{"id":87987,"date":"2025-07-24T08:06:00","date_gmt":"2025-07-24T13:06:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.success.com\/?p=87987"},"modified":"2025-06-24T14:26:48","modified_gmt":"2025-06-24T19:26:48","slug":"james-whittaker-on-how-to-win-the-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.success.com\/james-whittaker-on-how-to-win-the-day\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Win the Day"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you\u2019re feeling defeated, motivational speaker James Whittaker<\/a> wants to help you \u201cwin the day.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAny person in that situation where they just feel like they have no control over their life or they just feel like they\u2019ve got a bit of a victim mindset, I will do anything that I can, anything in my power, to help pull them out of that, to recognize that they can change the world by first changing themselves,\u201d Whittaker says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first step is to get clarity on who you are and where you want to go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn my experience, the people who feel like they\u2019re treading water\u2014it all comes back to one\u2026 main thing that they\u2019re struggling with. They\u2019re not clear on who they are, and they\u2019re not clear on where they want to go,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you know who you are and where you want to go, then you can \u201cwin the day.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A winning formula<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Whittaker\u2019s formula to \u201cwin the day\u201d is to incorporate wonder, intent and nurture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wonder<\/strong> provides a spark of curiosity and purpose that drives your highest potential<\/a>. \u201cWhen you\u2019re connected to wonder, you\u2019re intensely curious about how great you can be from your one extraordinary life\u2014and committed to doing what it takes to achieve it,\u201d Whittaker says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Intent <\/strong>is the deliberate focus and structure that amplifies your daily performance. \u201cWhen you\u2019re connected to intent, you intentionally choose to surround yourself with people who inspire you, create an environment that motivates you and engage in daily rituals that energize you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nurture<\/strong> is about stepping outside your comfort zone<\/a> to identify and take on challenges that drive growth. \u201cA lot of people think that when they adopt this \u2018win the day\u2019 mentality that they are somehow going to be immune to adversity when, in fact, it\u2019s the complete opposite,\u201d Whittaker says. \u201cYou will be faced with adversity, probably every single day, but how you respond to that adversity when it inevitably strikes is what separates ordinary people from extraordinary achievers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Find your winning traits<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

To better understand who you are, Whittaker recommends finding your winning traits. Think about a time when you performed your best professionally, he says. \u201cMaybe it was speaking on stage, maybe it was recording a podcast, maybe it was closing a sale\u2014anything like that,\u201d he says. \u201cWhat were the characteristics that you embodied in that moment?\u201d Some examples include ambition, collaboration, compassion, courage, creativity, curiosity, leadership, optimism, perseverance and reliability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pick no more than three traits, and then think about how you will show up every day leveraging those three winning traits to make the impact you want to have, Whittaker says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Small changes help ‘win the day’<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Whittaker offers a 10-question quiz at jameswhitt.com<\/a> to help individuals create a personalized \u201cwin the day\u201d action plan. He also has a podcast and has written several books, including Andrew Carnegie\u2019s Mental Dynamite: How to Unlock the Awesome Power of You<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Curious about how to get started? Whittaker suggests incorporating four small changes into your morning routine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. \u201cWhen you wake up in the morning, make the decision to win,\u201d he says. Otherwise, you\u2019ve automatically made the decision to lose. If we wake up and we make the decision to win, it shakes us out of our passiveness.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Have a clear intent for the day and how you want to show up, he says. Otherwise, it’s going to be so much easier for you to fall victim to distraction and procrastination.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Affirm your success by saying something like, \u201cI\u2019m going to win today\u201d or \u201cToday is going to be a great day.\u201d When you expect good things to happen, you will notice that they occur much more frequently, he says.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Start a morning journal routine. Write down three things that will make each day a win. They could be professional, physical and personal. Whittaker says he\u2019s been journaling for four years and likes to go back and see how he was allocating his energy three or four years ago compared to the present day. The benefit of journaling compounds the longer you do it, he says.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Focus on what you achieve<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

