Project Lifecycle Management
Starting, running, pausing, and closing projects cleanly
By the end of this module
Starting a Project Right
Before creating a project, ask: "Is this an initiative with a defined arc, or is it an ongoing category?"
Good projects: "Q3 Launch Campaign", "Product v2 Development", "Customer Research Sprint"
Bad projects: "Marketing", "Ideas", "Business"
When creating:
1. Name it specifically
2. Set energy type immediately (don't skip this)
3. Write a description, what is this project trying to achieve?
4. Link your first idea or decision to it
Running a Project
A healthy project has regular journal entries. Use the journal for:
- Weekly progress notes ("Shipped the first three sections of the landing page")
- Blockers encountered and resolved
- Context that won't fit in a decision log
- Questions you're working through
Aim for at least one journal entry per week for any ACTIVE project. This keeps the health score high and creates a record you'll appreciate when the project ends.
When to Park vs. Archive
Archive: You're not returning to this. The opportunity has passed or you've decided it's not for you.
The REVISIT_PARKED recommendation will surface parked projects with scores ≥ 60 after 60 days, a built-in nudge to decide whether to restart or archive.
Closing a Project
When a project is truly done, close it properly:
1. Click "Close Project" from the project page
2. Write a closing reflection, what happened? what did you learn?
3. Handle open commitments (mark done, drop, or leave open)
4. Confirm, project moves to COMPLETED
The closing reflection is saved as a journal entry and the project disappears from your active view. The data stays accessible via /projects filtered to COMPLETED.
Practice Checkpoints
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Next in Foundations Path
Building a High-Value Vault
Creating and curating reusable assets that compound over time