TGT Method: Three Good Things to Increase Productivity
The bias of seeing life’s challenges on the bad side can literally destroy you, but there’s a very simple solution to that.
It’s the end of another day.
As you reflect on what transpired, you can’t help but think about all the things that went wrong.
You had a meeting with your boss that didn’t go well, you lost your car keys, and your dog threw up on the carpet.
It’s easy to get caught up in negative thoughts and let them overshadow everything else.
But what if there was another way? What if there was a way to focus on the good things instead of the bad?
What is the TGT Method
Believe me, I’m the kind of person who could most doubt this method.
Particularly, I dislike coaches and flower children who push new-age methods to real-life problems.
Any relatively mature person understands that not everything is solved with yoga, incense, meditation, etc.
Furthermore, happiness is not an end in itself. We often have to face difficult and painful challenges, but they are rewarding for our integrity as real people.
But after all, I saw TGT is nothing like that, but something that actually worked for me. Check it out below.
The Three Good Things (TGT) method is a way to increase productivity and happiness by focusing on the positive.
The premise is simple: at the end of each day, write down two questions:
- What three things went well today?
- How did I contribute to them?
This exercise helps us to remember the good things that happened and shift our focus away from the negative.
How the Way We React to Things Shape Our Vision of the World
We tend to remember bad things more than good ones.
This means we are often focused on the negative and have a pessimistic view of the world.
The Three Good Things method helps us change that by forcing us to look at the positive side of things.
It also allows us to feel better about ourselves because we can see how much control we have over our happiness.
Research Proves TGT’s Effectiveness
A study was done with three groups:
- One group wrote down three positive things each day (TGT),
- Another group wrote three hassles,
- And a third group didn’t do anything special — they just wrote their daily entries as usual (control).
For two weeks, all three groups kept track of how happy they felt, and after three weeks, the TGT group was still happier than either of the other groups.
The Three Good Things method gives us a new perspective on life that helps us see it through rose-colored glasses instead of rainclouds (no pun intended).
How We Tend To Keep Bad Things in Mind and Forget the Good Ones
It’s easy to get bogged down by the negative things that happen.
But when we focus on the Three Good Things, it allows us to be resilient and seek positivity in most of our daily situations
This can be especially beneficial when we’re feeling down or struggling with a problem.
The Three Good Things method is a great way to shift our focus and increase productivity.
By remembering the good things that happened each day, we can put a more energetic spin on life and stay motivated.
Why does the TGT Method Work
So why does this work? Why do we tend to forget about the good things and only remember the bad?
One reason is that our brains are hardwired to pay more attention to negative information. Bad news gets our attention because it’s important for our survival — it could be a warning sign of danger or something that needs to be fixed.
But on the other side, when we focus exclusively on the negative, it can be damaging to our mental health.
The good news is that we can train our brains to focus on the positive by practicing the Three Good Things method.
How the TGT Increases Productivity
In addition to increasing happiness, research has also shown that productivity increases when we focus on the good.
Another study — done at Harvard — showed that people who wrote about Three Good Things that happened each day were more productive than those who didn’t.
In short, The Three Good Things method helps us to be more positive, which in turn makes us more productive.
So there you have it — the Three Good Things method is a great way to increase productivity, happiness, and optimism. Give it a try for yourself and see how it works for you!
