The first Thought Partner of 2026, titled “Escaping the Black Hole,” discussed how the science behind our mindset determines not only what we notice in our everyday lives but also our future successes. I received positive feedback on that post from many of you, and I appreciated you forwarding it on to your colleagues. If you missed it or want a refresher, please click the link above. 

In that post, I shared a three-step process for what you can do when you begin to feel the negative magnet in your brain gearing up for activity. (Bonus points if you can recall those three steps – or better yet, if they’re hanging up in your office!) 

Recently, I was discussing this post with a client of mine, when they mentioned that sometimes they don’t recognize when their brain starts sliding toward the Black Hole, and before they know it, they’ve lost time, energy, and weren’t aware enough to implement even one of the steps, let alone the three listed on their Post-It Note!

Ahhhhh….so that got me thinking. Maybe the hack for them is less about “what to do when they recognize this spiral” and more about “how they realize [patterns] when they don’t recognize them.” That was definitely a smoke-out-of-the-ears hardworking moment for us.

Below is the hack we decided to try (I’m doing it too). Our data collection is only two weeks old, but so far it’s pretty insightful. My challenge for you is to try it yourself.

Activity: A Timer for Your Thoughts?

1. Set a series of timers to vibrate or ding at random times throughout your day.
2. Record what’s on your mind when the alarms sound.
3. Determine, if you can, where your thoughts fall on the spectrum of these categories:

  • Problems or Solutions
  • Obstacles or Opportunities
  • Weaknesses or Strengths

4. What patterns or themes do you notice?
5. Repeat this activity for at least two weeks.
(I know Google says 18-254 days to break a habit, but let’s not swing for the fences; just give me two weeks, and let’s see if you start to recognize your thought pattern awareness before you realize you’ve slid down the hole.)

Let me know how it goes. I DEFINITELY want to know your thoughts, Partners.