level 1

Level 1 happens when you are settled into a nice comfortable rhythm. You are in tune, feeling good and cruising through life. The symbol used for Level 1 is a straight horizontal line, like a plateau.

The majority of things you are doing…

• Feel good

• Are good for you

• Are good for the greater good (i.e. others, society, the planet)

Generally speaking, doing any activity that you enjoy and gets you pumped qualifies as a level 1 activity. Some common examples of Level 1 activities are doing exercise that you consider to be fun, eating healthy food that you like, catching up with a good friend who inspires you, etc.

Check that you understand Level 1 by answering these questions to yourself:

1. What Level 1 activities can you think of?

2. When in your life have you been at Level 1? What were you doing and how did you feel?

Level 2

Level 2 happens when you are growing. That is why the symbol for Level 2 is a diagonal line tilted up on the right side – representing moving upwards.

Level 2 is the result of having taken action toward something you want to achieve and because of that have opened up a Pandora’s box of obstacles and problems that you didn’t expect. You may feel pain, stress, self-doubt, fear or all of the above!

The essential point to take home and remember about Level 2 is that it hurts because you are going to new heights. You are like the oyster who feels bad but doesn’t know why until his friend tells him, “It’s because you are growing a pearl inside!”

If you are currently experiencing Level 2, the best thing you can do is continue to be brave and persevere. You will eventually overcome the hard (or as I prefer to say, “new”) things you are dealing with now.

When you are through to the other side you will be a better more complete person who is even closer to your dreams than ever.

Also, some Level 2’s that you are experiencing now may eventually become Level 1’s. For example, when I started my first blog, I dreaded writing articles (Level 2) but now I get excited when it’s a writing day (Level 1)!

At Level 2 the majority of things you are doing…

• Do NOT feel good but,

• Are good for you and

• Are good for the greater good

Generally speaking, doing any activity that you don’t like doing but that gets you closer to your vision of where you want to be qualifies as a Level 2 activity.

You can experience Level 2 for any number of reasons but some of the common situations I’ve witnessed include: starting your first business, finishing a PhD, starting a new relationship or marriage, having your first child, moving or selling your house, public speaking, sales, using new technology, etc.

Check that you understand Level 2 by answering these questions to yourself:

1. What Level 2 activities can you think of?

2. When in your life have you been at Level 2? What were you doing and how did you feel?

Level 3

Level 3 happens when you are going downhill. A diagonal line with the right side pointing down is the apt symbol for Level 3.  You feel good but you probably know that, deep down, something is wrong. When you are at Level 3 it is highly likely that you are living in denial by avoiding taking responsibility for your own well being.

The majority of things you are doing…

• Feel good but,

• Are NOT good for you and

• Are NOT good for the greater good

Generally speaking, doing any activity that you like doing but that gets you further away from your vision of where you want to be qualifies as a Level 3 activity. Some common examples of Level 3 activities are procrastinating on the important things, making excuses, blaming others for your results and temper tantrums, to name a few.

Check that you understand Level 3 by answering these questions to yourself:

1. What Level 3 activities can you think of?

2. When in your life have you been at Level 3? What were you doing and how did you feel?

Level 4

Level 4 happens when you have totally lost the plot and feel like crap most of the time. The symbol for Level 4 is a perpendicular line – heading straight down. Unlike Level 3, you are not even trying to cover-up your misery. You are totally stuck and unhappy. I hope for your sake that you are not at Level 4 but if this is where you are, you can change if you choose to (see part 2, Some Distinctions).

At Level 4 the majority of things you are doing…

• Do NOT feel good and,

• Are NOT good for you and

• Are NOT good for the greater good

Generally speaking, doing any activity that you do not like doing AND that gets you further away from your vision of where you want to be qualifies as a Level 4 activity. Some common, extreme examples of Level 4 activities are depression, substance abuse, and blind violence.

Check that you understand Level 4 by answering these questions to yourself:

1. Have you or anyone you know experienced Level Four? What activities were being undertaken at the time?

See A Life Story

In this section, I’ve attempted to illustrate 2 different life stories just by using the Four Levels of Being.

Story 1

1. Level 1 - Life is good. Doing things that feel good and are good for you. See the world as full of possibility and opportunity.

2. Level 3 - Let things go a bit. Doing what feels good but is not good for you.

3. Level 1 - Life is good again but not quite as good as in the past. Doing things that feel good and are good for you.

4. Level 3 - Let things go again. Doing what feels good but is not good for you. This lasts a long time and takes its toll on your progress toward your dreams.

5. Level 4 - Hit rock bottom.

6. Level 1 - Pick up the pieces and stabilize.

7. Level 2 - Things get a bit tough. You’re doing things that are good for you but they are new and feel hard.

8. Level 1 - You get through the learning curve (from Level 2) and stabilize for a while enjoying your new level.

9. Level 2 - You’ve decided it’s time to up the anti so you take on a new growth opportunity, which exposes you to new challenges.

 Story 2

1. Level 1 - Life is good. Doing things that feel good and are good for you. See the world as full of possibility and opportunity.

2. Level 2 - You’ve decided it time to up the anti so you take on a new growth opportunity, which exposes you to new challenges.

3. Level 1 - Repeat # 1

4. Level 2 - Repeat #2

5. Level 1 - Repeat # 1

6. Level 2 - Repeat #2

Which level are you?

Which level are you at right now? Are you where you want to be?
How can you use the model in your coaching?