    There is no question that these are stressful times, so Whittaker encourages people to focus on what they can control. \u201cIt\u2019s very easy to fall into the trap of a recurring negative news cycle,\u201d he says. Instead, he urges people to focus on improving their minds by taking 20 minutes to listen to an audiobook or a podcast or scheduling a conversation with someone who inspires them. \u201cThese are little things that you can do every single day to feel better, improve your mindset and become the person that you want to be,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Don\u2019t forget to look back at what you have already achieved in your life and remind yourself of the challenges you\u2019ve overcome, Whittaker says. The challenges we\u2019ve overcome shape the mindset we have today and give us confidence, he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Whittaker has worked with Olympic gold medalists and other people who have been extremely successful at the highest possible level in their field. \u201c[When] that chapter of their life ends, that is a really, really difficult time,\u201d he says. What they need is clarity on their mission and their purpose, things that Whittaker says have been there all along and aren\u2019t just about sports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \u201cThe secret is the mission is not something that ever has an end date,\u201d Whittaker says. \u201cIt\u2019s something that is with you [to] the end of your life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Photo courtesy James Whittaker <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    If you\u2019re feeling defeated, motivational speaker James Whittaker wants to help you \u201cwin the day.\u201d \u201cAny person in that situation where they just feel like they have no control over their life or they just feel like they\u2019ve got a bit of a victim mindset, I will do anything that I can, anything in my […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":32396,"featured_media":87988,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"ub_ctt_via":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-87987","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-personal-development"],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/www.success.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/SOnline25_Lisa-Roepe_SMAG_James-Whittaker.png","author_info":{"display_name":"Lisa Rabasca 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work.<\/span><\/i>"],"rich_editing":["true"],"syntax_highlighting":["true"],"comment_shortcuts":["false"],"admin_color":["fresh"],"use_ssl":["0"],"show_admin_bar_front":["true"],"locale":[""],"wp_capabilities":["a:1:{s:6:\"author\";b:1;}"],"wp_user_level":["0"],"_yoast_wpseo_profile_updated":["1718746063"],"wp_user_avatar":[""],"dismissed_wp_pointers":[""],"wpseo_title":[""],"wpseo_metadesc":[""],"wpseo_content_analysis_disable":[""],"wpseo_keyword_analysis_disable":[""],"wpseo_user_schema":["a:0:{}"],"molongui_author_phone":[""],"molongui_author_job":[""],"molongui_author_company":[""],"molongui_author_company_link":[""],"molongui_author_box_display":["default"],"molongui_author_image_id":["73833"],"molongui_author_image_url":["https:\/\/www.success.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Lisa-Rabasca-Roepe-headshot.png"],"molongui_author_image_edit":["https:\/\/www.success.com\/wp-admin\/post.php?post=73833&action=edit&image-editor"],"advanced-ads-role":[""],"molongui_author_post_count":["6"],"ppress_billing_address":[""],"ppress_billing_city":[""],"ppress_billing_country":[""],"ppress_billing_state":[""],"ppress_billing_postcode":[""],"ppress_billing_phone":[""],"pp_uploaded_files":["a:0:{}"],"wpseo_inclusive_language_analysis_disable":[""],"molongui_author_custom_link":[""],"molongui_author_page_count":["0"],"is_geuest_user":["32396"]}}]},"custom_post_content":"<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>If you\u2019re feeling defeated, motivational speaker <a href=\"https:\/\/jameswhitt.com\/keynote-speaking\/\">James Whittaker<\/a> wants to help you \u201cwin the day.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cAny person in that situation where they just feel like they have no control over their life or they just feel like they\u2019ve got a bit of a victim mindset, I will do anything that I can, anything in my power, to help pull them out of that, to recognize that they can change the world by first changing themselves,\u201d Whittaker says.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>The first step is to get clarity on who you are and where you want to go.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cIn my experience, the people who feel like they\u2019re treading water\u2014it all comes back to one\u2026 main thing that they\u2019re struggling with. They\u2019re not clear on who they are, and they\u2019re not clear on where they want to go,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Once you know who you are and where you want to go, then you can \u201cwin the day.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading {\"level\":1} -->\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-a-winning-formula\">A winning formula<\/h1>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Whittaker\u2019s formula to \u201cwin the day\u201d is to incorporate wonder, intent and nurture.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Wonder<\/strong> provides a spark of curiosity and purpose that drives your highest <a href=\"https:\/\/www.success.com\/unleash-your-true-potential\/\">potential<\/a>. \u201cWhen you\u2019re connected to wonder, you\u2019re intensely curious about how great you can be from your one extraordinary life\u2014and committed to doing what it takes to achieve it,\u201d Whittaker says.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Intent <\/strong>is the deliberate focus and structure that amplifies your daily performance. \u201cWhen you\u2019re connected to intent, you intentionally choose to surround yourself with people who inspire you, create an environment that motivates you and engage in daily rituals that energize you.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Nurture<\/strong> is about stepping outside your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.success.com\/52-ways-to-get-out-of-your-comfort-zone\/\">comfort zone<\/a> to identify and take on challenges that drive growth. \u201cA lot of people think that when they adopt this \u2018win the day\u2019 mentality that they are somehow going to be immune to adversity when, in fact, it\u2019s the complete opposite,\u201d Whittaker says. \u201cYou will be faced with adversity, probably every single day, but how you respond to that adversity when it inevitably strikes is what separates ordinary people from extraordinary achievers.