The Better Life Test – mini (BLTm)


Paul F. Schmidt, PhD,
published free by the nonprofit WELL Inc.



The short mini-version of the Better Life Test (BLTm) measures healthy and unhealthy beliefs and habits. The BLTm is an assessment tool for helping people identify their mindset and lifestyle choices which are working for and against their personal health and well-being. It is not merely a test, as our quickly emailed feedback puts you on a pathway full of free resources and relationships to help you discover and share a better life with others. If you know enough about this test that you are ready to take it, you may skip on down to the two lines of directions above the first test item below. . . .


This test contrasts 9 pairs of mindsets and lifestyles that for 3000 years, most cultures in the western world have believed to have the strongest impact on quality of life, not only for individuals, but also for families, groups, and societies. The BLTm measures how well you deal with 9 issues - the HEALTH, SAFETY, LOVE, RESPECT, PURPOSE, MERCY, SEXUALITY, MONEY, and TRUTH that you need life to bring you.

Some of the test items will seem to presume you are married or employed. If you don’t have a mate, spouse, job, or an income, then answer the question to describe how you think you would be later on if you did have a mate, spouse, job, or income.


Within a minute or two of pressing the Done button at the end of your test, you will receive your feedback emailed to whatever email address you give here for where you want it sent. If your privacy is more important than your convenience, you may give us only the email address of a friend or neighbor, so that we will not be able to trace who you are. Your test is absolutely free of charge, a gift from WELL, Inc., the nonprofit who oversees and validates the test, and protects its privacy.


This test takes about 15 minutes to complete, and it comes in two parts. The first is 72 questions answered 1 to 5 for how true they are for you. Scores for individual answers will not be reported, just the totals for groups of items that measure the same thing. Our computer does not share your individual answers.


The second and much shorter part of the test asks ten brief, non-identifying questions about your demographics and your current quality of life. Remember this test is private and anonymous. Your answers to these questions (and the first 72 items) will NEVER be stored in any computer alongside the email address you give for where you want your results to be sent. We ask these questions because we’re trying to learn whether some of these factors might be significant causes or effects of the 32 traits the test measures.


Compare yourself to the item, not to other people.

Mark how true each item is for you, over the past year of your life.

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1. Having sex without commitment or emotional involvement is appealing to me.

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2. No matter how bad things get, things will turn out alright for me in the end.

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3. Every human being should have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

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4. When a loved one is in trouble, they usually get my practical help and emotional support.

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5. I often choose drugs, alcohol, TV, or my phone over my loved ones who may need me.

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6. I spend too much time comparing myself to other people.

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7. I am comfortable spending time getting to know people who are less fortunate than I am.

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8. I am free of any health problems that are made worse by my lifestyle or medications.

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9. In a conflict, instead of complaining, I fight for solutions where everybody wins.

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10. I have a substance, activity, or person that makes it hard for me to control myself.

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11. When I feel damned if I do and damned if I don’t, I can usually figure out a third way to go.

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12. Being worried about the future doesn’t much change how much I give to those less fortunate.

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13. My body image is good enough that I enjoy (or would enjoy) sharing it in physical affection.

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14. I keep a pretty good balance of work, rest, and recreation in my life – I enjoy them all.

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15. One of my strongest wishes in life is to become totally self-reliant financially.

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16. Sometimes I like to hear or look at things considered sexually obscene.

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17. People who quickly admit they’ve made a mistake are weak.

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18. I do (or will) save myself sexually for the one I love, and expect the same in return.

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19. The more stuff I have, the more I want, so sometimes I use people to get what I want.

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20. When there are delicious foods around, I find it hard to eat carefully or moderately.

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21. I have some resentments which have bothered me for months and months.

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22. My life shows I realize that the best things in my life are things money cannot buy.

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23. It doesn’t bother me much when people think I messed up and owe them an apology.

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24. I am proud of myself and honest with others about exactly how I make and spend money.

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25. My body suffers from chronic stress.

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26. I am usually thoughtful and caring toward my friends when they are feeling miserable.

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27. People who know me think I am an honest person.

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28. I spend a lot of time worrying.

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29. I live my life in roles or compartments I struggle to keep separate.

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30. I can’t know what others have experienced, so my words and thoughts seldom judge.

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31. Most people who know me think I am a cheerful and optimistic person.

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32. I am a fairly critical person, and I don’t mind pointing out the faults of others.

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33. I really enjoy it when I manipulate people to do what I think they should do.

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34. When I break a promise, I admit it, and try to make it up to people I have hurt.

