‘Three Good Things’ is a well-known positive psychology exercise in which you write down three good things that happened at the end of each day — big or small. The exercise originates from the work of Martin Seligman and is designed to boost well-being and relieve symptoms of depression. And yes, research shows it can have positive results.
But why does it work?
There are several ideas about this, but the underlying mechanisms haven’t yet been systematically investigated. The positive effect that has been observed may arise through different mechanisms for different people.
In this post, you’ll learn:
• Why the ‘Three Good Things’ exercise works, according to positive psychology
• An alternative explanation of its active component — one that’s less focused on positivity
• The limitations of the exercise
• What to keep in mind when using it as a workplace intervention
Why ‘Three Good Things’ Works — According to Positive Psychology
If we look at the mechanisms behind the effect, the impact can be roughly divided into three key pathways:
🌱 Shifting attention from the negative to the positive
A cornerstone of positive psychology is the idea that our attention naturally gravitates toward the negative rather than the positive — the so-called negativity bias.
By consciously reflecting each day on what went well, you train yourself to focus more on the positive. This helps counteract worry, gloominess, and rumination — all common symptoms of depression.
Over time, this training of the brain can lead you to automatically pay more attention to what’s going right at any time in the day.
🛠 Regaining a sense of control
In the original version of the ‘Three Good Things’ exercise, you not only write down what went well, but also why it went well. This is especially important in depression, where feelings of helplessness are often prominent.
By naming the causes, you begin to see the connections between your actions and positive outcomes. This helps restore a sense of influence: “I had a role in this.”
Sometimes, the question is made more specific: “What went well today — and what was my role in that?”
The key mechanism here is restoring a sense of agency: the realization that you can actively cause positive change.
🌙 Improved sleep
Sleep is critical to our well-being and plays a key role in protecting against depressive symptoms. When you’re sleep-deprived, your brain retains fewer neutral or positive experiences, while negative memories continue to stick. As a result, you will have more negative memories than positive, which in turn affects your worldview and your assumptions about yourself and about what will happen.
For people who tend to worry before bed, the ‘Three Good Things’ exercise can help: Positive reflection before sleep can be a gentle but effective way to interrupt rumination, bring calm, and promote better rest. Better sleep, in turn, protects against depressive symptoms.
The effect is strongest when the exercise is done shortly before bedtime — the closer to sleep, the better. For some people, this impact on sleep is the most powerful active component of all.
What if it’s not about positivity?
There’s also another perspective: According to psychiatrists like Daniel Amen, the first crucial step is recognizing and interrupting automatic negative thoughts. Adding positive thoughts matters too — but only after the negative ones have been addressed.
Amen uses an “ANT journaling” exercise (Automatic Negative Thought), where for each recurring negative thought, you answer four questions:
- Is it true?
- Can you absolutely know that it’s true?
- How do you feel when you believe that thought?
- What might be a more realistic alternative?
Challenging negative automatic thoughts is also a core component of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), a thoroughly researched and highly effective treatment for depression. CBT focuses on identifying and restructuring negative thought patterns, and has been shown to significantly reduce depressive symptoms in numerous studies.
It’s possible that the true power of the ‘Three Good Things’ exercise lies not so much in adding positivity, but in the pause — the moment when negative thoughts stop — and the realization that your negative beliefs may not be accurate.
Writing down good experiences provides literal counter-evidence to common automatic thoughts such as:
- “Nothing good ever happens.”
- “I have no control.”
- “There’s nothing I can do about my situation.”
- “No one cares about me.”
Limitations of ‘Three Good Things’
The exercise may seem simple, but it does have its limitations. Three important considerations:
🔹 High drop-out rate
The exercise works best if practiced consistently for at least 14 days, but many people stop after just one or two tries. Despite its simplicity, it requires effort to truly integrate into daily life.
🔹 Dependent on indirect mechanisms
The positive effects don’t happen directly, but through intermediate steps. For a sense of control to increase, you must actually be able to recognize your influence in the events you describe. And for it to improve your sleep, it must actually impact your sleep behavior or experience — which isn’t guaranteed.
🔹 Can backfire
For people dealing with depression, trauma, or chronic pain, it may be difficult to name something positive. This can lead to feelings of guilt, failure, or alienation.
In such cases, an alternative question can be used:
“What gave you even a small sense of hope, strength, or peace today?”
This question sets the bar lower and focuses on micro-signals of resilience, self-care, and internal resources — even on difficult days.
Here, the active component is more about activating hope, which can offer just enough motivation to take a small step toward recovery — like going for a short walk, eating well, or reaching out to someone.
Is it suitable as a Workplace Intervention?
There has been research on applying the ‘Three Good Things’ exercise among employees, particularly healthcare workers under high stress. While potentially valuable, it’s important to stay critical: it only works as an addition, not as a replacement for structural improvements.
The exercise can help improve sleep or restore a sense of control — but only if people are actually able to sleep and do have real influence over their work situation.
In night shifts without proper support or in jobs with impossible schedules, positive self-reflection won’t resolve fatigue. Organizational improvement must come first.
Just like dessert, this exercise is meant to come after the main course. No main course? Then dessert alone isn’t nourishing — no matter how tasty it may be.
This metaphor also applies to individuals who try the exercise on their own. The ‘Three Good Things’ exercise won’t fix tangible problems like a messy room or a lack of social contact. But through the mechanisms described, it can help you feel better — which may boost your motivation and energy to take action. This way, an upward spiral can begin where positive thoughts and behavioral changes reinforce each other step by step.
In organizations, it’s a bit more complex: there’s often a gap between the people choosing the intervention and those experiencing its effects. This makes it even more important to carefully consider the order of interventions and the context in which such an exercise is introduced.
Conclusion
The ‘Three Good Things’ exercise can work through several powerful mechanisms: shifting attention away from the negative, restoring a sense of control, and improving sleep.
These mechanisms can also be activated in other ways — and that’s good news. Because this exercise doesn’t work for everyone. Some people may need a different entry point, or benefit more from a version tailored to their situation and goals, or from a combination with other approaches.
Knowing what works enables you to adjust, deepen, or try something new that fits better with the person or the context.
Wishing you many good things!
Disclaimer: I am not a licensed clinical psychologist. This post is for informational purposes only and not intended as medical advice.
This post has been translated. Do you want to read my posts in Dutch? www.juliaburggraaf.nl/blog