This simple daily journal helps you keep track of your
progress, gratitude, and focus.The 3 questions are:
- What did I get done today?
- What am I grateful for?
- How will I win tomorrow?
They’re intentionally open-ended, but also backed by research to help you be more effective in your work and fulfilled in your life.
Why Progress?
Author Jeff Olson defines success as
“the progressive realization of a worthy ideal.”The “progressive realization” part is key; success is a cumulative, consistent process, not an overnight lucky break.
To me, progress means forward motion, or actively taking the steps to improve each day. It’s one thing we can control.
And progress is universal; everyone can make progress toward their goals in some meaningful way, however small the steps may seem.
It turns out I’m not alone either. We’re wired to seek progress; psychologists have found it to be a key factor in our overall happiness.
Even Tony Robbins calls it the “1-word secret to happiness,” telling CNBC, "I always tell people if you want to know the secret to happiness, I can give it to you in one word: progress."
Why Gratitude?
It’s easy to get caught up in all the things you have to do and all the problems that need solving.
But taking a moment to reflect on what you’re thankful for is a helpful re-frame. The world’s not all bad. Even on the worst days, we all have something to be grateful for.
And it’s not a waste of time, either. Leading positive psychology researchers have found that people who keep a gratitude journal actually become happier than those who don’t.
Practice noticing the positive.
Why Focus?
I’ve interviewed over 500 successful entrepreneurs on The Side Hustle Show.
One of the common threads is these business owners don’t leave their schedules up to chance. Instead, they plan out their top priorities ahead of time, and take action.
John Lee Dumas called it “winning tomorrow today.”
Itemizing out your next-day priorities lets you start you day in proactive made, instead of reacting to someone else’s agenda. It helps you make progress toward your goals, instead of putting out fires.
My recommendation? Write down 1-3 things that will feel good to accomplish.
Taking the time to write down how you’ll “win tomorrow” makes those tasks real and sets yourself up for success.
The Process
Answering these questions nightly isn’t a huge time commitment or massive lifestyle shift. In fact, using this journal should take
less than 5 minutes a day.And based on my experience and interviews with hundreds of successful entrepreneurs, it’s 5 minutes well spent.
My Guarantee
If you follow the guidelines and prompts in this journal, I guarantee you’ll feel more satisfied and productive with your work after just 28 days.
