Why Intentional Reflection is the Missing Link in Your Higher Ed Experience
There’s a sacred tension every academic knows well—between the pull of responsibilities and the push toward excellence, between the goals we set and the whirlwind of daily demands. Amid the syllabi, grant proposals, research timelines, department meetings, and student needs, we often forget to ask ourselves one pivotal question: How am I really doing?
Competence—the ability to do something successfully and efficiently—doesn’t arise from experience alone. It blooms from experience examined. It grows in the quiet moments when we look honestly at our wins and losses, our intentions and our outcomes, our beliefs and our behaviors.
And yet, for many in higher education, reflection is something we’re asked to do reactively—when the promotion packet is due, when tenure is on the line, or when an annual review prompts it. But what if reflective practice became something more? Something regular. Something nourishing. Something that strengthens our competence as educators, scholars, and servant leaders every single week?
That’s not just a possibility. It’s a necessity.
Why Reflection Builds Competence
According to Malcolm Knowles’s adult learning theory, andragogy, adults engage most deeply when learning is relevant and tied to real-life application. We want to solve problems, not just absorb information. Reflection is one of the most effective tools we have to diagnose those problems and make decisions that matter.
When we engage in structured reflection, we are:
- Identifying what’s working in our classrooms, labs, departments, and personal routines
- Naming what’s not, without shame, only clarity
- Spotting gaps in our skills or strategies, before they become crises
- Revisiting our values to ensure our work reflects our purpose
- Unearthing patterns of burnout, avoidance, or disconnection, so we can intervene early
- Tracking growth and resilience through an ever-evolving professional journey
Reflection is not indulgent. It’s instructive. It sharpens our ability to adapt, respond, and lead with intention. It is a mirror that reveals how we can show up more skillfully and sustainably for our students, our colleagues, and ourselves.
A Systematic Approach to Reflection
In the summer of 2023, Haleigh Machost and Marilyne Stains made a compelling case in Reflective Practices in Education: A Primer for Practitioners (published by the National Library of Medicine). They noted that reflection is too often “implemented primarily for evaluative purposes” instead of being embraced as a formative, ongoing practice that improves teaching and research effectiveness.
Reflection shouldn’t be saved for career milestones. It should become a habit that fuels growth before the stakes are high. That’s where The Professor’s Week in Review: A Journal for Weekly Reflections on the Higher Ed Experience becomes an essential companion.
This beautifully designed journal provides a simple, guided structure for weekly reflection. It invites you to pause, assess, plan, and appreciate your academic journey in real-time. With prompts to capture:
- Weekly wins
- Persistent concerns
- Strategies that worked (or didn’t)
- Lessons learned
- Areas for improvement
- Gratitude and next steps
…you’ll gain a rich record of your development and a roadmap for intentional progress.
Whether you choose the paperback with pen, the fillable PDF for digital convenience, or the elegant hardcover edition, The Professor’s Week in Review helps you develop greater competence week by week, page by page.
The Invitation: Join Us This Fall
To help make this shift easier and more impactful, you’re also invited to join The Mindful Academic Challenge this fall semester—a 16-week experience designed to help higher ed professionals embed reflection into their academic lives.
When you sign up for the challenge, you’ll get:
- Supportive emails to guide and inspire your weekly reflections
- Check-ins and community encouragement
- A chance to recalibrate, renew, and rise
Join the mailing list today to learn more and begin the journey.
Final Thoughts
You became an academic to contribute something meaningful. But the truth is, you cannot pour from an empty cup, nor grow from unexamined experiences.
By making reflection a regular part of your professional rhythm, you’ll not only strengthen your competence—you’ll cultivate clarity, resilience, and fulfillment.
Let The Professor’s Week in Review be your guide. Let this fall be the semester you show up more prepared, more peaceful, and more powerful.
Choose your journal format:
Let’s reflect our way to deeper competence—together.