Estimated Runtime: ~7 minutes
Here's the uncomfortable truth about performance reviews: your manager doesn't
remember everything you did this year. They remember the last two months and
whatever stands out. If you're not documenting and advocating for yourself
consistently, your best work gets forgotten. This lesson gives you a system to
make sure it doesn't.
Start a wins journal. Every Friday, spend five minutes writing down what you
accomplished that week. Not tasks — accomplishments. Not "completed the report"
but "redesigned the reporting system, saving the team eight hours per month."
Use the impact formula: what you did, how you did it, and why it mattered. By
review time, you'll have fifty-two weeks of documented impact instead of
scrambling to remember.
Self-advocacy feels uncomfortable for many people, especially those from
cultures where modesty is valued. Reframe it. You're not bragging — you're
providing your manager with information they need to advocate for you in rooms
you're not in. When your manager goes to a calibration meeting, they need
ammunition. Your documentation gives them that. Make it easy for them to
champion you.
Start your wins journal today. Not tomorrow, not next Monday — today. The
longest journey starts with a single step, and your career documentation starts
with a single entry. Next lesson — creating and executing a career development
plan.