When I was 16 years old, I began to keep a diary. In almost 20 years, I have filled hundreds of notebooks.
Looking back on these 20 years and confronting myself with people from different walks of life, I see four major benefits of thinking on paper as often as possible.
Detach from your emotions.
Our emotions influence our thoughts. If something is exciting for us, our thoughts and decisions will be influenced by that excitement.
The same goes for every other emotion. That’s why, even if we are smart, we sometimes make stupid decisions.
When you write your thoughts on paper and revisit them a few minutes later, you don’t have that emotional filter.
And this brings great clarity and better decision-making.
Learn to dominate your internal dialogue.
If you feel like your internal dialogue is out of control, you can use diaries like “The Daily Stoic” (by Ryan Holiday) or “The 5-Minute Journal”.
These journals help you guide your internal dialogue. This, in turn, will influence your actions and your relationships.
Create new habits.
Both internal and external habits.
With internal habits, I mean greatfulness, optimism and anything that comes from inside and is expressed through your unconscious behaviors.
With external habits, I mean anything from sticking to a workout plan to being consistent for 90 days on a new specific activity.
Biofeedback for improved memory
Studying and generating ideas are both mental activities. And, as we know, thoughts are fleeting and easily forgotten.
By writing down your ideas and key points of what you study, you are creating stronger neuroassociations, making them harder to forget.
Plus, the more you write, the more you start to connect ideas, creating a vast network of knowledge.