Some of the most genuine, thought-provoking conversations occur when good people get together and drink craft beer.

I had every intention of writing something coding-related on Sunday afternoon (as I usually do), but on Saturday night I got together with some good people and, well, drank craft beer.

Naturally, good conversation followed. So good, in fact, that I haven’t really stopped thinking about one, particular piece of the conversation.

One beer in, I found myself on the receiving end of this question:

“What are the THREE things you couldn’t live without?”

I can’t say I saw that one coming. But, I did answer the question.

Before I reveal my answers, I need to come clean.

I think about this exact question (and others like it) regularly. I’m a thinker, reader and an incredibly introspective dude; it sort of comes with the territory. I’m able to answer this question with relative ease — as if I’ve been waiting months for someone to ask me — because, well, I have (nerd alert).

So, after a brief pause, I collected my thoughts and delivered my response rather matter-of-factly:

1. Exercise
2. Kindle
3. Something to write with/on (pen, paper or computer)

It’s that easy — or rather, I’m pretty low maintenance. Like I said, though, that’s not the first time I’ve thought about that question.

If you’re already asking yourself the same question, I invite you to keep thinking — and keep reading.

If you haven’t got the slightest clue where to start, go ahead and do ONE thing for me right now:

Ask yourself the same question.

All I want you to do right now is to simply kick the tires a little bit.

What are the three things you couldn’t live without?

Start thinking about the things and activities that might potentially end up on your list. Go ahead and write down the first 10 things that come to mind.

This will be difficult for many of you.

While you’re thinking, I’ll keep writing.

I’m halfway through The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy, a ridiculously successful entrepreneur, business coach and publisher at SUCCESS Magazine.

I picked up The Compound Effect after listening to Bodeefit founder Adam Griffin on the GenY Success Show (an absolute “must” for millennial entrepreneurs).

Hardy’s insane success has been based around one, core message:

“Your only path to success is through a continuum of mundane, unsexy, unexciting, and sometimes difficult daily disciplines.”

The gist of The Compound Effect goes like this — each of us is the result of the decisions we make everyday. The results of our little, everyday decisions (whether good or bad), may not be noticeable immediately, but the results compound over time:

• If you eat fast-food every day, the damage will eventually catch up with you
• If you write 1,000 words each morning, you can write a book in 30 days
• If you want to run a half-marathon, start by running one mile regularly
• If you skip that morning latte, you’ll hit your savings goals faster

It’s all about HABITS.

Now, how is your list coming along?

Try and cut whatever you have right now down to a list of FIVE.

You should notice something fairly obvious. The very same thing I realized last night after answering the question myself.

Your list will tell you a LOT about your habits.

For example, it’s no coincidence that my Top 5 are things or activities that are an integral part of my daily routine. Even more importantly, they’re things that make me happy.

Go ahead and take a look at my Top 5 — I even included the rest of my Top 10 here, too, just for kicks, and in no particular order.

1. Exercise
2. Kindle
3. Something to write with/on (pen, paper or computer)
4. Spotify (or access to streaming music)
5. Coffee
6. Cookies (duh)
7. Beer (I know, I know, I’m as surprised as you are, really)
8. A clean, fully-stocked kitchen
9. Sunglasses
10. NutriBullet

Wait, how did cookies end up on here?!?!

I’m not exactly thrilled that coffee ended up in my Top 5 — or that cookies somehow made it onto the list at all — but it’s a good teaching moment. Your list can (and will) change depending on your habits at the time.

Thin mints for life, y’all.

Okay, cut your list down to THREE.

It’s time to make some ruthless decisions. Take your list of five down to a final list of THREE. There are no consequences here, so do some serious soul-searching and cut your list to three.

Here, again, are the Top 3 things I couldn’t live without:

1. Exercise
2. Kindle
3. Something to write with/on (pen, paper or computer)

On days when I do each of these three things — exercise, read and write — I observe a noticeable change in both my attitude and energy levels, and my productivity shoots through the roof. If I drop the ball, though (or get my hands on some cookies), productivity slows, and I feel like my day wasn’t successful.

In fact, I use a couple of FREE tools to keep me accountable each day:

• AskMeEvery — a simple way to measure your everyday behaviors
• iDoneThis — keep track of what you accomplish each day

That, my friends, is The Compound Effect.

Take a look at your now finished list, and realize how truly powerful this little exercise can be — particularly for those of you who may not do as much regular soul-searching as yours truly.

Don’t stop here, though. I’d encourage each of you to use this exercise as a springboard toward reinforcing, refining or creating new, daily habits.

Here are THREE things you can do to keep the momentum headed in the positive direction.

1) Track your most important happiness habits

Now that you’ve identified the top three things you couldn’t live without, take advantage of tools like AskMeEvery and iDoneThis to hold yourself accountable every, single day.

2) Revisit your list regularly

Your list will more than likely change over time, and that’s perfectly okay. Come back to this exercise every so often just to “check in” and see what’s changed along the way.

If you start to notice that “McDonald’s” or “binge shopping” or “laying on the couch” regularly starts appearing in your Top 10 (or even starts to creep it’s way up your list), you’ll be able to work backwards and course correct — if you want.

3) Create new habits

Maybe, like I did, you noticed that you’ve neglected a couple of activities that popped up in your Top 10. Use this opportunity to start creating some new habits.

A bunch of people much smarter than me have now decided that it takes, on average, 66 days before a new behavior becomes automatic.

You might as well get started now — you know, because of that whole “compound effect” thing.

Go drink a beer, you earned it.