A success diary is a powerful tool in your hands for achieving goals and overcoming difficulties. By recording your achievements and events that evoke positive emotions, you can speed up your progress towards your goals. Let's talk about how to properly keep a success diary, look at a few examples, and why everyone should make these entries.
What is a success diary
Many people note that their lives are filled with a variety of daily tasks. However, at the same time, they do not move anywhere, as if they freeze at one point without the slightest personal growth and progress. And all this happens because they are focusing on the wrong things. The human mind tends to concentrate and retain in memory negative events rather than positive ones.
Successful people have developed the habit of keeping a daily success diary - recording their achievements and positive situations. And all because they noticed: this activity consolidates and increases their achievements, helps them remember good events and pleasant moments. In difficult times, a diary of successes and achievements helps strengthen the spirit, analyze an unpleasant situation and find ways to resolve it.
The success diary is an ordinary notebook, notebook or diary (you can keep notes in electronic form). In it you note your successes at work or in school, positive emotions, compliments from friends and positive assessments from colleagues, pleasant meetings - that is, everything that lifts your spirits and brings you closer to achieving your goals.
Important! Learn to enjoy even small victories, and not just celebrate great achievements. Happiness is built from small joys. Small victories are the building blocks of great success.
Make it a rule to make at least 5 entries daily. Write down all the positive things your day has brought you: you read a book, went to the park with your children, did morning exercises (or went for a run), refused a portion of fast food, etc. Record everything you have done to become better, feel healthier and more successful.
On the pages of the diary you can write down motivational phrases, affirmations, quotes from famous people, and your revelations. This will prevent them from leaking out of your consciousness and will keep you on the right wavelength.
Finding inspiring moments to write down in your success journal is not difficult. But many people abandon this activity, believing that it does not make sense or they do not have time for it. “Everything that is ingenious is simple, and everything that is simple is brilliant.” Don't be fooled by the simplicity of the activity, there are many benefits to keeping a success diary.
What should be done
“By getting into the habit of writing down the six most important things you want to do the next day at the end of each day, you have a powerful tool for success at your disposal.”
Tom Hopkins.
Every evening, you sit down and write down all the things you want to do tomorrow. Determine the order in which things need to be done and tie them to time.
This section in my diary migrated from a regular organizer, and the story of how I came to write down upcoming tasks is as follows...
Autumn 1998. We rush to the neighboring city, located 120 km from us. The silver “OPEL” flies, rustling its wheels, and “Cocoa – cocoa – oh – oh – oh – oh...” thunders in the speakers. And everything would be fine if it weren’t for the business meeting I missed yesterday. We simply forgot about it, because there was a lot of work at the start of a new business (regional advertising and information newspaper). And this was the second puncture in the last week. The company's image had deteriorated, and it was necessary to urgently come up with something so that these failures would not be repeated in the future.
In the evening, over a cup of tea, we decided “what can be done to prevent such mistakes.” Tamara, the wife of one of us (business organizers), suggested a simple thing: “You write down what needs to be done.” The idea turned out to be simple, but at the same time very effective, we armed ourselves with organizers and began to keep notes - planning tasks for the month, week and every day.
The results of using such recordings exceeded all expectations - we became more organized, confident, efficient and more competent as businessmen. And if at the beginning we only reacted to constantly emerging problems, then with planning we began to anticipate and control the business. Since then, the “travel notebook” has been with me every day.
I noticed that some of the planned things are done as if on the way, without additional time and effort. What’s also interesting is that along with the bustle and uncertainty, anxiety disappears, and they are replaced by calmness, a sense of control, confidence and enthusiasm.
Somewhat later, I found confirmation of the effectiveness of this technique from many famous teachers. Here's what true masters of their craft, businessmen, scientists, authors and lecturers who have received worldwide recognition and specialize in achieving personal, professional and financial success think about creating a “to-do list”:
Tom Hopkins . In the book “How to Become a Master Salesman,” Tom writes: “Very few people—not more than one person in a hundred—engage in daily planning for tomorrow in order to achieve success. You have the opportunity to enter this percentage of the most intelligent applicants for success if you start using our magical technique today.”
