The following is from The Power to Change Your Life by Kathryn Jason and J. McMahon published by Doubleday Co.

On a scale of 5 to 1 (5= very often; 4= often; 3=sometimes; 4= seldom; 1= hardly ever) rate your answers to the questions below. Although the total score for each tendency is not an exact measure of that tendency, nevertheless, a high score between 20 and 25 on an irrational tendency and a low score below 10 on one of the rational or supra-rational tendencies may give you pause to examine them more closely. Read More Assessing the strength of our tendencies.

By paying attention to our self-talk to label our tendencies we can discover what mental zone we are in. The following diagram symbolizes the compass of my life:

In the creative zone we experience the tension between our supra-rational tendencies (eagle mentality) and rational tendencies (beaver mentality). In the survival zone our rational tendencies are fighting off our irrational tendencies (dodo mentality). In the conversion zone, usually a temporary state, our supra-rational tendencies rescue us from the self-destructiveness of our irrational tendencies. Read more Reflecting on the three zones of living

The following are some ideals with a short list of corresponding practical ideas.

Excellence: Planning; practicing; rehearsing; researching; realistically assessing abilities; concentration on the ideal; attentiveness to detail; foreseeing consequences; detachment from rewards; perseverance

Respect: Listening with eyes, ears and heart; express gratitude in word and action; speaking politely; recognizing and acknowledging the ideals and intentions of the other person Read more Connecting our ideals to practical concepts

…when we are trying to find out what is most important to us.

In our search for personal wholeness we become aware of the different kinds of thinking that guide our judgments and decisions. The following exercise will help you to identify three different ways of thinking that we usually use simultaneously when working out a problem. However, one way generally highlights what is most important to us.

The following questionnaire is an exercise that will help you become aware of the types of thinking we do about personal and social issues.