The Rule of Thirds

I had a few shitty days last week.

I was redesigning a website, and what should have taken two or three hours took me nearly three days to complete, throwing my entire week’s schedule in disarray.

I faced many technical issues, and figuring out how to solve them took forever. Even dear ChatGPT wasn’t able to help :)

Over the weekend, I was reflecting on whether it was a wasted week when a friend reminded me of The Rule of Thirds.

Olympic athlete, poet, and filmmaker Alexi Pappas recounts a conversation with her coach in her book Bravery:

“When you're chasing a big goal, you're supposed to feel good a third of the time, okay a third of the time, and crappy a third of the time...and if the ratio is roughly in that range, then you're doing fine.”

It’s a pretty hard-hitting quote. We should EXPECT to have bad days.

How arrogant was I to think that I would only have good days?

In retrospect, my previous week was not wasted. It was simply a necessary step towards my goals.

Today’s Prompts

1 - Resilience

How do I handle setbacks when they arise? How SHOULD I handle setbacks when they arise?

2 - Goals

What goal am I working towards, and how does the Rule of Thirds apply to it?

3 - Quote of the day

“You don’t have a right to the cards you believe you should have been dealt. You have an obligation to play the hell out of the ones you’re holding.” - Cheryl Strayed

4 - The 'If you don’t have time’ Prompt

How can I remind myself of the Rule of Thirds on a bad day?

Get the most out of your journalling:

• Choose one prompt: Focus on just one prompt each day to avoid feeling overwhelmed.

• Be brutally honest: Reflect openly and honestly. This is your safe space to explore your thoughts and feelings.

• Take your time: Sometimes it takes a few days to clarify your thinking. Here’s permission for you to take your time to unravel a prompt and not take on any new ones during that time.

• Journal your way: Whether you prefer writing, audio recording, or video, choose the method that suits you best.

• Don't stress about streaks: If you miss a day, don't worry. You can always revisit a previous prompt.

I’d love your feedback

What was your favourite prompt of the day? Is there any specific challenge you want prompts for? How can I improve the content of the newsletter? Reply this mail and let me know!