This is followed by the following recommendations: “A professional must keep either a diary or a journal in which he notes the number of calls made to various categories of clients; time; spent on finding new buyers; the daily number of hours spent with those who can buy the product that the professional is selling.” Tom recommends using these records to analyze the current state of affairs and make decisions to improve performance results.
Tom emphasizes the importance of note-taking and once again advises: “Build time in your schedule to write down everything you do and feel, including quick notes on all aspects of your life. Keep your notes, and you will be able to analyze and find out what really helps you in your work, and what is useless for you personally.”
Robert Kiyosaki : “In my experience, the secret to doing more and doing better is to make a “To Do” list every day, keep it in front of your eyes, and use it as a guide as you walk through the day. Since the To Do list is an essential tool for helping you manage your time, let's take a closer look at it. It is extremely simple: its title is “What needs to be done,” then a list of various things that you are going to do.
Handling it is also not difficult: cross out the tasks you have completed, add new tasks if necessary, rewrite it again at the end of the day or earlier if it becomes difficult to read.
Save your lists. To do this, it is better to keep them together and not write on scattered pieces of paper that get lost. It may be better for you to write them down in one notebook, or keep these lists in a special folder.
Another important secret for handling such a list is to analyze the accumulated entries and deletions on a weekly basis.”
Brian Tracy : “Make your to-do list the night before, at the end of the work day. Include in it everything that you did not manage to complete during the current day, as well as the things you plan for tomorrow. By compiling such a list in this way, you can be sure that it will be assimilated by your subconscious throughout the night's sleep. The consequence of this is often that you wake up with big ideas that, as it turns out, can be successfully applied to your work, increasing the speed and quality of the tasks performed.”
According to Tracy, this process of planning leads to the following results: “By planning each day in advance, you will find that it is easier for you to both get started and keep it going. Things are going smoother than before. You feel more confident, and the knowledge of your own competence gives you satisfaction. Over time, you come to the conclusion that nothing can stop you.”
Every respected and authoritative leader I have seen has the habit of keeping a “diary”. Many of the successful businessmen and directors I know systematically “cultivate” and “introduce” the habit of keeping a “diary” to their employees. Basic management issues: planning, organization and control are carried out more effectively in “written form”.
Another interesting point. Even in conversations with retirees and grandparents, I noticed that those who are leaders of the family plan their next day, usually this happens before bed and in their minds.
The "What to do" method works really well. I strongly recommend - make it a part of yourself to plan tomorrow, you will feel the results today.
Conduct an experiment, try everything yourself. Before you go to bed today, make a “To Do” list for tomorrow. In the morning, if necessary, make additional adjustments to your list. Realize your plans and make a new list!
Benefits of Keeping a Success Diary
By filling out a success diary every day, you will quietly develop a lot of useful qualities that distinguish a successful, harmonious and happy person:
- The ability to think positively is a very valuable skill. Positive thoughts will displace negative ones and erase destructive attitudes that could have been embedded in the subconscious in childhood. This will not only lead to the fact that negative moments will disappear from your life, you will begin to feel more confident and filled with happiness.
- Confidence and self-esteem comes with the awareness of your success. Increasing self-esteem is necessary, since most people have incorrect attitudes about themselves and their abilities. Particularly destructive to a person is grief over one’s insignificant (from a subjective point of view) successes compared to others. A success diary will help you get rid of the bad habit of comparing yourself to others and teach you to concentrate on the steps to achieve your goals.
- Internal motivation is the most stable force that can move us towards the realization of desires. Inspiration cannot be constant; sooner or later it evaporates and then the moment of decline occurs. When despondency, apathy sets in and the desire to do anything disappears, your entries in your success diary awaken internal motivation. You will realize how far you have already come, and you will have the strength to move on.
- High self-esteem, self-respect, the presence of internal motivation - all these new qualities change you as a person and correct your worldview. You have a different attitude towards life, your surroundings, the events that happen to you. Look at all situations through the prism of positive emotions and expectations. Even in failures you see opportunities for growth. This helps us move forward where we previously gave up or gave up. As a result, you become a winner. Now you control the circumstances, and not they control you.
