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Home › Entertainment

Entertainment | 09/28/2009 6:00 am

Take Marcus Buckingham's Strong Life Test and Determine Your Happiness Quotient

Are women sadder and more stressed than ever? Here’s how to find the life role you were born to play …

Marcus Buckingham

Maureen Dowd’s Sunday New York Times column talks about Marcus Buckingham’s new book and the dreary point it illustrates: As women get older, they get sadder (whereas men get happier as they age). Is this true? Marcus — who, incidentally, offers the antidote in his book — found several highly credible and large studies that arrived at the same conclusion! As expected, Find Your Strongest Life: What the Happiest and Most Successful Women Do Differently has already ignited a national discussion — and Marcus has invited the wise and witty women at wowOwow to join the conversation.

2009_0923_fysl_largethumb.jpgMarcus will be visiting the website in the next couple of weeks to talk about the controversial studies he mentions in his book — as well as share tips on how to achieve a happy, fulfilled life. To kick this off, we’re encouraging all wOwers (even the most content) to take Marcus’s Strong Life Test here, which is the first time it has been offered online. At the end of the test, it’ll identify your Lead Role — which serves as a compass to guide you toward life’s difficult decisions.

Click "Start" to take the test here:

 

After you take the test, tell us: What was the role you were born to play? Are you acting on it?

 

Read more about: Advice, Books, Find Your Strongest Life, Life, Marcus Buckingham, Quiz

113 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

Chrome Toe
so Becca…where did you find the start button? i can’t find it either..
By Chrome Toe on 09/27/2009 9:23 am
Community Manager
On the tall rectangular graphic there is a "start" button toward the bottom.  Click on it and the survey will appear in the rectangle.  If you have problems getting it to start, please use the Contact Us form at the bottom of the page and be sure to tell us what browser and version you are using.
By Community Manager on 09/28/2009 8:08 am
Becky Collins
My primary role was Teacher and I am in my 26th year of teaching in an elementary school. My secondary role was Advisor. Neither one of these surprised me because I am comfortable in both of these roles. I would like to read the book to see how these roles may increase my feelings of happiness. Last year I went through a heart-wrenching divorce, triggered by my husband’s mental illness. I am ready to feel happier.
By Becky Collins on 09/27/2009 12:16 pm
S A

After having read every post here, including my own….. How come not one respondant has reported that her primary role was Whiner and Lay-About-Freeloader? How is that everyone has come up with ‘glory roles’?

Does this not strike anyone except C Jay and myself that this is so much lawn fertilizer for 2009 view on socialically acceptable roles for good women?

*sigh* Honestly y’all, not everyone is Joan of Arc or Mother Theresa. Remember, even though history applauds these women, that Joan was burn for overstepping her bounds and Mother Theresa questioned her own faith before she died.

By S A on 09/27/2009 4:52 pm
Yvonne Schaller

Lead role "Influencer" support role "Advisor"

Very interesting, in my career I was both of those roles and now retired I find my support role more prevalent.

By Yvonne Schaller on 09/28/2009 4:02 am
B Clark
Lead role: Equalizer  Support role: Creator  Fairly accurate.
By B Clark on 09/28/2009 6:51 am
Rebecca G

My lead role is Teacher.  That is not the first time I’ve ever heard that. 

My supporting role is Weaver

By Rebecca G on 09/28/2009 8:54 am
Chrome Toe
My lead role is Creator and supporting role is Pioneer. As far as career goes I’m doing exactly what both says. Creator says I’d be happiest where i’m "producing new content". The Pioneer one says I’d be happiest where i’m paid to "build something out of nothing". Under Creator it says i’m good at seeing "patterns" that others aren’t. Hilarious… No wonder I love what i’m doing!
By Chrome Toe on 09/28/2009 9:12 am
Green Tears

I am an Equalizer with a supporting role of Pioneer. Apparently I am concerned with doing the right thing (equalizer) while looking for what is new (pioneer). Interesting that values come out as something I always lead with - I have heard this from others as well.

I like this survey because it was not easily outsmarted in my opinion. I hate when you can manipulate the results to what you think the outcome should be.

By Green Tears on 09/28/2009 11:14 am
Suzanne Frazier

After scrolling through the list of comments, you are the first person I have found with the same labels:   equalizer/pioneer.

I think the equalizer comes from years of management experience (I have no children, per se).

And the pioneer fits with my current occupation:  artist.   I love painting new images all the time.

I’m also a retreat facilitator on spiritual retreats - but I didn’t get labeled "teacher"….. maybe the "equalizer/pioneer" title fits that job description (avocation!)

By Suzanne Frazier on 09/30/2009 9:49 am
Green Tears

Nice to meet a fellow ‘E/P’!

I think the retreat facilitator role falls more in the category of Equalizer than Teacher, as you are helping others find the right path and not simply providing them with information. Does that make sense?

I have some management experience in business, but have been ‘Mum’ for over 20 years. I have a lot of routine in my life, but I have always wanted new experiences. I hope I never get ‘stale’!

By Green Tears on 09/30/2009 11:29 am
Suzanne Frazier

Thanks for the clarification on "Equalizer"….it seems right.

I’m off on an adventure this weekend to my 40th college reunion.  So the pioneer in me is happy. 

 

 

By Suzanne Frazier on 09/30/2009 4:11 pm
Suzanne Frazier

I just finished doing the "equalizer" part of me last weekend with a contemplative art retreat.

I’ll be balanced out by Sunday night! 

By Suzanne Frazier on 09/30/2009 4:12 pm
J G

The results seemed to be accurate, a snapshot of my last 30 years. My lead role: Equalizer. The smartest career move is to speak up for the wronged — I used to practice law. The supporting role was the Pioneer, whose smartest career move is a job building something out of nothing.  That’s an accurate description of my current job — hosting morning drive radio. 

By J G on 09/28/2009 2:45 pm
Bella Mia

I am an Advisor/Weaver.  I love to research the solutions to problems and then help people see that they have an array of choices.  My background is counseling and organizational design so this seems consistent.  

We did have a homeless family living with us for 4 months, when they lost their home to foreclosure.  I tried to be an emotional support while helping her solve logistical problems.  Now we have two "foster dogs" of a family that has just lost their home to foreclosure.  I don’t think I’ll be able to give much helpful advise to the dogs. 

By Bella Mia on 09/28/2009 10:56 pm
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