Some Distinctions

It’s worth pointing out a few important distinctions that you‘ll need to understand before you can fully use the model for your own personal development. In this article, I cover off 8 important ideas that you need to know to master the Four Levels of Being Model no matter how busy you are and no matter what you are doing.

Tip 1: More on the Greater Good

When I teach the Four Levels of Being Model to my coaching clients, I usually get questioned about the “good for the greater good” concept. The question is usually something like this, “How can it be good for the greater good if I <insert any activity here>?”  It is an excellent question and well worth asking.

Every day you make impressions and share your energy with everyone you come into contact with. They in turn are influenced by you and then have an impact on everyone within their sphere. By doing what is good for you, you will influence others to do the same even if it’s in some little way. Therefore, by doing something good for you, you are able to contribute to the greater good of your family and community.

A simple example of this is to think about the last time a stranger smiled warmly and genuinely at you for no reason. It makes you feel good and you may pass that feeling on to the next person you interact with.

Tip 2: Different Levels in Different Parts of Your Life

You can experience different levels in different parts of your life simultaneously.
There are 8 main life areas that I like to cover.

Here is a realistic example:

• Love Life – Level 1 – nice stable relationship

• Personal/Spiritual Development – Level 2 – you just started learning a new language and you are frustrated

• Physical Environment – Level 2 – you are moving house

• Career/Business – Level 2 – learning some new challenging skills at work

• Finances and Wealth – Level 3 – spending all you earn no assets, mounting dept

• Friends and Family – Level 3 – you have an unresolved conflict with an important family member

• Fun, Recreation and Entertainment – Level 1 – doing what you enjoy and is good for you

• Health and Fitness – Level 1 – happy with where you are, you are maintaining the status quo

It is important to take stock of where you are in each of the 8 main life areas and readjust if you need to. Just imagine if you were at a Level 2 in all 8 main life areas at the same time! You’d be growing heaps but you probably feel terrible and like you need a break before you collapse of stress and exhaustion.

Tip 3: You Can Change Your Level at Any Time

The main reason I love this model is that it help put you back in the driver’s seat. Once you identify which level you are at, you can change your level if you choose to. Here is what you need to get to each level.

Get to Level 1 - Do something that feels good, is good for you, is good for greater good

Get to Level 2 - Do something that doesn’t feel good but will move you forward by doing it

Get to Level 3 - Do something that feels good short term but harms you in some way and ultimately moves you away from your dreams

Get to Level 4 - Do something that feels terrible, harms you and ultimately moves you away from your dreams

Tip 4: If You Want Success, Expect Some Pain

If you want to continue on an upward trajectory then there are some cycles that you need to get use to.  The ideal path is to toggle between level 1’s and level 2’s at a rate that works for you until you die. The true path to mastery is always learning, always growing to the end.

Tip 5: The More Level 2’s You Do the Easier They Become

In the beginning of your life Level 2’s usually hurt lots because you don’t have enough practice at how to handle yourself in tough situations (which is what a Level 2 is). As you live longer and push through more and more level 2’s you get better and better at handling them because you’re better at handling and understanding yourself.

Eventually you start looking at Level 2’s as opportunities and challenges that are something that you plan for and look forward to!

This is because you know, from experience, that the pain or rather, inconvenience they will cause will be worth it. You know that Level 2’s mean you are achieving something important and meaningful to you. This makes you a more complete person than you were before and means you will be able to see new possibilities that couldn’t have existed to you before.

Tip 6: Coping Mechanisms

I feel that I’ve got to the stage where I plan for and look forward to my next Level 2’s but it wasn’t always like this – Level 2’s use to kick my butt and spirit! I use to suffer through them.

In those days, I knew that Level 2’s were good and needed to be pushed though so I adopted a few catch phrases to get me through.

I thought I’d share some of them with you, just in case they can help you too!

•  “It’s not hard, it’s just new”

• “There’s no failure only feedback”

• “Challenges mean I’m growing”

• “I’m on the path to Mastery”

Another powerful technique is to learn to manage your negative self-talk. I’ve written a whole article on this here.

Tip 7: Discover What You Really Need to Be Happy

Vision statements are an essential part of the personal development process.

For the Four Levels of Being to fully work its magic, you need to have a good idea of what you want in your life to be happy and fulfilled. The 4-Levels of Being is simply a framework which helps you to understand if you are on track to reach your ideal vision and helps you identify what you need to change to get back on track.

If you are a goal orientated person but you only have a vague idea of your vision in your head, its probably time for you to sit down and do some written personal development planning. At a minimum I would recommend writing some vision statements and if your up for it developing a complete personal development plan.

I’ve happily shared my complete personal development planning approach with you here.

Tip 8: Get Started

A perfect time to use the Four Levels of Being Model is when you are feeling unsure, scared or overwhelmed in your life. It helps you run a reality check to make sure you are on the right track, assists you to readjust if you need to and gain a renewed sense of courage and inspiration to keep going.

Start by answering these questions:

• What level am I at now?

• What level do I want to be at?

• What new activities do I need to do to get to the level I want to be at?

You Can Empower Yourself From Within!

If you use this model regularly to monitor your personal development it means you are continually reminding yourself of the control you can possess over your life if you choose to embrace the responsibility.

With enough practice, your ability to empower yourself from within eventually starts to become more natural which means that you can better control your emotional state and ultimately your happiness.

Good luck using the model!

I look forward to hearing how you go.