Creating Your First Protocol
Creating Your First Protocol
Open the Strategy tab, describe your goal to the Coach, and negotiate a protocol you can commit to.
The Creation Flow
All protocols are created through a guided conversation with the Coach. There is no manual creation form — the Coach helps you translate a goal into specific, verifiable rules.
Step 1: Describe your goal. Open the Strategy tab and tell the Coach what you want to accomplish in plain language. “I want to commit to sleeping 7+ hours every night for the next two weeks” works. So does “Help me stay under 2,000 calories for a month” or “I need a protocol for my physical therapy exercises.”
Step 2: Negotiate. The Coach proposes a protocol with specific rules, a duration, and a start date. This happens in a chat interface where the Coach may ask clarifying questions — these appear as cards above the text input. You can push back: “Make it 6.5 hours instead,” “Add a step count rule too,” or “Start next Monday.” The Coach adjusts its proposal based on your feedback.
Step 3: Review rules. Once negotiation is complete, you see each proposed rule individually. You can accept or reject rules one at a time. A protocol needs at least one rule to proceed.
Step 4: Set dates. Choose your start and end dates. Duration is calculated automatically from the dates you select — there are no preset options. You pick the exact range that works for you.
Step 5: Confirm and activate. Review the final protocol summary and activate it. If you are not ready to commit, you can save it as a draft and activate later.
The Structure of a Protocol
Every protocol has:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Title | A short name for the protocol (e.g., “Sleep Commitment”) |
| Rules | One or more measurable behaviors — the core of the contract |
| Start date | When the protocol begins |
| End date | When the protocol ends |
| Duration | Calculated from your dates |
| Skip budget | Calculated automatically (~10% of duration) |
Rules are the substance. Each rule defines one behavior that can be evaluated daily. A protocol can have multiple rules — for example, “Sleep 7+ hours” and “Meditate daily” in the same protocol. A day passes only when all rules in the protocol are satisfied.
Rules come in two types: hard facts (auto-verified from your data) and attestations (self-reported). The distinction matters — see Protocol Rules: Hard Facts vs. Attestations.
Limits and Constraints
Maximum 3 active protocols. If you already have 3 active protocols, you must wait for one to end or retire it before creating a new one. The system enforces this before the Coach even begins negotiating, so you will not waste time on a protocol you cannot activate.
Skip budget is automatic. The budget is calculated from your protocol duration: roughly 10% of the total days, rounded down. A 7-day protocol gets 0 skips. A 14-day protocol gets 1. A 30-day protocol gets 3.
Maximum 3 consecutive skip days. Regardless of your remaining skip budget, you cannot skip more than 3 days in a row. The fourth day must be a pass, fail, or void.
Start date cannot be in the past. Protocols are forward-looking commitments.
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