Olympic Reminder System
Place resonant intentions where daily behaviour will repeatedly expose them
- Difficulty
- Starter
- Time to result
- ~days to results
- Steps
- 5
- Confidence
- 96%
The Olympic Reminder System converts a clear intention into repeated environmental cues. Start by defining the objective and choosing a short statement that genuinely resonates, such as how you want to feel today or what you are working toward. Then identify surfaces you naturally see many times: a refrigerator, closet, desk, phone lock screen, or another habitual location. Place the statement there so ordinary behaviour repeatedly primes the intended direction without requiring a separate session. Marc Champagne attributes the Post-it version to Olympic speed skater Apolo Ohno and uses his own lock screen similarly, noting that each phone pickup becomes a reminder. The system works through frequency and relevance, not elaborate design; when a phrase becomes stale, replace it with what you need to hear now.
Origin
Champagne learned Apolo Ohno’s Post-it reminder practice in an interview and adapted it to one-line intentions on his phone lock screen.
Core principles
- 01Autopilot must be interrupted deliberately
- 02Frequent subtle cues keep an intention available
- 03Simple systems are easier to sustain
- 04A reminder must personally resonate
How to run it
- 1
Clarify the objective
Name the goal, direction, or feeling you want to reinforce.
Pro tip Use one current priority rather than a catalogue of ambitions.
Watch out A cue cannot compensate for an unclear objective.
- 2
Write the intention
Compress the objective into a short phrase that resonates emotionally and is easy to absorb at a glance.
Pro tip Use language you need to hear right now.
- 3
Map repeated surfaces
Identify places and devices you encounter naturally throughout the day.
Pro tip A lock screen can create dozens of repetitions without adding appointments.
Watch out Do not place sensitive goals where others can see them.
- 4
Install and observe
Place the cue, then notice whether it interrupts autopilot and changes the next action.
Pro tip Simple Post-it notes are sufficient.
- 5
Refresh the cue
Change the sentence when repetition makes it invisible or your current challenge changes.
Watch out Stale reminders become background decoration.
In the wild
During a book launch, an author notices himself comparing Amazon rankings with other writers. He puts a one-line instruction to be present and stop comparing on his lock screen, turning every phone check into a cue to return attention to his own work.
→ Frequent phone use primes presence instead of reinforcing comparison.
Common mistakes
Writing a vague slogan
A generic affirmation that does not resonate will be easy to ignore.
Adding too many cues
A crowded wall of goals weakens the clarity and immediacy of the current intention.
Is it for you?
Best for
People pursuing a clear goal who repeatedly lose sight of it during ordinary routines.
Not ideal for
People who have not yet clarified what they are trying to achieve.
From the transcript
“he looks around his house and thinks of the places that he sees the most often, whether that's your fridge or your I think he…”
“I just primed my mind 78 times today from picking up my phone and I just have some one-liners on there that I need to…”
From the episode
Marc Champagne: The Power of Being Present
Marc Champagne