Squiggly Careers Podcast: Skills Sprint — How to Learn in Hard Moments (Without Spiralling)

Date: January 21, 2026
Hosts: Helen Tupper & Sarah Ellis
Episode Theme: Practical ways to learn and reflect during tough moments at work—without getting stuck in a spiral of overthinking or avoidance.

Episode Overview

Helen and Sarah lead listeners through practical strategies for effective learning while enduring hard moments at work, not just after the fact. They highlight the importance of active, in-the-moment reflection, introduce the "what worked well, even better if" (WWW/EBI) tool, and share personal anecdotes and actionable advice for different reflection styles. This episode forms part of their "Skills Sprint" series, designed to help listeners take fast, realistic steps towards building career resilience.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why Learning in Hard Moments Matters

• Helen and Sarah set the context with a metaphor: "Lobsters grow by shedding their shells. It's energy zapping—looks really hard when you watch the videos of lobsters shedding their shells... but they grow back bigger, better, stronger." (Sarah, 00:13)
• Most people find learning in hard moments is their biggest development gap, more so than leading their own learning (Sarah, 00:32).
• Reflect as you go, not just after, to avoid loss of learning due to recency bias—focusing only on recent or major incidents rather than the whole picture. (Helen & Sarah, 01:12)

2. Reflection Styles: Thinker vs. Doer

• Sarah identifies as a "thinker": overanalyzes, risks spiraling, and struggles to move forward in hard moments (Sarah, 02:20).
• Helen: "Well, I just don't do it, do I?... There is no reflection." (Helen, 03:03)
• Helen uses action as a distraction, skipping reflection to keep moving, which risks missing out on the learning (Helen, 03:10).
• Takeaway: Find a middle ground—a reflection tool that works whether you tend to overthink or avoid thinking altogether.

3. The 'What Worked Well, Even Better If' (WWW/EBI) Tool

• Described as a simple, memorable, flexible way to reflect—works for individuals and teams, and in both remote and in-person contexts (Sarah, 03:45).
• "It's easy to remember, it's easy to have a go at, it's hard to get wrong, which is good news." (Sarah, 03:47)

4. The 5-to-1 Formula: Applying WWW/EBI in Practice

• Introduced with a real scenario: Helen arrives late and frazzled to a key client meeting, technology fails, and she feels the day is a "disaster" (Helen, 05:08, 05:17).
• Helen's instinct: move on, don't dwell.
• Using the 5-to-1 formula (five things that went well, one 'even better if'), Helen acknowledges positives—good delivery, supportive follow-ups—even as she notes what could be improved, bringing balance and calm to what otherwise feels like a catastrophe (Helen & Sarah, 05:21–06:35).

5. WWW/EBI for Teams

• Use a shared digital channel (Teams, Slack, etc.) for collective reflection during projects or tough periods.
• Benefits: Inclusive, pressure-free brainstorming; avoids senior voices dominating; supports fast, written, informal participation (Sarah, 06:35–07:38).
• "There's some really good evidence around things like brainwriting, like giving people space to write things down first and then share. It's more inclusive." (Sarah, 07:04)

6. Applying WWW/EBI for Long-Haul Challenges

• Tackle ongoing tough situations (e.g., a difficult manager or a prolonged restructure) by reflecting on supportive people and progress made, not just frustrations (Helen, 07:52–08:50).
• Encourages identifying what is still in your control and reframing challenges into learning opportunities.

7. Why This Approach Works

• Creates momentum, helps you feel less ‘stuck’, and gives emotional and strategic perspective (Sarah, 08:50–09:35).
• "As soon as you do ‘what worked well, even better if’, it just creates a clarity and a calmness and puts you back in control." (Sarah, 09:32)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the difficulty of learning in the moment:
  "If you reflect after a hard moment, you forget a lot. You lose the learning, don't you? ... You tend to actually be reflecting on the last week, or just the really big things."
  —Sarah & Helen (01:12)

• On reflection styles:
  "I'm reflecting so much, and you're like, there's zero reflection."
  —Sarah to Helen (03:07)

• On application of the 5-to-1 Formula:
  "[The formula] is a forcing function for you to look for what went well first and then you can still do an even better if. But I think when you're just doing one, the inner critic is not in control."
  —Helen (05:22)

• Claudia Harris’ learning advice:
  "Seek out the hard, try hard things and take them on. Learning is a muscle. It takes commitment, willingness to be uncomfortable and willingness to fail hard."
  —Claudia Harris via Sarah (09:45)

Actionable Takeaways

• 24-Hour Action Challenge:
  Reflect on a recent hard moment. List five things that went well and one 'even better if.' Use the template provided in the daily email (10:04–10:36).
• Team Reflection:
  Try a written WWW/EBI session for inclusive, pressure-free learning.
• Long-Term Hard Moments:
  Use WWW/EBI to map progress and shift your sense of control, even during persistent challenges.

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:13 — Lobster metaphor & importance of hard moments
• 01:12 — Why reflecting as you go matters
• 02:20 — Thinker vs. doer reflection styles
• 03:45 — Intro to WWW/EBI reflection tool
• 04:31–06:35 — Helen’s personal example & the 5-to-1 formula
• 06:35–07:38 — WWW/EBI for team projects (written collaboration)
• 07:52–08:50 — Long-haul hard moments (manager, restructure)
• 08:50–09:35 — How the approach creates momentum & clarity
• 09:45–10:04 — Inspiring advice from Claudia Harris
• 10:04–10:36 — 24-hour action and wrap-up

Tone & Style

The conversation is supportive, practical, and candid, with the hosts sharing both vulnerabilities and straightforward tips. The mood is friendly, non-judgmental, and filled with stories that illustrate the value of reflecting as you go.

In Summary

Helen and Sarah demystify in-the-moment workplace learning, showing that effective reflection doesn't require intense navel-gazing nor should it be skipped in favor of ‘just keeping busy.’ Their simple tools—the WWW/EBI method and the 5-to-1 formula—let anyone transform hard experiences into positive learning and regain a sense of control.