I first heard of this challenge from Alex Banayan, the author of The Third Door. I was intrigued by the questions and decided to commit to doing this exercise for 30 days straight.

I’ve always been a fan of journaling, but I’ve never done it for such a long time without skipping a day. I was serious about getting the most from these exercises, and trust me when I say — I did!

Before we get into the challenge and what it is exactly you need to do, I want to stress how important it is that you do this for 30 days consistently. 

If you’re serious about getting the most out of this challenge, be consistent and committed!

ALEX BANAYAN’S 30 DAY CHALLENGE

The rules are simple.

1. Answer 3 questions every day for 30 days, at the end of each day.

2. Do it pen to paper — not on your phone or tablet or computer.

3. Don’t skip a day. If you skip a day, start from the beginning. (I know it sucks, but trust me on this one.)

To not forget to do the exercise, I always put my notebook on my pillow, so if I’m getting ready for bed and I haven’t done the exercise yet — I’m reminded to do it!

It’s easy to forget if your notebook is hidden away somewhere in a drawer. Place it in a visible place that you’re reminded each night to do your journaling!

The Questions.

These are the 3 Questions that you need to answer every day. They’re fairly simple, but you’ll be surprised how much you will get out of it. Most importantly — write until you leave everything on paper. Don’t hold yourself back, don’t worry if it makes sense or not — just let it flow. Don’t hesitate, overthink, or analyze.

1. What filled me with enthusiasm today?

2. What drained me of energy today?

3. What did I learn about myself today?

That’s it. These are the three questions.

If you’re feeling called to do this exercise, or if you’re just slightly curious — do it! It will only take 10-15 minutes each evening, and you’ll be in awe of how many breakthroughs you’ll have.

When I was doing this challenge, I was working with a very difficult client. After a few days of journaling, I realized that under the question ‘what drained me of energy today?’ I always wrote the same answer:

My client.

This went on for about ten days until I was able to fully see that this client is the primary source of me feeling drained, exhausted, and unhappy!

He became an ex-client. ;)

Enjoy this incredible journaling experience, and most importantly — have no expectations!

Be open to everything that might come out and all the things you will learn about yourself.