The client predicts whether tomorrow will be a "good day" or not. In the evening, they check. Often the prediction and reality do not match — and that opens new possibilities.
Step-by-step guide
- Closing the session: "Between now and our next meeting."
- "Every morning, predict to yourself whether this will be a good day or a bad one"
- "Write it down"
- "In the evening, check: did your forecast match reality?"
- In the next session: "What did you notice?"
When to use
- As an observation task, when the client is in a state of uncertainty
- A client in heavy depression (the world is seen as exclusively negative)
- The client says "Every day is the same"
- The client wants to do something but does not know what
- Patterns of catastrophizing
Key phrases
I want to suggest an experiment. Every morning when you wake up, I want you to ask yourself: will this be a good day or a bad one? And in the evening, check whether it matched what happened. Just notice.
Follow-up questions
What did you notice?
Alternative phrasings
With a coin: flip a coin (heads = good, tails = bad), then check
With ratings: predict the difficulty of the day (1–10), in the evening rate it for real
Warnings
- ⚠️ Do not turn it into a checklist — this is not control, not a report
- ⚠️ Do not analyze the predictions right away — "Aha, you got it wrong!" — no. Just: "Interesting, what did you notice?"
Source: de Shazer, a classical observation task
Materials are informational and educational and summarize publicly available scientific sources. They are not medical or psychological advice, are not intended for self-diagnosis or self-treatment, and do not replace consultation with a qualified professional.