Practices
41 practices
Fact-story separation exercise
pick one situation that bothered you, write two columns — column A for observable facts only, column B for the stories you constructed — then examine how much of your reaction came from column B
Explanation writing test
pick one concept you believe you understand well and attempt to write a clear explanation from scratch without references — the gaps that emerge reveal where understanding is illusory
Atomicity audit
open your note system, find your five most recent notes, and for each ask whether it contains exactly one idea that can be understood without its original context
Capture speed test
time your current capture workflow from thought-to-recorded and compare against the 5-second threshold — if it takes longer, redesign for speed
Weekly review protocol
block 45-60 minutes weekly using a three-phase structure — collect (gather all loose items), process (decide on each), and review (assess systems and priorities)
Attention log practice
set a timer every 90 minutes for one workday and record what you were actually doing versus what you planned, revealing the gap between intended and actual attention allocation
Observation-without-judgment exercise
pick a 15-minute window and carry a small notebook, writing only what you observe without any interpretation, evaluation, or story — pure sensory data
Pattern naming practice
pick one small repeated behavior from today, name it precisely with a descriptive label, and write down the trigger, the behavior, and the consequence — making the invisible pattern visible and manipulable
Information audit
track every information source you encounter in a single day from first screen to last, categorizing each as signal (directly informs a decision) or noise (everything else)
Base rate log
for one week, each time you encounter a vivid anecdote, record it alongside the actual statistical base rate for that event, training your System 2 to counter availability heuristic distortions
Daily externalization trigger
pick a fixed moment in your existing routine and attach a 5-minute externalization practice to it, writing down whatever is on your mind without filtering
Schema externalization exercise
identify one recurring decision you make, write down the criteria you actually use (not what you think you use), and compare the written schema against your last three decisions to test accuracy
Default schema detection
choose a routine situation, observe yourself going through it, and write down every assumption you made without thinking — each assumption is a default schema operating invisibly
Classification audit
pick one domain you manage, list every category you use, then test each by asking: does this category help me act, or does it just feel organized?
Relationship mapping exercise
pick five concepts from your knowledge system, draw all connections between them with labeled edges, and identify which connections you assumed existed but cannot articulate
Causal chain tracing
pick a significant outcome from the past six months and trace backward through five levels of cause, asking "what caused that?" at each level until you reach structural rather than proximate causes
Schema stress test
select one schema you hold with high confidence, design three scenarios that would falsify it, then honestly assess whether any of those scenarios have partially occurred
Schema shelf-life review
pick three mental models you rely on, write down when you adopted each, what has changed in the domain since then, and whether the model still fits current reality
Self-schema articulation
write three sentences completing "I am the kind of person who..." then for each, find one piece of behavioral evidence that supports it and one that contradicts it
Contradiction holding practice
find two beliefs you hold that genuinely conflict, write the strongest case for each, and resist resolving the tension for at least one week while documenting what insights emerge
Cross-domain integration exercise
choose three schemas from different life areas, look for structural similarities between them, and write a meta-schema that captures what they share
Agent documentation template
for each cognitive agent, write trigger, condition, action, success criteria, and failure mode
Decision framework installation
identify three most frequent decision types, create written frameworks, route all instances through them for two weeks
Error post-mortem protocol
run a five-why analysis documenting what happened, expected, deviation point, enabling condition, and structural prevention
Delegation readiness scoring
score tasks on irreversibility, identity-centrality, and cognitive uniqueness (each 1-5) — below 9 total are delegation candidates
Agent retirement audit
review all active agents asking does this still serve its original purpose — if not immediate yes, schedule for evaluation
Values excavation
track actual time, money, and energy allocation for one week, list revealed values, compare against stated values
Boundary definition practice
identify one draining situation, write the missing boundary, practice stating it, then communicate it
Commitment portfolio review
list all active commitments, score on values-alignment and energy-return (each 1-5), flag below 6 for release
Environment design audit
photograph workspace, annotate each element as supporting or hindering, redesign to amplify supports
Workflow documentation sprint
write each step as numbered action, have someone else follow it, refine where they get stuck
Bottleneck identification protocol
measure time per step in most important workflow, focus improvement exclusively on the slowest step
Energy mapping
track energy level (1-10) every two hours for one week alongside activity, producing personal ultradian rhythm map
Habit design protocol
specify environmental cue, minimal viable routine, immediate reward, then execute daily for 30 days before evaluating
Behavioral chain construction
practice only the first action for one week until automatic, then add one link at weekly intervals
Emotion labeling practice
three times daily pause, name current emotional state with most precise word, write it with probable cause and intensity (1-10)
Emotional pattern journal
record each significant emotional reaction with trigger, intensity, and duration for two weeks, then review for patterns
Daily meaning journal
at end of each day write one sentence answering what did today mean, forcing active meaning construction
Legacy reverse-engineering
write ideal legacy statement, trace backward to three daily actions that most directly produce that legacy
Team schema alignment check
before major decisions have each member independently write their problem understanding, compare to reveal misalignment
Culture behavior audit
observe what people actually do in meetings, deadlines, and disagreements to reveal operative vs stated culture