We live in a culture that idolizes the “hustle.” We are told that if we aren’t moving, we aren’t growing. We treat our calendars like Tetris boards, filling every gap with meetings, emails, and “doing.” But there is a massive difference between being busy and being effective.
In “The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth,” John C. Maxwell introduces The Law of Reflection: Learning to pause allows growth to catch up with you. Growth doesn’t happen in the heat of the moment; it happens in the reflection that follows. If you don’t pause to evaluate where you’ve been, you’ll likely keep repeating the same mistakes while expecting a different result.
The Power of the Pause
Maxwell notes that reflection turns experience into insight. Most people go through life having experiences, but only a few go through life evaluating them. A pause does four specific things for a leader:
- Reflection turns experience into insight: It’s how you extract the “gold” from a difficult project or a failed deal.
- Reflection provides a “Reality Check”: It forces you to look at your trajectory vs. your intentions.
- Reflection fuels “Course Correction”: It’s easier to steer a ship when you aren’t in the middle of a storm.
- Reflection builds Confidence: When you know why something worked, you can replicate it with certainty.
The Four “I’s” of Reflection
To make your reflection effective, you need a framework. In my coaching sessions, we look at these four pillars:
- Investigation: What actually happened? (The objective facts).
- Incubation: Taking the time to let the experience “sit” without rushing to a conclusion.
- Illumination: The “Aha!” moment when the lesson becomes clear.
- Illustration: How will I explain this lesson to my team or apply it to my next project?
Are You Giving Your Growth Room to Breathe? (A Quick Self-Assessment)
How often do you stop to evaluate your path? Score each statement using the scale below:
| Score | Description |
| 1 | Never / Not at all |
| 2 | Rarely / Needs significant work |
| 3 | Sometimes / Average |
| 4 | Often / Above average |
| 5 | Consistently / A core strength |
- [ ] Scheduled Reflection: I have a recurring “Think Time” appointment on my calendar every week.
- [ ] Journaling/Logging: I document my wins, losses, and lessons learned so I can review them later.
- [ ] Questioning Mindset: After a major event, I ask myself, “What went well?” and “What would I do differently?”
- [ ] Distraction-Free Space: I have a specific place I go where I am unreachable and can think clearly.
- [ ] Evaluated Experience: I value the lesson of a failure as much as (or more than) the success itself.
Your Score:
- 20-25: High-Impact Architect. You are building on a foundation of wisdom.
- 15-19: “Busy Builder.” You are moving fast, but you might be leaving lessons on the table.
- Under 15: “The Treadmill.” You are running hard but staying in the same place. It’s time to step off and reflect.
Moving Beyond the “Busy Trap”
The hardest part of the Law of Reflection isn’t the thinking; it’s the stopping. We feel guilty when we aren’t “producing,” but a leader’s greatest production is their perspective. When you value the pause, you stop being a victim of your schedule and start being the architect of your future.
“Follow effective action with quiet reflection. From the quiet reflection will come even more effective action.” — James Levin (quoted by Maxwell)
Today’s Application: The Post-Project Autopsy
I want you to pick one “event” from the last 7 days—it could be a client call, a team meeting, or a personal goal you hit (or missed). Sit for 10 minutes with a notepad and answer three questions:
- What was the intended result?
- What was the actual result?
- What is the one thing I will do differently next time?
Action Step: Schedule your “Reflection Appointment” for this Friday afternoon. Give yourself 30 minutes of intentional silence. No phone, no email—just you and your thoughts.
Partnering on Your Growth Journey
Reflection is powerful, but we all have blind spots. My coaching is designed to be the “External Perspective” that helps you see what you’ve missed and turn your reflections into a strategic advantage.
- The Strategic Audit: A 90-minute session where we evaluate your last quarter and build an intentional “Correction Map” for the next 90 days.
- The High-Performance Partnership: A 12-week coaching journey focused on building the discipline of reflection and high-level leadership execution.
- The Team Evaluation Workshop: I facilitate a guided reflection for your team to identify “Culture Gaps” and align your mission.
Click here to book a free 30-minute Discovery Call.
Coming Up Next…
Now that you’ve learned to pause and reflect, it’s time to talk about the fuel that keeps you moving. Join me for our next post: The Power of the Daily Grind | The Law of Consistency.