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35. I struggle not to get too upset when someone breaks or ruins something I own.

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36. When I’m annoyed that life is boring, I seek better entertainment.

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37. Any lie I tell that deceives others will deceive me too.

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38. It’s really hard for me to forgive people who have hurt me or taken advantage of me.

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39. I keep sex active, loving, honest, and loyally faithful (or I would if I was sexually active).

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40. I usually have a purpose and a passion for most things I do in life.

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41. I feel I am a special person, and I like to be treated special.

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42. I prefer rather violent news, music, movies, video games, and entertainment.

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43. I’ve learned to procrastinate some responsibilities by making excuses.

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44. When I am in a painful situation, I seek to make good things come out of it.

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45. I sometimes do things to bless people anonymously, so no one knows I’ve done it.

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46. Rather than borrow on credit, I am learning to wait and save money for things I really want.

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47. I know how to be quiet in a conflict until I can figure out something constructive to say.

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48. I avoid the hard work of painful communication in my relationships.

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49. I am awkwardly cold toward even friendly people if they have what I can’t have.

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50. If someone I love needs some criticism, I will usually find a gentle way to give it.

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51. I sometimes resent people more popular, attractive, intelligent, or wealthy than I am.

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52. I get frustrated when people don’t give me the appreciation I deserve.

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53. When I’m frightened, I don’t cope well by myself.

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54. I am fully open and present emotionally when I have sex (or I would be if I was sexually active).

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55. When I’m alone taking in something I really like, I don’t usually stop when I should.

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56. I might try to ruin a little of someone else’s joy when I don’t have enough joy myself.

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57. My lifestyle respects what most doctors advise to keep myself and others healthy.

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58. I take better care of my possessions than I do my relationships.

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59. No fear or situation can drain the courageous life out of me.

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60. It most always pays to tell the truth up front.

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61. Complete honesty and loyalty in love would probably ruin my sex life.

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62. When I suddenly get scared, my fear and confusion soon turn to calmer thoughts.

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63. In the face of danger, I typically freeze up from being tense, distractible, and confused.

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64. I like a challenge and working hard, so I usually finish what I start.

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65. I would like to reach a point in life where I didn’t need other people.

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66. I exercise, and avoid putting unhealthy food and drugs into my body.

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67. My body is in good enough shape so it can usually do what I want or need it to do.

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68. A love relationship without sex just couldn’t have much life in it for me.

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69. My life feels to me like a precious gift, better than I deserve or could have planned.

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70. Sometimes I can’t make myself do things I know are important.

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71. Guilt can be a constructive feeling for me, so sometimes I react fairly well to criticism.

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72. I’m like a chameleon – I can blend in with any situation morally.

End of test items



NOTE: The final demographic questions on this test enable us to learn and teach others what kinds of people show each aspect of spiritual wellness we are studying, and what kinds of beliefs and lifestyles are associated with it. These rather personal questions will never be stored or seen with your personal email address. They won’t even be shown on your feedback, so this data can never be associated with you. Since you are not giving exact information about yourself here, no one can identify you from your answers, even if someone sees the feedback that only you will be sent. Because the world needs all this information “to find out what makes us sick, and how to get well,” your test scores will not be returned to you unless you complete these final items. We thank you for taking these final three or four minutes to complete your test.

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73. PERSONAL EMAIL ADDRESS where your results can be sent.

(To be completely anonymous, give someone else's email who will get your feedback to you.)

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74. GROUP EMAIL ADDRESS (please put in a 0 if you’re not taking this with a group): Here your Group Administrator will receive a summary of your group’s test data. Your GA will not receive any of your answers to this test. GA’s do receive a list in alphabetical order of all personal email addresses that were used by your group. If credit or compensation is offered for taking the test, you can give your PEA below to be checked off the GA’s list. The GA will only receive the averages for your group on each of the 32 scales of this test, and on each demographic question that follows:

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75. YOUR AGE

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76. YOUR GENDER (PICK ONE)

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77. MARITAL STATUS (pick one)

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78. INCOME LEVEL of your household, compared to other households the same size in your nation

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79. PHYSICAL HEALTH

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80. RELATIONAL HEALTH

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81. MENTAL HEALTH

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82. SPIRITUAL HEALTH: My spiritual life is

We thank you very much for your time and information in taking this test.

The BLTm is licensed by a Creative Commons Copyright BY-NC-SA 4.0
It can legally be shared and copied with this notation, but not published or sold.

Wellness Education for Living and Loving, Inc. WELL Inc. www.to-the-well.org

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