I haven’t written one of these weekly debriefs in quite a while, and I need to be honest about why.
Somewhere along the way, what started as meaningful reflection became mundane checking boxes. I was rushing through my weekly journal template, going through the motions without truly engaging with what I was learning about myself. The process felt obligatory rather than transformative, and that’s a red flag for me.
But recently, I made a simple change that has completely revitalized my weekly reflection practice. Instead of just tracking what I accomplished, I started rating myself 1-10 in five key areas that set the tone for how I truly feel each week:
Vitality – How I cared for my physical temple (workouts, nutrition, sleep quality)
Productivity – Work effectiveness and actual results
Demeanor – How I showed up relationally (moments of patience, family time quality)
Discipline – Focus and intentionality (managing distractions, deep work sessions)
Devotion – Spiritual growth and connection (Scripture engagement, prayer insights)
Here’s what I’ve discovered: Rating myself in these areas forces me to think not just about what I did or didn’t accomplish, but how I felt doing it. It’s the difference between asking “Did I work out this week?” and “How did I care for my body as God’s temple?” One is a checkbox; the other requires honest self-examination.
This shift has reminded me of something I’ve learned the hard way over the years: anything I invite into my life needs to be sustainable. It’s easy to set big goals that sound achievable until life punches you in the face again. I’ve been at this long enough to know that discipline without self-awareness leads to burnout, and productivity without purpose leads to emptiness.
Getting real with myself in these five areas each week forces me to look at everything I’m doing and ask whether I’m truly aligned with what matters most. It’s not just about how much I can get done; it’s about intentional output that leads to a better and healthier me, as a husband, father, and follower of Christ.
The beautiful thing about honest self-assessment is that it cuts through the noise. When I rate my demeanor for the week, I can’t hide behind my task list. When I evaluate my devotion, busyness doesn’t count as spiritual growth. This simple scoring system has become a filter that helps me see where I’m thriving and where I’m just surviving.
I’m sharing this because I suspect you might relate to the trap of going through the motions, whether in goal-setting, reflection, or spiritual disciplines. Sometimes the solution isn’t a new system; it’s bringing honesty and intentionality back to the systems we already have.
What would it look like if you rated yourself weekly in the areas that truly matter to you? Not to shame yourself, but to create clarity about where your energy is actually going versus where you say it should go.
I’d love to hear what resonated with you from this. Hit reply and let me know; are there areas of your life where you’ve been checking boxes instead of truly engaging?
Walking with you,
Jerad Hill
