Saturday Sayings: Three Questions

This summer I heard pro golfer, Ben Crane, talk about his daily reflective practice on a podcast I listen to. Without fail, he asks himself the following three questions.

1. What went well?
2. What did I learn?
3. What will I do about what I learned?

I couldn't help but make connections to my life as a teacher. I have this bad habit of allowing the tough moments of my day to play over and over in my head on my way home from school. It's amazing how many times I can relive the worst part(s) of my day in 15 minutes and yet find absolutely no peace or solution to my problems. After hearing Ben talk about his three questions, I was convinced his daily reflective practice would be much more productive than mine.  

Question number one forces me to celebrate first. At the end of a tough day, sometimes the last thing I have mental energy for is acknowledging the good. When in actuality, the best thing I can do for myself is reflect on what went well. 

Question two is phrased in a way that forces me to attack issues with a different mindset. What went wrong? vs. What did I learn? are two very different questions that require very different responses. Ben's question offers an opportunity for growth instead of despair.

Question three puts me in solution-mode. I have a plan for what I can do differently heading into the next day. My plan might not be guaranteed to work, but at least I have one. And maybe even more importantly, I have hope. 

So on my way home from school, I've been thinking my way through these questions, followed up by writing my answers in a journal before going to bed. I'll admit day seven's commute was a challenging one. The questions were pushed aside by the competing thoughts in my head. I will though get my answers written before returning to school on Tuesday, because this teacher needs to celebrate, learn, and plan for how to push towards excellence, one day at a time.

What questions are on your list?