Increase capacity target by 10% per week only if quality…
When capacity building, increase target output by 10% per week only if quality metrics held steady or improved AND you met target on at least 4 of 5 days in the previous week.
When This Fires
- During any deliberate capacity-building program (increasing deep work hours, writing output, etc.)
- Weekly review when deciding whether to increase next week's target
- When you've been at the same capacity level for multiple weeks and want to progress
- After a deload period when rebuilding to previous capacity
Common Failure Mode
Increasing target based on ambition rather than data. "I did 4 hours of deep work this week, I should aim for 5 next week." But did you hit 4 on at least 4 of 5 days? Was quality maintained? Without verifying both criteria, the increase is a guess, not a calibrated progression.
The Protocol
Weekly capacity review: (1) Count days you met or exceeded target this week. (2) Assess quality: did output quality hold steady or improve? (3) If both criteria met (4/5 days + quality held) → increase target by 10% next week. (4) If quality dropped on 2+ days → hold at current level (consolidation, not failure). (5) If target met on fewer than 4 days → hold at current level. Progress only when both criteria are satisfied simultaneously.