So far my experiences of lucid dreaming comes mostly from WILDs and therefor don't involve too much focus on my typical dream content. I haven't actually found any specific dream signs to use for recognition of the dream state (yet), and I guess that becomes less important when you're focusing on falling asleep consciously.

But I want to improve my ability to launch MILDs so my question is: how effective is habitual reality checking (making it a routine to perform reality checks in waking life without any prior sensory experience, just by remembering to do so) compared to actually finding experiences that are common in the personal dream state and having that experience making you do your reality check?

It feels like habitual reality checks is like a quick route to lucidity, lucidity for dummies if you will, and if it isn't an effective way of sparking lucid dreams I'd like to know so that I can stop doing it. You look kind of silly when carefully (manically) counting your fingers at random moments during your waking life.