Score Your Week 1–10: Then Ask Why

Score Your Week 1–10: Then Ask Why

How was your week? "Busy" doesn't count. We need to go deeper if we want to improve. High-performers don’t just react to their week—they evaluate and extract lessons. Here's a rapid, evidence-aligned reflection ritual to help you identify what worked, what didn't, and how to level up.

1 · Assign a Number (1-10)

Gut feel first, analysis later. No decimals. Whole numbers only. 1 = Worst week ever. 10 = Peak performance. Don't overthink it. What's your immediate, visceral response? This provides a crucial benchmark for future comparison.

2 · List 3 Wins (However Small)

Even in a "bad" week (1-4), there are always glimmers of progress. Find them. Examples:

• Completed a challenging task
• Had a meaningful conversation
• Learned something new

Listing wins combats negativity bias and reinforces momentum.

3 · Identify 1 Bottleneck

What slowed you down? What caused the most friction? Be specific. "Lack of motivation" is too vague. Dig deeper. Was it:

• Unclear priorities?
• Distractions?
• Lack of resources?

Identifying the bottleneck allows you to target intervention.

4 · Ask "Why" 5 Times (Toyota Method)

This is where the real insights emerge. Take your bottleneck and repeatedly ask "Why?" to uncover the root cause. Example:

• Bottleneck: Procrastinated on a key project.
• Why? → Didn't know where to start.
• Why? → The project was too big and overwhelming.
• Why? → I didn't break it down into smaller tasks.
• Why? → I lacked a clear project plan.
• Why? → I didn't allocate time for planning.

The 5 Whys help you move from symptoms to solutions.

5 · Commit to 1 Actionable Change

Based on your reflection, what single change will have the biggest impact next week? Make it specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). Example: "Allocate 30 minutes on Monday morning to create a detailed project plan."

This Is Not Self-Indulgence. It's Strategy.

Weekly reflection isn't navel-gazing. It's a strategic advantage. It’s a tool for continuous improvement. Small adjustments compound into significant results.

Sharpen Your Focus → (And reflect with clarity.)