- Keeping a journal of successes and achievements, in which you focus exclusively on your strengths, achievements, skills and abilities, helps to attract even more successes and successful accomplishments to you. After all, we attract what we focus on.
Recording Success: A Practical Exercise
How to start keeping a success diary? Write down your first 10 merits (skills, skills, talents) that you think will help you achieve your goals. Here are some examples of positive statements depending on your goals:
- If you want to get a highly paid job, list your qualities and skills in your diary: “I communicate well with people,” “I am an attentive listener,” “I am committed, executive and organized,” “I always do more than is expected of me,” “I have excellent persuasion skills,” “I dress stylishly and look attractive,” etc.
- If you're looking to get into a relationship or start a family, write down all your talents: “I'm confident and always make a positive impression,” “I'm caring and considerate,” “I have a great sense of humor,” “People enjoy hanging out with me.” , “I am an excellent housewife”, “People around me are crazy about my charisma”, “My last boyfriend always said that I have very beautiful and expressive eyes”, “Girls always say that I have an athletic figure and an attractive nature”, etc. .d.
You will always find something to praise yourself for. Look at yourself in the mirror without focusing on what you don't like about your appearance. Find what you like. Remember the compliments of friends and colleagues. Praise from partners and bosses. Without hesitation, acknowledge your merits and write them down on paper.
A consistent self-development plan
Reading self-development books
The first place I would recommend starting self-development is by reading books.
Read also:
TOP 28: List of books for self-development | The best in recent years
At one time I started reading books and then stopped. I read classics like Stephen King and didn’t even think that there were more useful books. Books that develop you.
And then I learned about the work of Napoleon Hill - “The Law of Success.” It was with him that my self-development began.
I read in a book that in order to achieve success, you first need to set a goal. This is actually what the next point will be about.
Setting goals
Setting a goal means identifying the reason why you live.
The main requirement is to clearly formulate what you want to achieve. Imagine meeting your future self. Now ask this person (yourself) the following questions:
- What does he do?
- Where does he live?
- Notice what he's wearing.
- What is his posture and gait?
Approximate goal setting
When setting a goal, follow these rules:
- The goal should not be general and superficial.
- Set realistically achievable goals.
- Write your goals down on paper.
- Set goals for 5 years, a year, a month, a week and a day.
Planning
Now it's time to plan.
Read also:
To live according to a plan or without: why is it better to plan?
The goal you have set is the final point. A plan will help you get there.
The task is to split the main goal into several small ones. And achieve each one in turn.
I have a visual planning scheme:
PS My goal is to move to another city.
Scheme on which the move is planned
Planning your day
Equally important is how you plan your day. After all, if you have a plan for the year, but no plan for the day, then you are unlikely to achieve your goal.
Give this 15 minutes in the morning or evening. Write a to-do list for today and get started.
Example of plans and goals for the day
Developing self-discipline
Self-development cannot do without self-discipline. And in general, everything that I described above will not last long without discipline.
Self-development means working hard on yourself every day. If you give up, you can lose a lot. Therefore, I advise you to read my article on the topic of self-discipline: “How to develop discipline and willpower in yourself: 11 ways + 5 books for developing discipline.”
5. Finding a hobby
Hobbies are a great way to take your mind off constant self-improvement. You can find a hobby that combines business with pleasure. Here is a list of things to do that serve as relaxation and development at the same time:
- Reading
- Learning foreign languages
- Biking
- Collecting
- Writing, etc.
In general, do whatever you like.
Financial literacy
Don't forget about financial education. Dedicate the same amount of time to it as to your basic education.
Read also:
What is the secret of the rich? 8 Truths That Make Millions
The most accessible way to gain knowledge about money is to read books about finance. Here is a list of books you should read first:
- "The Richest Man in Babylon" - George Samuel Clason
- "Think and Grow Rich" - Napoleon Hill
- "Rich Dad Poor Dad" - Robert Kiyosaki
- “Cash Flow Quadrant” – Robert Kiyosaki
You can do basic things like:
- Keep records of income and expenses. Let's talk about this in more detail later.
- Save some money.
Even with these things, you will know your financial situation exactly and will surely increase your profits.
