Energy & Confidence Check-In

Notice your energy and confidence trends early so you adjust the search before burnout adjusts it for you.

Open your daily planner or the notebook you use for your morning ritual. Add two dedicated lines to your entry for a 1-10 energy score and a 1-10 confidence score.

Each morning, before opening email, log: "Energy ___/10. Confidence ___/10." No explanation needed. On Sunday, scan the 7 numbers. If average energy is under 5 or confidence under 4 for the week, schedule one of: a non-search day, one warm coffee with a friend, or a smaller experiment for next week. Treat the scores as data, not judgment.

Energy is the search's most precious resource. Defend it on purpose, not after you've crashed.