For the last 30 days, I’ve replaced my morning scroll with a 3-minute journaling exercise.

I call it the Dial-In Protocol.

The difference in how I think, work, and show up has surprised me.

SUPERHUMAN SCORING

In every edition of System Sunday, I assess the featured system across three superhuman dimensions: impact, setup, and maintenance.

Unlike your typical review, I focus on factors that influence personal growth. Get to know the evaluation system.

Impact (9.5/10)

First, why this works:

Most bad days start with waking up and immediately getting pulled into reaction mode: email, the news, the stock market.

This journaling habit helps you set an intention for the day—BEFORE the world hijacks your attention.

I felt the difference fast. It’s helped take me from being stalled on some big creative projects to consistently making progress.

Because the most important thing you can do each morning is remind yourself who you want to be.

Setup (9.0/10)

Here’s the Dial-In Protocol, in 3 steps:

1. What would make today a win? (Focus)

Defining a winning day is crucial.

Or else you’ll never be at peace, even with excellent output.

Use the 3-3-3 Method (kudos to Oliver Burkeman):

Write down the most important project that you’ll spend 3 hours on, 3 shorter tasks that need to get done, and 3 maintenance activities that keep life running smoothly.

Then, “Swallow the frog”: That 3-hour project? Make it the first thing you do when your energy is highest.

You’ve got your game plan. Now let’s make it bulletproof…

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2. What could derail me? (Risk Mitigation)

A plan is only as good as your ability to protect it. 

Here we apply the mental model of Inversion:

Write down every threat to today being a win, like distractions, bad habits, and energy vampires.

Then create a simple mitigation plan for each one.

• If your phone is a distraction, charge it in another room.
• If the news or social media tends to pull you off course, use a blocker to hide those sites during work hours.
• If a heavy lunch leaves you sluggish all afternoon, decide what you’ll eat before the day begins.

Every meaningful goal has enemies. Name them, then disarm them before they show up.

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3. Who do I need to be to achieve it? (Identity)

Write down identity scripts like these based on what the day might require from you:

• “Today I’m someone who focuses on the process, not the outcome.”
• “Today I’m someone who ships, not someone who perfects.”
• “Today I’m someone who has hard conversations.”

Your actions follow your identity. So choose it. 

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Your Dial-In Protocol Template

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Maintenance (8.5/10)

Here’s how to make the Dial-In Protocol stick:

Anchor it to something you already do. Stack the journaling onto an existing habit. Pour your coffee, then dial in. The coffee becomes your trigger.

Make reactive mode impossible. Email, social media, and the news will fight for your attention the second you wake up. Take the choice away. Use an app like Opal or a physical tool like Brick to lock yourself out of the feeds until the exercise is done.

Follow the 2-Day Rule. This is where discipline lives. The rule, courtesy of Matt D’Avella and James Clear: never miss two days in a row. Your life will never be perfect, but it can be extraordinary.

BRINGING IT HOME

This quote hit home for me:

“Nothing compares to putting pen to paper and writing things down. Absolutely nothing. Whether journaling, notetaking, creating, planning, manifesting, whatever it is. Get back to actually writing it down.” —Kaya Nova

The beauty of this practice?

It costs nothing, takes 3 minutes to complete, and the ROI is everything.

All systems go,

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