The Bean Game: A Simple Trick to Track Habits and Curb Self-Judgment

Most of us have experienced the cycle of setting goals, slipping up on a habit, and then judging ourselves harshly. Whether it’s skipping a workout or forgetting to meditate, that inner critic can be loud. The Bean Game is a delightfully simple method to break this cycle. It helps you track your habits in a visual way and reduce negative self-talk. By turning habit-building into a tangible game, you can celebrate small wins, foster a kinder mindset—and even use it to grow positive habits that spark more joy. The real surprise is how such a simple game can completely change the way you relate to your daily choices—challenging yourself to give it a try.

What Is the Bean Game?

The Bean Game is an easy habit-tracking exercise using everyday objects – often dried beans, but you can use coins, pebbles, or paperclips. The concept is straightforward:

• Start Your Day with Beans: In the morning, put a set number of beans in your pocket. You might start with 10 beans (or any number that makes sense for the habits you want to track that day).
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• Earn Beans Through Positive Habits: Each time you complete a desired habit or healthy action, move one bean to your other pocket. For example, if you take a stretch break at work, drink a glass of water, or pause to breathe mindfully for a minute, you “earn” a bean by moving it to the other pocket.
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• Visualize Your Progress: By the end of the day, count how many beans you’ve moved. The growing collection of beans in the other pocket is a tangible proof of your positive efforts. Even if some goals weren’t met, you can see the healthy choices you did make.
  

This simple game-like process turns intangible habits into something you can literally hold. Instead of relying on a complex app or an elaborate journal, all you need are a few beans and two pockets or cups. The Bean Game works because it’s concrete, immediate, and even a bit fun – making it more likely you’ll stick with your habit tracking.

Origins of the Bean Game

Using tokens or small objects to track behavior isn’t a new idea. Parents and teachers have long used bean jars or sticker charts to encourage positive behavior in children. For instance, a child might add a bean to a jar each time they complete a chore, eventually earning a reward when the jar is full. This age-old method of reinforcement shows how tangible progress can motivate us.

The Bean Game adapts that concept for personal habit tracking and self-care. The inspiration to use beans specifically for habit tracking came from the recognition that adults, like kids, benefit from a visual reminder of their accomplishments. Some people first learn about this idea from wellness workshops or therapist recommendations. Others discover it through productivity tips – there’s even a famous story of a stockbroker moving paperclips from one jar to another with each sales call he made, to stay motivated. In the same spirit, the Bean Game uses simple objects as tokens of progress.

“I first tried the Bean Game after noticing how many of my therapy clients were downplaying their achievements. They would say, “I didn’t do anything productive this week,” overlooking dozens of positive choices and healthy habits. I needed an easy way to help them see those small wins. By handing them a bag of dried beans and creating a daily game of it, I found that clients started to realize they were doing more good for themselves than they initially thought. This technique has roots in behavioral psychology but owes its popularity to its simplicity – anyone can do it without special tools.” - Dr. Alicia Smart

How the Bean Game Curbs Self-Judgment

One of the most powerful aspects of the Bean Game is how it shifts your mindset. Self-judgment often flourishes when we focus on what we didn’t do. If you have ten tasks on your list and you finish eight, a harsh inner critic will zoom in on the two you missed. The Bean Game helps retrain this focus by making your successes more visible.

Psychological benefits of the Bean Game include:

• Immediate Positive Feedback: Each time you move a bean, you get a little burst of accomplishment. This immediate feedback can trigger a sense of reward. Instead of waiting days or weeks to feel proud of progress, you get a small “win” in the moment. This can reinforce the habit loop – you’re more likely to repeat a behavior that feels rewarding.
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• Breaking the All-or-Nothing Mentality: Many people fall into all-or-nothing thinking with habits (“If I didn’t exercise for a full hour, it doesn’t count”). The Bean Game counters this by showing that every small action counts. Even a five-minute walk earns you a bean. Over time, this teaches you to value incremental progress and let go of perfectionism.
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• Visual Evidence Beats Inner Critic: Our minds can be biased toward negativity, but a jar of beans is hard to argue with. When you physically see 8 beans moved over, it’s a lot tougher for your inner critic to claim “I got nothing done today.” The visual evidence helps challenge distorted self-judgments with reality. You build a more balanced self-view: “I may not have done everything, but look at all the good things I did do.”
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• Mindfulness and Self-Awareness: Tracking your habits with beans makes you more mindful of your actions. You become aware of moments when you can earn a bean (“Oh, I have a few minutes – I’ll tidy my desk and move a bean!”). This gentle self-monitoring increases awareness of your daily choices without feeling like a chore. Rather than beating yourself up at day’s end, you’re actively noticing and reinforcing positives throughout the day.