Read also:
How to make money on the Internet for a beginner from scratch [2020] with / and without investments + 13 best ways
Health, sports, nutrition
Spend at least 30 minutes a day on sports and within a couple of weeks you will feel better. To this it is also worth adding proper nutrition. Just give up flour and sweets, that's enough.
Mastering communication skills
The ability to communicate with people, build relationships and maintain a conversation is a very important component in modern society. Despite this, schools and universities do not teach such skills. Therefore, all we can do is read the most popular book on relationships with people - “How to Win Friends and Influence People.”
The author's main tips:
- Show genuine interest in people.
- Don't argue.
- Praise more.
- Address people by name.
- Talk about topics that are interesting to your interlocutor.
Why is it effective?
Even the smallest achievements in your opinion activate the part of the brain that is responsible for reward. At this moment, the body begins to release chemical compounds - hormones, which give us feelings of happiness and pride in ourselves.
What happens if you record your achievements every day?
By writing down your progress every day, you'll begin to notice all the positive things that don't usually stick in your mind. One of the qualities of human thinking is focusing on the negative. We tend to mentally replay unpleasant memories in our heads over and over again. But reconfiguring your thinking and constantly searching for the positive will reveal to you that life, it turns out, has more positive moments.
By writing down everything, even the most insignificant achievements, you will raise your self-esteem and learn to find positive things even in mistakes and troubles. After all, thanks to failures we gain invaluable experience.
Evaluation and analysis of results
“Study your experience, remember what is useful, discard what is unnecessary and try to find your own path...”
Joe Weider.
This section of the diary is important and extremely useful, just like the previous two sections. In it you analyze the results achieved (debriefing). I divided the third section into two subsections. The first is “Success Stories”. The second is “Failures”. We can use any experience to grow and move forward.
The mathematician, mystic and philosopher of ancient Greece Pythagoras gives interesting advice on self-improvement to his students:
1. “Before you get up from the sweet dreams evoked at night, think about what the day has in store for you.” (This idea is reflected in the first part of the proposed diary system.)
2. When the disciples of Pythagoras were preparing for bed, they had to ask themselves the following questions: “What have I done today? What didn't I do? What actions deserve condemnation? How should we rejoice? And what is left for me? (We will deal with these questions in the third part of the diary).
An interesting historical fact - Cicero, Julius Caesar, Leonardo da Vinci, Napoleon and many other famous personalities of the past admitted that they were familiar with the teachings of Pythagoras and actively used them in life. Why don't we try it?
I can hear someone already saying: “But I don’t want to be Napoleon or Caesar” - and there’s no need! Be yourself! It's about maximizing the potential of your mind. And with its help you can get any things and circumstances that you want. Let's continue...
Success stories. What did I do today? What actions should you be happy about?
“Learn to count your successes and victories more often than your failures and problems, and let them dominate your thoughts.
If you find it difficult to do this, write down a list of your victories on paper and re-read it every time you start to worry.” Napoleon Hill.
By recording the successes achieved during the day, you thereby raise your self-esteem, you see that you are actually moving step by step in your main goal. This process adds to your self-confidence in your own abilities, your enthusiasm and motivation grow. The process of recording your successes gives you the energy you need to take the next steps towards achieving your chosen goals.
Very often I met people (and I was like that myself) who quickly caught fire, setting themselves any goal, but very little time passed, and the fire of desire died out, the process of change stopped. Writing down positive results is a way to maintain ongoing motivation (motivation to take action). When you see that every day you are moving closer and closer towards your desired goal - believe me, it inspires!
A little trick. You can use special marks before the start of the “success” line (pluses, checkmarks, asterisks). Such a list looks more attractive and is easier to perceive when read again. Personally, I use asterisks. This helps me once again remind my brain that each of my successes is the result of actions according to the success system consisting of five main elements: goal, faith, plan, action, result.
Examples of positive results records:
* Successfully completed the planned meeting.
I prepared well, planned the conversation, “rehearsed” it in my head. Do the same in the future.
* An idea was born!
Yesterday I used the “Concentration” method. It’s strange, but the idea came today – in the toilet. In the future, don’t panic and don’t rush things, trust your mind, let the idea “mature”. Maybe thoughts and incoming information, like food, must first be digested, and then... be born!
