When I was young, growing up I did a lot of skateboarding. “Skate or die” basically.
We would practice a trick, over and over… and over. Eventually kinda getting it.
I went in two contests I think, but was never very good. I was too hit or miss.
We had a friend though, Nick Lister.
Once Nick learned a trick, he had it. He could do it almost on demand, in almost any situation (different terrain etc).
During the learning process, Nick had a different posture.
He was attentive, and he was absorbing the changes he needed to make more effectively. And he then had the coordination to make these changes in the next attempt.
Nick had mastered not just feedback, but reflection.
What actually happened?
What do I need to change?
Last week I did a podcast on giving and receiving feedback.
Well, the Reflection Page is the critical next step.
One page.
This is done within 72 hours from the last feedback or final launch.*
It can be simple, it can be complex.
It can be private, it can be shared (preferable)
“Based on what I learned from doing this and the feedback I have received, what would I now do differently if I were to do this all again?”
“What did I learn? What did I learn about myself?”
You can focus on the internal narrative and emotions that you felt when you created the work and received feedback…
Or, you can focus on the physical or technical changes or tweaks you would make.
It’s also helpful to look forward just a little:
“What two or three things do you need to get done now off the back of this exercise?”
We learn through the original exercise, then we learn through the feedback.
So to wrap it up, as my sister Joanna taught us in a recent workshop we co-hosted:
“What do I have to do now to convert this learning into growth?”
And, who can I tell about this?
Yes, the Reflection Page takes a little time, vulnerability and emotional effort. But after all of the upfront effort in the original exercise and feedback process, it is definitely worth it.
Don’t walk away and let the learning dissipate.
*with big projects like a book or an entire business, more time is likely required before a reflection page.
