Why Building a Habit of Reflection is Important

Studies show that people who regularly reflect are not only happier but also more productive.

Personal development isn’t about checking boxes—it’s about lifelong growth, understanding yourself, and building the skills that shape your future. By building a habit of regular reflection, you can navigate university life more effectively, manage stress, and gain clarity on your next steps.

The Reflective Development Cycle is here to guide you through this process. It should help you understand where you are in your inner development and what might help you move forward—for example, do you need to understand your strengths better, or is it time to get feedback from peers? Knowing where you stand and what you need will empower you to take intentional steps toward growth.

⚠️ Heads up: This process isn’t linear, and you’re never truly “done.” Growth happens in cycles, and each pass makes you stronger, more resilient, and better equipped for what lies ahead.

The Reflective Development Cycle

1. 🌍 Self-assessment
Take a step back. Map out your competences, beliefs, and values to better understand where you stand.

2. 🎯 Personal goals
What’s your vision? Define meaningful goals for your life and the skills you want to build.

3. 💭 Guided reflection
Dive deep. Learn from your experiences with intentional self-reflection.

4. 🗣️ External input
Feedback matters. Seek input from peers, mentors, and lecturers to broaden your perspective.

5. 📚 Know-how
Access tools and knowledge to level up your metacognition and competences.

6. 🔄 Practice
Try, fail, and try again. Experiment and practice intentionally to build your toolkit.

7. ➡️ Next iteration
Reflect on your progress and prepare for the next stage of your journey.

Remember

Personal development is about building your future, one step at a time. Let the cycle guide you as you grow—Rflect is here to support every step of the way.

About Rflect

We started Rflect because we believe that inner development is key to achieving sustainable development, and that students genuinely deserve better. Simply put, we are convinced that more reflection leads to better outcomes for both people and the planet. Our mission is to enable universities to equip their students with a lifelong habit of inner development. We understand this goal is ambitious, and we take pride in that ambition. Our motivation comes from the vision of bringing inner development to 200 million tertiary students worldwide and supporting universities in redefining their pivotal role in society. Rflect is an early stage edtech startup in Switzerland and is enabled by the Migros Pioneer Fund. Learn more: rflect.ch .

Imprint

This blog was written by Ella from the Rflect team. Have questions? Get in touch: info@rflect.ch