Clinically, the Bean Game aligns with cognitive-behavioral techniques that emphasize self-compassion and positive reinforcement. By focusing on what you’re doing right, you gradually quiet the voice that says you’re always doing something wrong. Many therapists and coaches suggest habit tracking to their clients; the Bean Game is simply one of the most accessible forms of it. It transforms tracking from a self-policing task (which can sometimes fuel self-criticism) into a kind of self-celebration. You’re not just crossing off a checklist – you’re dropping a bean with a little internal high-five: Good job!. Plus, it’s a way of staying out of phones which are already full of distractions. 

Playing the Bean Game in Everyday Life

Another great feature of the Bean Game is its flexibility. You can tailor it to fit your personal goals or use it in creative ways. Here are some applications and variations of the Bean Game:

• Health and Wellness Habits: Use beans to reinforce daily wellness routines. For example, move a bean each time you drink a glass of water, eat a serving of vegetables, or take a stretch break if you sit at a computer all day. It’s a fun way to remind yourself to take care of your body. Over a week, you might aim to collect a certain number of beans as a challenge (e.g. 5 beans a day for healthy snack choices).
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• Mental Health and Self-Care: If you’re working on self-care or coping strategies, let the beans track them. You could earn a bean for doing something relaxing in the evening instead of extra work, or for practicing a breathing exercise during a stressful moment. This turns self-care into a game you can “win” each day, which is especially helpful if you tend to neglect these activities or feel guilty taking time for yourself.
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• Breaking Bad Habits: The Bean Game can also be flipped to monitor reductions in unwanted habits. For instance, start with a full jar of beans and remove one each time you catch yourself engaging in a habit you’re trying to cut back (like mindlessly scrolling on your phone). The goal is to have as many beans left in the jar as possible at day’s end. This reverse version still provides a visual cue that can motivate you to pause and make a different choice.
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• Family or Group Use: The simplicity of the Bean Game makes it great for families, classrooms, or therapy groups. Families can have a communal bean jar for positive behaviors – each family member adds beans for their good habits or kind actions, and you watch the jar fill up together. In group therapy or workshops, participants might share how many beans they earned since the last session, celebrating each other’s progress. It fosters a positive, collaborative spirit around habit change.
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• Workplace and Productivity: Teams at work could adopt a bean jar for collective goals (for example, adding a bean for each hour of focused work or each task completed). Even solo, you can use beans on your desk to stay on track: move one over for each chunk of deep work you finish or for taking a proper break (to prevent burnout). It adds a playful element to productivity and keeps you accountable in a gentle way.

Because the Bean Game is so easy to implement, you can start it anytime and modify it as needed. If you don’t have beans, use any small items – paperclips, buttons, coins – the effect is similar. You can carry beans in your pocket, keep jars on your kitchen counter, or place cups on your desk. Choose whatever setup will catch your eye and remind you to use it. The goal is to integrate it into your daily routine so that tracking and rewarding your habits becomes second nature.

Why Simple Games Can Lead to Big Changes

At first glance, moving beans might seem almost too simple to impact something as serious as self-judgment. But simplicity is exactly its strength. When a strategy is easy and enjoyable, we are more likely to do it consistently. Consistency is the secret sauce of habit formation and mindset shifts. The Bean Game’s real power shows up over time: day by day, those little beans create a record of positive change.

By engaging with this game daily, you’re retraining your brain. You start to actively seek opportunities to earn a bean, which means you’re actively seeking opportunities to do good things for yourself. Likewise, you begin to speak to yourself with more kindness. The inner dialogue shifts from “I’m failing at my routine” to “I’m collecting evidence of my efforts.” This reframed perspective can boost your confidence and resilience. When setbacks happen (and they do happen to everyone), you’ll be better equipped to avoid that spiral of shame or discouragement. After all, your bean jar will remind you that one off day doesn’t erase all your progress.

In behavioral science, there’s a concept that “success breeds success.” The Bean Game embodies that idea. Each bean is a small success, and seeing them accumulate builds momentum. You might start adding more beans each week as your habits solidify or as you become motivated to take on new challenges. Over time, what began as a simple trick can lead to significant improvements in your routines, your health, and especially your self-compassion.

Closing Thoughts

The Bean Game proves that tracking habits and improving your mindset doesn’t have to be complicated. By turning personal growth into a humble game with a handful of beans, you make the journey enjoyable and sustainable. It’s a reminder that every positive choice – no matter how small – matters. So, if you’re looking for a fresh start on your habits or a way to silence that inner critic, consider giving this simple game a try. With each bean you move, you’re not just building a habit – you’re building a kinder relationship with yourself, one small win at a time.

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