Self-Development by Examining the Past Day

In front of the Delphic Oracle-temple is written: Know Thyself. Now, being fond of Samuel Johnson's Essays, which I often read and re-read, one fated day I found some valuable remarks that complemented the Delphic maxim.

Johnson a most versatile Augustan writer, besides writing the first English dictionary was a superb essayist. His sentence openers are impeccable.

Though I had my own method of going over the events of the day --my accomplishments as well as my failures of the day-- I found that Johnson's article had some golden nuggets of wisdom.

"All action has its origin in the mind," he says casually; yet many of us think that we are doers rather than thinkers, when in reality the opposite is true.

In addition: "The recollection of the past is only useful by way of provision for the future." Ah! Another nugget! Of what value is it to retrace and rehash our past activities --which are often more painful than pleasurable-- if they are not to be put to good use in the future? Enthralled rather than just impressed by the man's folksy wisdom of re-stating the obvious, I decided to appropriate his maxims. So at night, as I retire to restful slumber I pass in review the acts of my day.

Begin thus from the first act, and proceed: "What is that I did first thing in the morning?" I ask myself. "Oh, yes. I canceled that credit card that had charged me such an exorbitant fee for missing the payment for one day." Of course, I ignore the trivial acts such as going for a croissant across the street; lest the act assumes significance. For example, one day, in response to my ritual, "How are you?" the young attendant from Ecuador proceeds to tell me about her baby being ill and in danger of losing his hearing due to a tumor. Having enough cash leftover from my allowance I gave the woman a $20 bill—"Take a cab when you go home," I said.

Where have I turned aside from rectitude? - Searching my memory I catalog moments of behavior that may have been improper. Was I curt with the officer at the bank? It is possible. Every time I go to the bank I am accosted by employees who are instructed by their superiors to sequester customers and give them a pitch about opening more accounts, or moving money to their investment funds, and so forth. "You guys are overdoing this!" I exploded.

What have I been doing? - This is my favorite pointed question, for I want to make sure that I haven't squandered the day, that I've been productive and totally engaged. Have I accomplished all my allotted tasks for the day? If yes, I enjoy the moment of happiness; if not I sulk and proposed to even the score the next day.

What have I left undone, which I ought to have done? - In a normal day everyone, I am sure, has some tasks that are repetitive, routine, tedious, and often unpleasant. So, I go over what I left undone. "Oh, yes -- I have to mark those 40 exams!" I admit. "But let me divide the task. I'll grade 10 now, 10 in the morning and the other 20 in the afternoon."

Because the brief method works for me, let me share it, just as Samuel Johnson did. So here is the full quotation:

"Let not sleep, says Pythagoras, fall upon thy eyes till thou has thrice reviewed the transaction of the past day. Where have I turned aside from rectitude? What have I been doing? What have I left undone, which I ought to have done? Begin thus from the first act, and proceed, and in conclusion at the ill which thou has done be troubled, and rejoice for the good."


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Marciano Guerrero is a retired investment banker, Columbia University-educated, and Vietnam Vet (67-68).

English is my second language; I only use one textbook to guide my writing. Mary Duffy's e-book "Sentence Openers" contains all the writing techniques I use in my essays and fiction: http://sentenceopeners.com