Context Retrieval — Decision Checklist

You know the feeling: you build something awesome, ship it, and realize it was the wrong priority. Or you repeat a mistake from last week because you forgot about it.

Context Retrieval is a 5-question pre-flight checklist you run before significant work:

1. What do I already know about this?
2. What assumptions am I making?
3. What failed last time?
4. Is this actually the top priority?
5. Does this advance our current phase?

Takes 2 minutes. Prevents hours of wasted work. Stops productive procrastination dead.

This skill pays for itself on the first task.