tomorrow: top 5 actions

prioritized for immediate impact. do these before anything else.

1. add file references to every thread opener

why: +25pp success rate. strongest single predictor in the dataset.

how: start threads with @path/to/file.ts instead of abstract descriptions.

• bad: “the auth system needs work”
• good: “@src/auth/login.ts needs error handling for expired tokens”

time: 0 minutes — just do it.

2. add confirmation gates to AGENTS.md

why: 47% of your steerings are “no…” and “wait…” — most correct premature agent action.

copy-paste this:

## confirmation gates

confirm with user before:
- running full test suites or benchmarks
- pushing code or making commits
- modifying files outside explicitly mentioned scope
- making architectural decisions

ask: "ready to run the tests?" rather than "running the tests now..."

time: 2 minutes.

3. schedule implementation work for 14:00-17:00

why: your evening sessions (19:00-22:00) have 20% resolution. afternoon peaks at 60%.

action plan:

• block 14:00-17:00 tomorrow for critical implementation
• evening = exploration, reading, handoff setup only
• if something must happen at night, make it research threads

time: 5 minutes calendar adjustment.

4. commit to 25+ turns before bailing

why: 54.6% of your threads die before turn 15. those resolve at 14%. threads at 26-50 turns resolve at 75%.

practical rule: before opening a thread, ask “will i stay 15+ turns?” if no, batch it with other tasks or don’t start.

minimum commitment: 25 turns for implementation work, 15 for exploration.

time: behavioral — no setup.

5. explicit approvals every 5 messages

why: your 0.55 approvals/thread vs 1.54 for power users. approval starvation causes agent drift.

action: after correct work, say “good” / “continue” / “ship it”. literally those words.

target: 1 approval per 5 agent messages. 2:1 approval:steering ratio.

time: behavioral — no setup.

verification

after implementing, track these metrics for one week:

compiled from 4,656 thread analysis | 2026-01-09