I am a big fan of Jim Rohn and Tony Robbins. One of the things that they both share in common is the habit of maintaining a journal. And what is the purpose of writing a journal? To jot down the lessons that life has taught you and how you contributed to your day. That’s why. As it’s said, ‘If life is worth living, then it’s worth recording’. But one of the more common challenges that people face is about what to write in the journal. I have been a victim of this disease, until recently. I learnt this very valuable lesson from Tony Robbins, which I am about to share with you.

There are 3 questions that you have to ask yourself before you retire for the day. And the answers to these 3 questions have to be written down in your journal as entries. Here they are:

Q#1: What have I given today?

In what way have you been a giver today? You may have heard the popular saying, ‘What goes around, comes around’. Every successful person on this planet has achieved great many things because they are go-givers, rather than go-getters. It’s always Give and Take, not Take and Give.

The answer can be something of significance (a major act of kindness, trained somebody, etc.) or something trivial (appreciated a colleague for a job well-done, shared pleasantries with a long lost friend, etc.).

The more answers you find to this question, the more returns are on it’s way to you.

Q#2: What did I learn today?

There are 3 kinds of students: Part-Time, Full-Time and Eternal. Which one of these are you? One of the prerequisites to being successful is to be an Eternal student. Learning is lifelong, and not just at some university.

Jot down what comes to your mind; it can be significant (like a course you attended, or training, from a book, etc.) or trivial (like a new technique you discovered, your colleague is a new parent, etc.)

More the answers to this question, more keen your observation skills.

Q#3: How has today added to the quality of my life?

Everyday that you live should be unique in some way or the other. It’s what Jim Rohn keeps reminding us about living an exceptional life. It’s about designing a worthy lifestyle.

The answer to this question could be something significant (like taking your date out for a wonderful dinner, went for a concert) or something trivial (buying a new pair of cuff links).

The more you can add to this, the more it shows on how well you are designing your life.

I call the above ‘Power Debriefing’. It’s one of the best ways to get the most out of your life.

Take care and God Bless.