Recently, I wrote about my conversation with Brian Tracy, a personal business hero who’s work on productivity I have followed for more than 20 years. Our conversation about the newly released 4th edition of his book, Eat That Frog! 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time, was so robust, that I had to share more with you!
A technique that particularly caught my attention is Brian’s daily goal-writing ritual. I’ll tell you more, but before I do, if you choose to join me, here’s what you’ll need to get started: A new spiralbound notebook and a pen. That’s all.
The rules are simple:
- Use a fresh page in your spiral each day.
- Never (and I mean NEVER) look back at previous days (only look forward).
- Each morning, spend 3-5 minutes listing 10 goals for the day.
- Write in present tense. For example, write “I earn,” not “I will earn.” “I accomplish,” not “I hope to accomplish.”
- Do this consistently, every single day.
“Everybody who does this doubles their income within a year,” Brian told me, referencing his executive coaching clients. “Sometimes they triple their income.”
You might be thinking, “handwriting?” Yes. Handwriting. It doesn’t matter what your handwriting looks like. It doesn’t matter that you generally tend to use a tablet, smartphone, or laptop to take notes. Brian insists on handwriting versus typing. Why? He says neuroscience provides the answer. “When you write, you engage in psycho-neuromotor activity which activates your entire brain, whereas typing does not.” University research confirms this—students who handwrite notes perform significantly better on exams than those who type. It turns out physical writing programs goals deeper into your mind, making them readily accessible, sometimes for life.
Brian went on to tell me about a Ukrainian client of his who exemplifies the power of this spiral notebook concept. Three years ago, she was earning the equivalent of $500 per month… struggling. After discovering Brian’s goal-setting exercise, the woman began the daily handwriting practice. The results: she built one of Europe’s most respected talk shows, lives in a beautiful home, and now earns $500,000 per month, a 1,000x improvement!
“I’m not saying everybody will earn $500,000 a month,” Brian clarified. “But what if you could double your income by writing down your goals each day?”
This isn’t magic; it’s compound growth. Becoming 2% better each month through consistent goal-setting creates 25% annual growth, which compounds exponentially. Brian’s own personal story proves this: starting at $14,000 annually, he reached $1.4 million within ten years using the principles he now teaches.
And, catch this: The principle requires no special software or complex systems. As a reminder, it takes only a spiral notebook, a pen, and about five minutes of daily discipline each morning.
I asked Brian, “What if it doesn’t work?” He told me that that was the wrong question. The right question is: “What if it does?” In our digitally distracted world, sometimes the most powerful tool is the simplest: pen, paper, and the discipline to write your way to success.
Happy Networking!
This strategy has been incredibly effective in my first month of my first job out of school. I highly recommend it to anyone. For me, it’s not about reaching 10 daily goals but rather making a list of my top priorities. There have been days where I have as few as four and as many as thirteen. These daily goals have helped me focus and identify what matters most in the day-to-day.