Reflection is one of the simplest, highest-leverage practices a coach can introduce. Regular reflection helps clients notice small wins, learn from setbacks, and convert experience into insight. Below you'll find short, actionable exercises, templates you can paste into session notes or client journals, and a short plan for introducing reflection as a habit.
Why reflection matters in coaching
- It turns experience into data — not just feelings.
- It creates a feedback loop for experiments (goal tests, behavior changes).
- It helps clients internalize learning and see identity shifts ("I am the kind of person who...").
Three short reflection prompts (use daily or weekly)
- What went well today? — List 1–3 things that moved you closer to your goal.
- What did I learn? — Note a concrete insight, obstacle, or pattern you observed.
- What will I do next? — A single, specific action for the next day or week.
Keep each response short (one sentence to a short paragraph). The goal is consistency, not verbosity.
Session-ready reflection exercises
- The 5-minute end-of-day: set a phone reminder; answer the three prompts; keep a running log.
- The weekly 10-minute review: review your daily logs, pick one theme, and set a focused micro-experiment for the coming week.
- The 1-page insight sheet: after an important session or a milestone, write the situation, actions taken, results, and three lessons learned.
Examples
Example daily entry:
- What went well: I finished the 30-minute focused work block three times.
- What I learned: I work better with a short playlist and a timer.
- Next action: Schedule three 30-minute blocks tomorrow and set a playlist.
Example weekly synthesis (10-minute):
- Theme: momentum depends on early wins.
- Insight: mornings are easier than evenings for focused work.
- Micro-experiment: Move the most important task to the morning for the next week and track completion each day.
Templates you can copy
-
Daily reflection (one line each):
- Date: [YYYY-MM-DD]
- What went well: [one sentence]
- What I learned: [one sentence]
- Next action: [one specific task]
-
Weekly review (short):
- Week: [dates]
- Theme:
- Most helpful action this week:
- Biggest obstacle:
- Micro-experiment for next week:
Introducing reflection to clients (a simple coach script)
- Explain: "Reflection turns experience into useful data — we will use short prompts so this stays sustainable."
- Model: Do a reflection for yourself or run a short demo during a session.
- Practice: Ask the client to do a 5-minute reflection at the end of the following day and bring evidence next session.
Common traps and fixes
- Skipping because it feels slow: keep entries short and store them somewhere easy (phone note, shared doc).
- Over-analysis: limit daily entries to one insight and one action.
- No follow-through: require the client to bring one piece of evidence to the next session.
Quick checklist for coaches
- Introduce one prompt at a time.
- Start with 5-minute daily reflections.
- Use a weekly synthesis to shape experiments.
- Review reflections in-session to close the loop.
Published: 2025-09-12