Hi Reader,

A few days ago something unexpected happened.

I was looking for a note in my phone and stumbled upon notes I had written 10 years ago.

What started as a random discovery turned into one of the most eye opening experiences I've had in a while.

After reading through these decade-old thoughts, I felt pulled to grab a recent notebook and compare notes from just a year ago.

The contrast between these two time points hit me hard.

Here's why this is the best motivation hack I've found

There's something shocking about seeing your own thoughts from the past.

It's you speaking to you.

A conversation across time that creates an understanding I'm not sure how else you could get.

I noticed two things immediately:

First, there were problems I had completely solved that used to seem impossible.

Reading my anxious notes about public speaking from 10 years ago made me realize how far I've come.

I did stand up comedy for 4 years to help work through this.

It was crazy to see all my learnings packaged into fragmented notes before, during, and after that time period.

Issues that consumed my thoughts back then don't even register as concerns anymore.

But here's what really struck me: Some of the bottlenecks I was working on 12 months ago are nearly identical to challenges I'm thinking about this month.

It was like a gut punch in some ways because I felt like I had come so far.

But in other ways, some of my thinking had stayed the same clearly.

Instead of feeling discouraged, I felt this strange sense of urgency and clarity.

Seeing these persistent patterns written in my own handwriting created an immediate understanding that beats any external advice or motivation technique.

Some of this stuff was word for word how I might write about it today.

This is why it's worth writing down notes even if it's the same things over and over.

You begin to see what are more dominant thoughts, ideas, or patterns to pay attention to.

My brain automatically started questioning: "What prevented me from solving this over all these years?"

This self-generated insight is more powerful than any prescription for channeling your inner Mike Tyson or whatever motivation guru is trending this month.

The most meaningless note can be valuable

What surprised me was how even seemingly trivial notes gained significance with time.

Things I barely thought worth recording became valuable puzzle pieces when viewed years later.

Patterns emerged that weren't visible in the moment.

There's also something uniquely clarifying about seeing your thoughts in writing.

I'm convinced that certain problems can't be solved through conversation or meetings alone.

Some insights can only emerge when you write them out and then revisit that writing later.

The act of putting thoughts on paper forces a level of clarity that thinking or talking simply doesn't achieve.

This practice allows you to listen to yourself and develop more trust in your own voice.

Instead of looking to others for the perfect prescription that unlocks your problem, you'll find an intuitive sense of what's right for you and your situation.

Your notes become a conversation with your most honest advisor—yourself.

The contrast between solved problems and persistent ones revealed something important about my approach.

For challenges that disappeared, I had changed my environment or strategy completely.

For ones that remained, I kept trying variations of the same ineffective approach.

For example, my notes showed I've struggled with consistent trust in my intuition for years.

I noticed a pattern where I'd have an initial instinct about something, doubt myself, and then later discover my first impression was correct.

It took a dozen times of someone else confirming exactly what I had arrived at earlier, but chose to discard for some reason.

Eventually I realized maybe my own judgment and decision making has been developed more than I thought.

Time to trust it.

This wasn't about needing more discipline or better systems.

It was about using writing specifically to develop my thinking and trust my instincts, rather than just trying harder with the same methods.

Make this a weekly practice

After seeing how valuable this comparison was, I've decided to make this a weekly ritual.

I'm going to regularly revisit old entries, from years ago and more recent ones.

I recommend you try this too.

Even if you don't have decade old journals, comparing notes from just a year ago or even a few months back can provide similar insights.

Building your archive of thoughts

If you aren't in the habit of writing notes often, this exercise might be harder simply because you have less source material.

Start building that archive now.

Aim to capture at least 3 notes a day.

That's about 1,000 entries a year, which will give you incredible material to reflect on later.

These notes don't need to be profound.

Jot things down in your notes app or physical notebook when you're thinking through something, not just when a polished thought arrives in your brain.

This material gives you deep insight into how you're thinking and what you're valuing and noticing over time.

One practical tip: Always timestamp and date your entries, especially in physical notebooks.

I've found this incredibly helpful when sorting through past thoughts and tracking how ideas evolved over specific periods.

This Week's Challenge

Take 10-30 minutes to find your oldest notes or journals about goals and challenges.

Then grab your most recent entries.

Compare them side by side and ask yourself:

1. What problems have disappeared completely?
2. What challenges have persisted?
3. For persistent issues, what fundamentally different approach could you try?

Email me with one insight you discover.

I'm genuinely curious what patterns you'll find.

The best motivation doesn't always come from outside.

It comes from seeing your own journey through time and understanding yourself on a deeper level.

In your corner,
Misbah Haque
Founder & Consultant at Pod Mahal​
Writer & Host of Habit Chess​
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P.S. If you want a hand with starting or growing your podcast, book a free strategy call here.