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5 Reasons You Should Keep a Journal

Discover the incredible effects of journaling and how it can help you develop into the best version of yourself.

Table of Contents

Yep, you read that right.

Isn't journaling something only teenage girls do?

No.

It isn't.

It actually appears to be a common trait among many extremely successful people.

Tim Ferriss, Ben Greenfield, Ross Edgley, Annie Thorisdottir, Tony Robbins, Brian Johnson, Benjamin Hardy, and Jim Loehr are just a few examples. If you haven’t heard of them, they are worth a Google search.

I've been journaling nearly every single day since 2016 and have filled dozens of notebooks.

It might be my most important habit for working towards becoming the best version of myself.

Journaling is a keystone habit that can give you the momentum you need to develop into the best version of yourself.

In this article, I will highlight the incredible effects you can gain by dedicating a little time daily to writing down your thoughts, and I will give you some practical steps to get started.

1. It Gives You Direction

The most important thing I write in my journal are thoughts about who I want to be.

This provides direction, goals, and meaning to each day.

By having a clear picture of the best version of yourself, it becomes straightforward to break this down into habits, tasks, and priorities you should focus on every day.

To gain clarity about who you want to be, it can be helpful to divide it into roles. Energy, work, and love is a categorization I have used.

Under energy, I might write: "Versatile super athlete - Live until I’m 120 and play soccer with my great-great-grandchildren."

Under work, an identity I have worked towards has been to become "Norway's best Data Scientist."

What identities and roles do you want to have?

2. It Gives You a Plan

Once I have my desired identity clear, the next question becomes obvious:

What do I need to do today to take a step towards that desired identity?

If I want to be a versatile super athlete, I can't go a day without training. I should also incorporate both strength training and endurance work.

By being clear about what I need to do to work towards my desired identity, the next step is to incorporate the specific actions into my plans for the day. By utilizing so-called implementation intentions, I can create an algorithm that dictates when I will perform an action.

Here is an example of an implementation intention for a run:

"After the meeting at 10 AM, but before lunch, I will take a 4 km run on my usual route."

Implementation intentions have been shown through research to have a significant impact on whether something actually gets done.

3. You Have a Place to Write Down Goals

Did you know that goals that are written down have a 42% higher chance of succeeding?

It is said that this is because more areas of the brain are activated by writing the goal down than by just thinking about it.

By writing down your most important goals daily, you also maintain your motivation to work towards these goals each day, especially when you know that this goal is closely tied to your desired identity.

Writing down a long-term goal also gives you hope for the future, which can be extremely valuable for feeling better every day.

4. You Have a Place to Write Down Something You Are Grateful For

Research in positive psychology has clearly shown through many studies that people who regularly write down something they are grateful for lead better lives.

They are happier, feel more meaning in life, and are more productive.

Are you kidding me? All this just by finding something to be grateful for? That sounds like an irresistible deal. I'm sold at least.

Here are some suggestions for what it can be helpful to be grateful for:

  • Something you have done
  • Something you have learned
  • Something you have received
  • Something others have done
  • Something others have said
  • A feeling you have had
  • A sensory experience
  • Something that is easy to take for granted (water, internet, electricity, etc.)

5. You Can Measure Your Progress

I guess you are already measuring several things in your life. Maybe you measure how much money you have in your account, how much electricity you use, or how you are doing in relation to your budget at work.

Shouldn't you also measure the most important thing of all, your progress in life?

What gets measured, improves. - Lord Kelvin

It is simple: what is measured regularly gets improved. By having a place where you measure your progress in your most important areas of life, you establish a foundation for improvement.

If you scolded your 5-year-old because he was slow to get dressed, and you want to be a patient and understanding father (yep, been there), do you think your chances of improving in this area increase without reflecting on it and creating a strategy to do better the next time a similar situation arises?

I can promise that the likelihood of improvement is much greater if you reflect on the areas you want to improve.

Many of the plans we make for the day also turn out to be difficult to carry out amid the whirlwind of everyday life. By reflecting on what works and what doesn’t, we gain a better basis for making better plans next time.

Over time, you will also have the opportunity to flip back through old notebooks. Then you can see which goals you have achieved and use this as fuel for the road ahead.

I took a look back at a journal from 2016, and it was astonishing to see which goals and dreams I had back then that have come to fruition.

I can’t wait to look back at my journals from 2021 in a few years!

How to Get Started

  1. Find a Notebook

There are many "pre-made" journals out there, and a plethora of options for journaling digitally. I actually created an app with much of this functionality. ReMarkable can be a good option that allows you to write by hand but converts it to a digital format and stores the material for you.

Still, I always return to a completely ordinary, standard notebook. It is important that it has a solid cover so it can withstand being carried around in bags and pockets.

Here is my favorite, for 49.90 from Europris.

  1. Create a Habit for When You Will Write in It

This is critical. And difficult. To achieve the benefits I have described in this article, it is absolutely necessary to incorporate journaling as a habit.

And changing habits is challenging.

My best tip is to do this first thing in the morning after you have brushed your teeth. Set your alarm for fifteen minutes earlier, and you have created the space you need to establish the habit. Preferably go to bed a quarter earlier, as well. This way, you are likely swapping screen time for journaling time.

That’s a good trade-off.

Another trick is to create a form of "treat" or reward that you associate with journaling. For me, it’s my first cup of coffee of the day. This also reinforces the short-term reward that makes it easier for the brain to engage in an activity that might not initially seem super attractive.

  1. Create a Structure for What You Want to Write

Here is an example of a page from when I experimented with writing in Google Docs. (Yes, I write in English.)

If you want to use this template, you are very welcome to copy it and make it your own. Here is the link: Journal Template

Here we see that gratitude, goals, identity, roles, and implementation intentions are included.

Additionally, I had a small checkbox for creating small comfort zone challenges for myself. This can be replaced with a small fitness habit or similar, depending on your focus.

There is also a section for reflection at the end of the day. (This can also be done as the first thing you do the next day.)

Conclusion

I hope you will take the tips in this article to heart, and I truly wish for you to experience the effect that such a small habit can have on your life.

Try it and experience the benefits for yourself!

Sources of Inspiration