My friend Matthew Cornell has put together a really cool new site called Edison: the Experimenter’s Journal:

Think, Try, Learn :: A scientific method for discovering happiness. – The Method

Think, Try, Learn is based on the simple idea that we can apply the methods of science to being happier, more engaged, and feeling more alive.

By treating everything you do as an experiment, you’ll tap your natural curiosity and love of learning to welcome change, master uncertainty and live with more confidence and resilience. The TTL method applies to all of life – business, careers, problems, and relationships.

The next time you have a big project at work, go on a blind date, move to a new house, try a parenting technique, or just want to make more friends, remember TTL, and learn how to enjoy the journey.

How It Works

Step 1: Think. Next time you approach something new, think of it as an experiment. Be curious, with a healthy sense of detachment. A scientist would say “I don’t know, let’s see what happens,” and so can you!

Step 2: Try. Decide what you will try in your experiment. Challenge yourself to do something you might not have done before. Think about how will you measure success. How will you enjoy the journey in addition to the outcome?

Step 3: Learn. Observe what happens and learn from it. The final outcome might be different from your measurement of success. Expect to be surprised.

This is an excellent new idea and I just might incorporate it into my 2010 planning for a couple of projects that I am thinking about. And stay tuned for a review of Cornell’s new e-book that I will be posting soon.