The Power of Goldilocks and the Three-Month Self Check-In
When was the last time you checked in with yourself?
Look, I get it—
We get busy.
We get distracted.
We get tired.
Spring is here, but the shiny luster that once surrounded our annual goals has begun to fade. Now we’re in the thick of it.
The three pieces of self-development
The path to successful self-development lies somewhere between daily consistency, long-term goals, and regular check-ins to evaluate both.
We can’t make progress without consistency.
We can’t focus our progress without goals.
And we can’t know how we’re doing without evaluation.
Goldilocks is the key
In the classic tale of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Goldilocks sneaks into the Bears’ home while they’re away for an afternoon stroll.
Unaware of the potential for uninvited guests, the Bears have left their porridge out on the kitchen table to cool.
Goldilocks is hungry.
She tastes the porridge from each bowl.
Papa Bear’s porridge is too hot.
Mama Bear’s porridge is too cold.
Baby Bear’s porridge is just right.
In a flash, poor Baby Bear’s porridge is gone.
How often should we check in?
Like Goldilocks searching for porridge, we’re searching for the period of time that’s “just right” to evaluate how we’re doing.
Checking in every, single day on our consistency and long term goals may be “too hot” or too often.
But checking in once a year may be “too cold” or not often enough.
Instead, I’d recommend checking in once every three months (or quarter).
Evaluating our habits, progress, and goals once a quarter is “just right” because it allows us to balance consistency over time while not losing sight of the bigger picture.
Like the changing of the seasons, our lives evolve over the course of the year.
Things happen that we couldn’t have anticipated. Those things may change our ability to follow through with the goals we were so sure of in January.
In short — life happens.
But now we can evaluate what to do next and have enough time to get the most out of our year.
How to check in each quarter
Recently, I sat down with a simple pad of paper and pen to do my own quarterly evaluation. Here are three things I tracked that may help you evaluate your own quarter’s progress.
What went well — Write down in simple terms the things that helped you improve your life this quarter. I started with wins in the past three months that I was proud of. If I made progress on a goal, it was a win. If I reduced a bad habit, also a win.
What could be better — Write down the stumbles and the falls. Think about what didn’t work for you. For me, it was long-form journal writing. It didn’t work for me. By seeing the evaluation of my attempt to journal on paper, I realized that what I needed was a different kind of journal. Now I write one sentence a day; inspired by author Ryan Holiday’s use of a “One Line a Day” Journal. Simple. Easy. Manageable.
What progress have I made towards my goals — Write down how far you’ve come with your longer goals; the ones that may take several months or even years. If you don’t feel that you’ve made enough progress, this should help you shift your focus back on track. If you’re satisfied with the progress, you know you’re on the right path already and can keep going.
Final Thoughts
Checking in each quarter has started to help me significantly. I don’t have to wait until the next New Year’s Resolution to make a change. And I’m also no longer worried about the stumbles and failures I may encounter on any given day or week.
I just keep going.
The momentum is real.
The only question now is, which porridge is right for you?
Until next week, here are links to what I’ve been working on and treasures I’ve found out in the creative wilderness.
Enjoy!
Recent Finds
Matt D’Avella — Why You’re So Bad at Managing Your Time (Video) | As Matt says in the video, “ Time is a fixed resource.” He argues that while everyone has 24 hours, it’s not the same 24 hours. The key is not cramming the 24 hours with 100 To-Do List items. Instead, it’s about energy management and prioritizing what you choose to do with the energy you have. For all of us productivity nerds—highly recommended.
Ness Labs — How to Increase Your Creativity by Cultivating Creative Self-Efficacy (Blog) | Believing in your creative ability can be just as important as the pursuit of creativity itself. If you’re struggling to find the confidence in your own creative endeavors, the work itself may suffer. This post in particular can help you create a support system to reinforce your creative path.
Andrew Huberman — My Top 3 Science Supported Health Practices (IG) | Andrew is a Neuroscientist and Lab Director at Stanford University. This post he recently dropped is awesome. Simple and to the point. Take a peek and see. The suggestions could help you improve your life.
Quote of the Week
“We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.”
— Albert Einstein, Physicist
That's all for now.
Stay creative, my friends—and have a great week!
