Are you making progress or just staying busy? This diagnostic helps you distinguish between Forward Moves (actions that create genuine momentum) and Lateral Moves (activities that keep you busy without meaningful advancement).

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Use this diagnostic whenever you need to evaluate potential actions or feel stuck despite working hard. Complete each section to gain clarity on which tasks will move your business forward versus those that just keep you busy.

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Part 1: Action Evaluation

Complete for each action or task you're considering.

Action/Task Being Evaluated:

Quick Assessment: Answer YES or NO to each question:

Forward Move Indicators

1. Does this action directly strengthen or build upon what's already working?
   • [ ] Yes
   • [ ] No
2. Will this solve a specific problem that's currently blocking progress?
   • [ ] Yes
   • [ ] No
3. Does this align with your core business model and positioning?
   • [ ] Yes
   • [ ] No
4. Can you measure the impact of this action in concrete terms?
   • [ ] Yes
   • [ ] No
5. Is this addressing a critical gap rather than an optimization?
   • [ ] Yes
   • [ ] No

Lateral Move Warning Signs

1. Are you starting something new before mastering what you've begun?
   • [ ] Yes
   • [ ] No
2. Is this primarily motivated by what others are doing?
   • [ ] Yes
   • [ ] No
3. Does this feel like a distraction from more fundamental issues?
   • [ ] Yes
   • [ ] No
4. Would you struggle to explain how this specifically drives results?
   • [ ] Yes
   • [ ] No
5. Are you choosing this because it feels easier than a harder priority?
   • [ ] Yes
   • [ ] No

Scoring