Reframe passive questions as active questions

Ask "did I do my best to...?" rather than "how was my...?" — the word "try" changes what the question measures.

Why it works

Passive questions ("how engaged were you today?") measure perception of an outcome that was partly caused by external factors — they invite attribution to circumstances. Active questions ("did you do your best to be engaged?") measure effort, which is within the person’s control regardless of circumstances. Goldsmith’s research comparing the two formats found that active questioning produced more genuine self-assessment and greater engagement with the behavior being measured, because it removes the circumstances excuse.

How to do it

1. Take any self-monitoring question you currently ask yourself and rewrite it in the active format: "Did I do my best to ___?"
2. Ensure the behavior in the blank is something entirely within your control, not a result.
3. Score each question daily on a 1–10 scale before reviewing yesterday’s scores — commit the score before comparing to previous days.
4. Use low scores as prompts for one-sentence reflection, not extended journaling: "What specifically got in the way of trying harder today?"

Evidence

Goldsmith’s comparative research on passive vs. active questions found that active questioning improved self-reported engagement and behavior more than passive tracking. The mechanism aligns with self-determination theory’s concept of internal locus of causality. Sheldon and Elliot’s self-concordance model provides the empirical basis: striving toward goals one authentically endorses — rather than ones driven by external pressure — predicts sustained effort and longitudinal well-being. (clinical)

Goldsmith’s evidence comes from practitioner reports and coaching research rather than controlled trials; the mechanism is sound but the effect size and generalizability have not been independently replicated.

Sources

• Goldsmith & Reiter (2015), Triggers: Creating Behavior That Lasts — Becoming the Person You Want to Be
• Sheldon, K. M., & Elliot, A. J. (1999). Goal striving, need satisfaction, and longitudinal well-being: The self-concordance model. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 76(3), 482–497.

Common mistake

Framing the active question around an outcome rather than an effort: "Did I do my best to feel less anxious?" is not controllable — "Did I do my best to use my anxiety management practice?" is.