First Move Planner Worksheet
This worksheet defines your first 30-day execution experiment.
It is the entry point for Phase 4 and the companion document to your
One-Page Decision Worksheet.
Complete this before you begin executing. A defined experiment produces
interpretable signal. Undefined activity produces noise.
First Rational Move | Failure Signals
The Experiment
Business model being tested:
Start date:
Duration: 30 days
The hypothesis -- one sentence:
(What specifically are you testing? State it as a structural claim, not an aspiration.)
(Example: "I can generate two qualified client inquiries per week using direct outreach
within my existing network, without violating my 10-hour time ceiling.")
How you will test it:
(The specific action that produces signal. Be concrete.)
What success looks like at day 30:
(Measurable. Not "I feel good about the direction.")
What failure looks like at day 30:
(Structural signal, not emotional discomfort. What would tell you the model
cannot be sustained or is not producing market response?)
Resources Required
Weekly time commitment:
| Week | Hours Planned |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | |
| Week 2 | |
| Week 3 | |
| Week 4 |
Capital required:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Setup costs | $ |
| Ongoing costs (monthly) | $ |
| Total budget for 30 days | $ |
Skills or tools needed that you do not currently have:
Risk Floor
Worst-case outcome if this experiment fails:
Can you absorb that outcome without structural damage? Yes / No
If No, the experiment is outside your risk tolerance. Redesign before proceeding.
What would force you to stop before day 30?
(Define this in advance. Stopping mid-experiment without a pre-defined trigger
is emotional, not structural.)
Exposure Threshold
Before interpreting results, confirm you have reached minimum signal conditions.
Minimum qualified exposure target:
(How many qualified prospects, readers, or users need to see the offer
before absence of response is meaningful? The baseline from the framework is 20--30.)
How you will track exposure:
Rational Adjustment Order
If results are weak, work through this sequence before considering structural change.
Do not skip steps. Do not jump to pricing or pivot before exhausting earlier steps.
| Step | What to Adjust | Completed? |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Volume | Increase qualified exposure | |
| 2. Clarity | Sharpen problem definition and value proposition | |
| 3. Targeting | Narrow the audience segment | |
| 4. Offer Positioning | Reframe around outcome, tighten scope | |
| 5. Pricing | Adjust last, after all other variables are tested |
Structural change is only appropriate after all five steps have been tested
without producing meaningful signal.
30-Day Review Criteria
At the end of the experiment, answer these questions before making any decisions:
- Did exposure reach the minimum threshold?
- Was execution consistent week over week?
- Did energy cost stay within constraint?
- What signal -- positive or negative -- was produced?
- Was the discomfort encountered friction (decreasing) or resistance (compounding)?
Decision options at day 30:
- Continue -- signal is positive, model is operating within constraints
- Adjust -- signal is mixed, apply the Rational Adjustment Order
- Pivot -- structural failure confirmed, return to Phase 2
- Stop -- model proved unsustainable, eliminate and choose a different direction
Date for 30-day review: ___
Proceed to 30-Day Experiment Log
Return to First Rational Move