Nightly Journal

I used to hate writing. Thank you Elementary School, Middle School, High School, and College for that.

It’s interesting I spent the past 30 minutes writing, in my notebook - to myself. I can translate my apparently illegible handwriting to you but it crosses that public / private threshold so I’ll keep what I wrote about in the netbook.

Though I do want to vouch for the benefits of the evening journal. That’s what today’s entry is about.

Now that we’re on day 40 of a nightly journal I feel I earned the right to vouch here.

Writing is a form of thought organization and expression. There are multiple ways of doing this — many of you here opt for phone calls and lay it on your friends, and that’s totally fine. While there is a proper time and place for phone calls, I believe society generally underutilizes the journal. The act of spitting out ideas on paper consistently, to yourself, for yourself, to make yourself heard.

One benefit that sticks out tremendously about writing is the ability for me to think on a macro perspective. Macro-thinking is significant. Very significant.

Especially when you don’t report to anyone. Having an idea of the “why” behind your actions is essential. The Macro is the Zoomed out 18k foot view from the airplane window of one’s own life. For me, writing helps me cue into that macro mode.

Otherwise, what happens with me is I get sucked into my electronics - TV, phone, and computer. And no matter how much airplane mode and blockers I institute on my devices (yes childlike blockers for productivity — anyone use that one back in the day with the dog barking haha), nothing replaces simply putting away the electronics. And while reading is great and important and also helps cue macro perspective, writing is just so important.

In 10 years time, you can trace your thoughts back to 10 years ago. You feel better and more clearheaded headed into the next day. You plan out your day and week so that when you feel lost or busy, you can reference the writing you created with that clear head.

And most importantly for me, writing is enjoyable.

Maybe try an evening journal this week.

-Jack

PS If you want to get into writing - here’s a good guy to follow: https://x.com/dickiebush