I will appreciate this habit when I'm 80 years old

In late January 2023 I discovered the most life-changing habit.

And it’s not what you think… Not some BS like making the bed or going for walks (although I do highly recommend both those things.

It’s an investment in my memory, my storytelling, and nostalgia.

I used to always listen to audiobooks in the gym when I worked out. Awareness by Anthony de Mello, 12 Rules for Life by Jordan Peterson, and Manhood by Josh Hawley were a couple of my favorites.

But Storyworthy by Matt Dicks is what introduced this habit to me.

It’s called “Homework For Life”.

Matt Dicks is a storyteller. This is a practice he uses to find one story from each day.

All you do is write down 1-3 sentences of a specific moment from your day. Don’t just write what you did. Write down a specific moment that was funny, meaningful, emotional, or exciting.

I adopted this practice and now have more than a YEARS worth of stories to tell.

But it’s not only about the stories, it’s about the memories. I don’t need to tell the stories, I can just keep the memories for myself. And the best part about it — Once you read the 1-3 sentences, other memories from that day start popping in your head too.

There’s no “journal prompt” or paragraph that you have to write. It takes 2 minutes a day. 2 minutes a day is definitely worth remembering YEARS of my life when I’m older. And even if I don’t remember, I can trust that what I wrote down is true.

You can do this in a Google Sheet or a Notion Table. You could even do it in the Notes app in your phone and use the “Table” option. The best choice is somewhere that can save it on the Cloud and is easy to download backups. You don’t want to lose these memories. I save a monthly backup onto my iCloud.

In the Table, in the left column, write the date. In the right column, write your 1-3 sentence story.

Here’s an example of what mine looks like (and some of my stories for fun!)

The best part is that there are no rules for your entries.

But here are a few rules I like to follow to make sure I’m doing my Homework For Life practice with the highest quality:

• Write the stories the DAY OF. The emotions and memories aren’t the same after a sleep

• Never miss a day. If you miss a day, it’s okay to skip it or to fill it in the day after.

• Write at the END of the day. I set a 9PM Daily Recurring reminder. This isn’t a task to “get out of the way”. You want to experience the full day and its emotions.

• Keep it less than 5 sentences. You don’t want a journal entry. You just want 1-3 sentences to bring the memories back into your brain

• Always include the names of anything (people, locations, games, events). The more specific, the more memories you will have when you read it.

• Include emotions you felt if possible

• ALWAYS tell the complete truth even if you are ashamed or embarrassed of it. These things will be funny when you’re 80 years old. Don’t worry because you never have to share this with anybody

• Share with a loved one to hold you accountable. You don’t have to tell them what you wrote. Just make them aware of the process so they can help you keep the habit

Thes are a lot of guidelines. Remember you don’t have to follow any of them if they don’t resonate. I just shared to spark some ideas in your head.

A secret benefit of Homework For Life is how much easier it is to fall asleep and keep a clear head. Once you write down the story for the day, you free your mind from it. Your brain is content with falling asleep because it knows that the memory is safely tucked away. It’s energetically freeing.

Since starting Homework For Life I treat every day like it’s a chapter in a book — And I’m the main character. I look forward to the story I get to write at the end of the day!

I’m excited because Homework For Life gives every individual a purpose. No other practice does this, especially on the long-term scale that Homework For Life does.

This is the #1 habit I will always recommend to ANYBODY at ANYTIME.

Imagine being a grandparents and reading back on your Homework For Life from 2025. Or reading your Homework For Life when you were raising your granddaughter’s mother. Or reading your Homework For Life when you were going through a hardship that you overcame and grew from.

There’s no practice more beautiful than this one.

Please start it. It’s the most ROI thing you can do for your life.

I would choose this practice over financial, time, AND location freedom. That’s how valuable this is to me.

If you have questions, feel free to reply or DM me.

Have a beautiful Sunday!