The Method
Coué’s practice takes about two minutes, twice a day. Here it is in full, as he described it.
The formula
Tous les jours, à tous points de vue, je vais de mieux en mieux.
Every day, in every way, I am getting better and better.
The practice, as Coué taught it
No visualisation scripts, no streaks to protect. Just one sentence, said the way he described it.
On waking
Before you get up, while you are still drowsy, start your twenty knots. A gentle reminder arrives at the time you choose.
Twenty times
Record the formula once in your own voice, or choose a ready-made one. The app plays it twenty times, one knot each, so you never have to count.
Without effort
Coué asked for a simple, almost mechanical voice, loud enough to hear yourself. Trying hard works against you. Let the words do the work.
At night
Repeat it as you settle into bed, just before sleep. Twenty knots again, then rest. That is the whole method.
A few things that help
- Keep it general. The formula says “in every way” so you do not need to decide what to improve. Let it be broad.
- Do not analyse it. Coué compared the right tone to a litany. Saying it mechanically is not doing it wrong; it is the point.
- Catch the drowsy moments. Just after waking and just before sleep, the mind is relaxed and less inclined to argue. That is why Coué chose them.
- Stop straining. If you notice yourself forcing it, soften. Effort of the will works against imagination.
- Be patient. Coué asked people to keep going every day rather than judge results after a few nights.
Want the background? Read about Émile Coué, or browse the journal for articles on affirmations and positive self-talk.
Keep the knots with you
- Record once in your own voice and hear it twenty times
- Playlists: line up as many affirmations as you like, each with its own count
- Coué’s formula in English and French, in male and female voices and a range of accents
- Apple Watch and CarPlay, for a walk with AirPods or the drive to work
- Works with no signal: everything is stored on your device
- Free, with no ads, no account and no in-app purchases