Same Team Learning Sheet
A simple, powerful practice for seeing yourself more clearly — no judgment, just data. Inspired by the Sunshine & Smiles exercise from TrekWise.
The Big Idea
Most of us have a story about how we are. But we rarely check if it's true.
This experiment gives you real data about yourself — snapshots of how you actually show up in your life. You might discover you're doing better than you think. Or you might spot patterns you never noticed. Either way, you'll know more than when you started.
Choose Your Target
Pick one thing you want to observe about yourself. Not change — just notice.
Or choose your own: warmth, patience, gratitude, curiosity, courage, openness — anything that feels meaningful to your growth right now.
Set Random Reminders
Set 2–3 random alarms per day on your phone for different times. When the alarm goes off, pause and rate yourself. The randomness is the point — it catches you in real life, not staged moments.
Rate Yourself 1–5
When the reminder hits, immediately give yourself a score. Don't overthink it. Go with your gut.
Add a Quick Note
Write 1–2 sentences about what was happening. Who were you with? What were you doing? How was your body feeling? The context is where the gold is.
Collect 5–10 Data Points Over Several Days
Spread this over 3–5 days. You want a mix of mornings, afternoons, and evenings. Different situations. Different moods. This is your experiment — the more varied, the more you'll learn.
A client chose “presence” as his target and collected 10 data points over one week. Here's what he found:
💡 What He Discovered
7 out of 10 data points were a 4 or 5. He was far more present than he thought. But the 3 low scores all had something in common: he was alone and being self-critical. The issue wasn't presence — it was his relationship with himself when no one else was around. That insight became the focus of his integration work.
The Science
Ecological Momentary Assessment & The Observer Effect
This exercise is a simplified version of Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) — a research method where data is collected in real-time, in real-world settings, rather than relying on memory. EMA is more accurate than retrospective self-reports because it captures experience as it happens, avoiding the distortions of recall bias. There's also an “observer effect” at work: the simple act of noticing yourself changes the thing you're noticing. When you observe your presence, you become more present. When you observe your stress, you create a micro-pause between stimulus and response. Observation itself is a form of practice.
After collecting your data points, sit down with your journal and explore these questions.
Tips for a Good Experiment