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading {\"level\":1} -->\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-find-your-winning-traits\">Find your winning traits<\/h1>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>To better understand who you are, Whittaker recommends finding your winning traits. Think about a time when you performed your best professionally, he says. \u201cMaybe it was speaking on stage, maybe it was recording a podcast, maybe it was closing a sale\u2014anything like that,\u201d he says. \u201cWhat were the characteristics that you embodied in that moment?\u201d Some examples include ambition, collaboration, compassion, courage, creativity, curiosity, leadership, optimism, perseverance and reliability.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Pick no more than three traits, and then think about how you will show up every day leveraging those three winning traits to make the impact you want to have, Whittaker says.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading {\"level\":1} -->\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-small-changes-help-win-the-day\">Small changes help 'win the day'<\/h1>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Whittaker offers a 10-question quiz at <a href=\"http:\/\/jameswhitt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">jameswhitt.com<\/a> to help individuals create a personalized \u201cwin the day\u201d action plan. He also has a podcast and has written several books, including <em>Andrew Carnegie\u2019s Mental Dynamite: How to Unlock the Awesome Power of You<\/em>.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Curious about how to get started? Whittaker suggests incorporating four small changes into your morning routine.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:list {\"ordered\":true} -->\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>\u201cWhen you wake up in the morning, make the decision to win,\u201d he says. Otherwise, you\u2019ve automatically made the decision to lose. If we wake up and we make the decision to win, it shakes us out of our passiveness.\u00a0<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>Have a clear intent for the day and how you want to show up, he says. Otherwise, it's going to be so much easier for you to fall victim to distraction and procrastination.<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>Affirm your success by saying something like, \u201cI\u2019m going to win today\u201d or \u201cToday is going to be a great day.\u201d When you expect good things to happen, you will notice that they occur much more frequently, he says.<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>Start a morning journal routine. Write down three things that will make each day a win. They could be professional, physical and personal. Whittaker says he\u2019s been journaling for four years and likes to go back and see how he was allocating his energy three or four years ago compared to the present day. The benefit of journaling compounds the longer you do it, he says.<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/ol>\n<!-- \/wp:list -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading {\"level\":1} -->\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-focus-on-what-you-achieve\">Focus on what you achieve<\/h1>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>There is no question that these are stressful times, so Whittaker encourages people to focus on what they can control. \u201cIt\u2019s very easy to fall into the trap of a recurring negative news cycle,\u201d he says. Instead, he urges people to focus on improving their minds by taking 20 minutes to listen to an audiobook or a podcast or scheduling a conversation with someone who inspires them. \u201cThese are little things that you can do every single day to feel better, improve your mindset and become the person that you want to be,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Don\u2019t forget to look back at what you have already achieved in your life and remind yourself of the challenges you\u2019ve overcome, Whittaker says. The challenges we\u2019ve overcome shape the mindset we have today and give us confidence, he says.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Whittaker has worked with Olympic gold medalists and other people who have been extremely successful at the highest possible level in their field. \u201c[When] that chapter of their life ends, that is a really, really difficult time,\u201d he says. What they need is clarity on their mission and their purpose, things that Whittaker says have been there all along and aren\u2019t just about sports.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cThe secret is the mission is not something that ever has an end date,\u201d Whittaker says. \u201cIt\u2019s something that is with you [to] the end of your life.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph {\"fontSize\":\"small\"} -->\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"><strong><em>Photo courtesy James Whittaker <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->","tag_names":[],"post_attachment_urls":[],"author_email":"lroepe@mailinator.com","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.success.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/87987","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.success.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.success.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.success.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/32396"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.success.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=87987"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.success.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/87987\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.success.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/87988"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.success.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=87987"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.success.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=87987"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.success.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=87987"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}