The Identity Cycle
One practice, three stages — declare who you are, check in twice a year, and mark how far you’ve moved.
“I am a Professional Services Firm of One. Every interaction is a client engagement.” The proof of growth is already on the page above it.
When to use it
- Baseline: once, early in your practice
- Pulse: every six months, as a standing check-in
- Refresh: annually, or after a major role change
What it gives you
- One place instead of three separate worksheets — it replaces the One-Page Brand Manifesto, the Progress Pulse Self-Check and the Year-One Manifesto Refresh
- A running record you compare against, not a blank page each time
- Refresh reads directly off what you wrote at Baseline and Pulse
Altitude tip
Who are you communicating with?
Pick an audience to see how this tool changes for them.
How to run it — The three stages
- 01
Baseline
Three declarations: who you are, what people notice, the value you create.
Once, early
- 02
Pulse
Rate six dimensions 1–5. Compare against your last pass, not a perfect score.
Every 6 months
- 03
Refresh
What’s changed since Baseline? Set one commitment for what’s next.
Annually
- 04
Keep the page
Never start a fresh sheet — the accumulation is the point.
Ongoing
The trap
Treating this as three separate forms instead of one page that accumulates. The value is in seeing this quarter’s Pulse sitting right below the Baseline you wrote a year ago.