When this happens, how much does it change what you do next: A bug assigned to you feels like a bad mark, even when the fix was outside your control.

It does not change my next move

SCRIPT CHECK · 60 SECONDS

“My bug count is my report card”

See what this thought is changing.

Five quick questions show how often it appears, how believable it feels, and what it makes you avoid. You’ll get one private next step.

5 questions · about 1 minute · no account needed

What this self-check measures

This is not a diagnosis and there is no pass or fail. It measures the current frequency, credibility, and behavioral cost of “My bug count is my report card”, including the private rule underneath it: If my name appears on a bug or incident, I must treat it as a permanent score on my ability. The safest way to avoid being judged is to have fewer mistakes than everyone else, even if that means avoiding work that matters or staying close…

See all result bands

QUIET

Quiet signal

“My bug count is my report card” appears, but it rarely gets the final say. Keep this line available for higher-pressure moments: “This bug is about the system and the code path, not my worth.”

PRESENT

Present in the background

“My bug count is my report card” wins some small decisions before you catch it. Your useful interruption is: “My name on the ticket is context, not a final grade.”

ACTIVE

Active pattern

“My bug count is my report card” is shaping action often enough to deserve a deliberate counterexample. Start privately and concretely: Open a blank note and make two columns: “code behavior” and “self story.” Copy one recent bug into the first column and write the judging thought in the second, then close the note without changing anything else.

DOMINANT

Getting the final word

Right now, “My bug count is my report card” is steering many of the moments you measured. That is a pattern reading, not a diagnosis or character verdict. Begin with one reversible receipt: Open a blank note and make two columns: “code behavior” and “self story.” Copy one recent bug into the first column and write the judging thought in the second, then close the note without changing anything else.