The “3 Things You Did Well Today” Challenge
One of the challenges we all face is the human tendency for negative bias. My life has improved significantly since taking this challenge — and since not taking myself too seriously. To post a picture like that as a “professional”… ouch, as if! But you’re not reading this because you want perfect. You’re reading this to hopefully access a different part of yourself that you aren’t currently reaching — and here is a little tool to do it.
You’re already hard enough on yourself
The image of the “bully” style PT — yelling, cursing and shaming people through a workout — is one we do our best to change in our environment. The reality is, most of us are good enough at doing that to ourselves.
It makes the session far less enjoyable. Rather than excitedly anticipating your next session to see how you’ve improved, that style of exercise usually brings anxiety about “what the hell are they going to do to me next?”
I remember training an ex-contestant of The Biggest Loser, and that “last chance” workout speaks right to that same anxiety and negative bias. The internal voice of doubt grows and grows — and we end up training the very thing we didn’t want to strengthen in the first place.
The challenge: build, don’t break
So in the spirit of building you, not breaking you, here’s a challenge. For the next week, at the end of each day — instead of counting your calories or doing the “good food / bad food” calculations — write down three things you did well that day.
Today I did well at:
1. ________________________________
2. ________________________________
3. ________________________________
They don’t have to be anything record-breaking. It might just be turning up to work when you didn’t feel like it. Don’t underestimate how hard this is. Challenging yourself to think of your day, your actions — and ultimately yourself — in a more positive light gives you the chance to access something you didn’t realise was within you.
Cheers to your top three today. (Here’s a freebie: getting to the end of this.)
Key takeaway
We’re wired for negative bias, and most of us are harder on ourselves than any bully could be. For one week, swap the calorie counting and the “good/bad food” scorekeeping for three things you did well each day. They don’t need to be big — just true. It’s a small shift that opens up a part of yourself you didn’t know was there.
Yours in Health,
Sean Cornish
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