FBF13 – The Fine Art of Journaling

This week we are talking about a habit that super achievers swear by- no not green smoothies and 5am wakeup calls – but journaling- The fine art of journaling.

[callout]This episode originally appeared on the Family Before Fortune Podcast which is now the Modern Leadership Podcast. To listen to Modern Leadership click here. To see the Family Before Fortune Podcast archive click here.[/callout]

On my bookshelf: This week’s book is Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. There is a story that is usually told about extremely successful people, a story that focuses on intelligence and ambition. Gladwell argues that the true story of success is very different, and that if we want to understand how some people thrive, we should spend more time looking around them-at such things as their family, their birthplace, or even their birth date. And in revealing that hidden logic, Gladwell presents a fascinating and provocative blueprint for making the most of human potential.

Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

Interesting online hack:

IFTTT.com Put the internet to work for you

Main topic:

11 reasons why I keep a journal

1. For accountability- see last week’s podcast
2. It increases my self-awareness & helps me focus and brings clarity
   • Form of meditation
3. I can track my own progress & achievements
   • What is measured can be improved
4. It’s a convenient storage location for thoughts, quotes and inspirational messages
   • Books I want to read, movies I want to watch
   • Quotes- quotes- quotes
   • Music lyrics
5. For to-do lists
6. A place to work through my struggles: weigh the pros and cons
7. A place to freely complain and then release it
8. It’s a dream catcher
9. It’s a vision illuminator
10. It’s an idea incubator
    • Great books aren’t written- they are re-written
11. It’s a judgment-free zone

What do I use for a journal?

I have a bunch of different journals that I use for different things.

• Goals and goal tracking- I use the LYBYE
  1. As talked about in episode 11
• For quotes, ideas, thoughts, music lyrics- I use Siri and tell her to take a note (iPhone)
• For inspiring stories and articles and pictures- I use Evernote
• I also use Evernote for todo lists- though I go back and forth on just using excel
• For motivation mantras and affirmations I have a special moleskin
• When I am at conferences I like the old fashioned process of writing in a composition journal
• For pro/con analysis as mentioned before I like to use a special pro/con notebook I have.

Quote of the week:

If you’re serious about becoming a wealthy, powerful, sophisticated, healthy, influential, cultured and unique individual, keep a journal. Don’t trust your memory. When you listen to something valuable, write it down. When you come across something important, write it down.”

Jim Rohn

 Items Mentioned in the podcast:

The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life by Alice Schroeder

Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson