What worked? What didn’t? What next?

What worked? What didn’t? What next?

I ask and answer these three questions at the end of every workday, and often prompt clients to answer them during (and between) our sessions. Reflecting personally and with my clients on these questions has revealed transformative insights, emphasizing how often our experiments teach us unexpected lessons...

“What worked?” captures both intentional and accidental successes. Reflecting on the intentional ones makes me feel proud and accomplished. Capturing the accidental ones tends to be the most valuable part; these are often answers to questions I didn’t even realize I had.

“What didn’t?” is familiar territory: our brains are already designed to notice this stuff. As I record what didn’t work, I get to separate between things that were unpredictable, out of my control, and things that happened (or didn’t happen) because of my choices. The latter category offers lessons and growth opportunities.

“What next?” shifts my attention toward what’s most important. Given where I am now, what is the next most useful step? Answering this question with specific actions is crucial; it requires focused energy in the moment, but it saves me precious decision-making energy the next day when it’s time to lock back in.

Look for an opportunity this week to try out this reflective triad. If you’d like guidance or a supportive ear, I’d love to chat with you about it!