In my West Point training this week emphasis was made on this concept called an After Action Review (or AAR). This is a simple concept, but seldom performed. Basically, after you get done doing something, or working on something you should take time to review how you did. What went well? What did not go so well? How could I/We Improve?
This sounds and is incredibly simple. However, just think how often you do not do it, when really you should. It could be good in all aspects of your life. Imagine the next family trip, and after action review might be necessary so you can figure out what to do next time so that things go smoother. Next time you exercise, take a minute and review how you did and consider how to do better next time. What improvements would we make in our lives if everyday we took a few moments to have an AAR, and spent a moment contemplating how to do better?
Well that is why the 365 Commitment (the365commitment.com) has a very important element. At the end of each day, to review what was accomplished, take a look at the list you started the day with, prayer or meditation and then a contemplation of how to do better tomorrow. A built in AAR everyday, a very powerful and worthy habit. I have noticed that this opportunity at the end of each day gives me a chance to close out the day. Put away today, and get ready to sleep and take on tomorrow. It is a way of signing off, closing the book (literally). I have a notebook where I keep my 365 commitments everyday. So when I am done reviewing at the end of each night, there is something symbolic about closing that book.
There is also something redeeming about the AAR at the end of each night. I do not get to everything, and sometimes I just fail. I need a mechanism to forgive myself. The reason why is that I have a tendency to just chuck everything the instant I have one failure. Oh darn, I ate a donut today, guess I am going to just stop this whole blasted healthy eating thing out the window and go back to the drawing board. Meanwhile I eat horrible for 4 weeks while I contemplate starting over again. This is a bad way of going about habit forming, so instead I have my AAR at the end of the night and if I did not do something good, or I did something bad, I evaluate. Consider it, contemplate what I could have done differently, what I will do differently and then I start again the next day. Redemption everyday!
Another reason that the review at the end of the day is so powerful is that it gives me an accountability mechanism which is really important. With the AAR habit each night, you cannot escape the end of the day ritual of evaluating your progress. The more serious you take this exercise, the more serious your will treat your behavior throughout the day. When I get to the end of the day, and one of my core habits is on there and I have not done it yet – guess what. I do it. Right then and there. I do not care what time it is, I do not care how inconvenient it is for me. I will stop my review and go do it and then come back. That SUCKS. Especially when it is something like running, or pushups or writing this blog, or something that requires focus. I just want to go to bed! Aargh! However, it has become so important to me to have a clean bill of health in my AAR every night that I will literally run through a blizzard at midnight to check that off my list (and I have).
The final benefit that the AAR every night helps me with is to stop the process of sleeping through the day. You have a penchant for going into auto pilot. The days sort of bleed together. Everything seems the same, you are barely conscious of what you are doing. You are just going through the motions. This is death to productive living. You are not improving at all, you are just getting through the day. An AAR at night, helps you answer the question, when did I allow my brain to just go to sleep today? When was I not present? When was I not actively engaged in the moment? When did I allow horrible emotions to creep into my consciousness like apathy, indifference, and jealousy? How can I improve so that I treat every moment precious?
I encourage you to think about adding a review at the end of each day to your life. This is a transforming habit. You will look at tomorrow much differently. Do you know what it feels like the night before you start something for the first time? The night before you leave on a cool vacation? The night before you start a new job? The night before you keep a new commitment like going to the gym again? What if you could feel like that every night? What if every night you went to sleep satisfied that you did the best you could today, and ready to wake up and get after it again tomorrow?
Guy Reams
