Have you ever noticed how much easier it is to get things done when you’ve written them down somewhere? Many successful people have shared their secrets of success that helped them get where they believe they should be, and writing lists is almost always a huge talking point. If you’re still unsure of why you should use a journal when setting your goals, then you’ll find some compelling reason in the next few paragraphs.
Writing Them Gives Them Clarity
There’s a big difference in saying, “I want to do something important that helps communities,” and “I want to improve health conditions in communities.” When you have to write down your goals, it forces you to reflect on the schematics of your goal. This is important because when you focus on one aspect, it’s a lot easier to find out how you can turn that idea into a reality. You have a goal that makes it possible for you to get information on what you need to do next.
Without that definition and clear vision, there would be no way to quantify what needs to be done or what the path might be. You would be stuck until you decided completely what you needed to do, and then by then, it might be too late because you’ve exhausted your enthusiasm for the changes. It’s also a great thing simply because you’ve made a declaration to your own mind that you’re planning to carry out a series of steps that leads you to a desired conclusion.
Set Aside Time to Write Them
If you’ve really decided that this is a process that you want to follow then you will want to make sure that you carve out a section of time, preferably early in the morning so that you can spend some time writing your goals. It really only takes 15 – 20 minutes to do all of the things that have been discussed so far. Each day this gives you a chance to seriously think about your goals and how you’re going to reach them.
This positioning also gives a high priority to your thoughts and building process. Each time your white your list you are likely to find ways to refine and redefine some of the things that you included initially. Soon you will have clear goals that you’ll be able to easily learn how to attain. This part of the process also makes sure that you are completely accountable to yourself for keeping up with your commitment.
Journals Show Progress
When you’re talking about complex mental health issues and other person growth situations, it can be really hard to get a clear picture of exactly how much work had been done. When you write a journal, it gives you a clear indication of exactly where you were emotionally and mentally at the time it was written.
This can be a major source of protection and encouragement, because this will allow you to look back and see all that you have done leading up to this point. It can also give you insights into why some things didn’t work, and you might catch a glimpse of some behavior that contributes to failure. Being able to see your progress is key to growth, because if you feel like you haven’t made much progress it can start to feel helpless, so keeping a journal should always be a huge part of this kind of work.
Journals Show Past Successes
Another great reason to keep a journal is because they help you to take note of the successes that you’ve had up to this point. That can be really helpful, and past successes are realistic proof of your abilities. That keeps you from backsliding into negative thinking that can destroy your ability to focus and stay connected to the things you’ve set out to do. Use these as positive affirmations to help keep yourself on the right path to your goals.
They Can Be Revealing
When you have to sit down to write specific things about your goals, you might find that it can unearth some pretty elusive things about what’s been holding you back. A lot of people carry around beliefs that don’t even come from them, and were probably picked up during times of insecure thinking or bullying. When these ideas form into beliefs it can be really hard to rid your mind of them, so using a journal to see where your fears live is a good way to start a process of work through those things. You might be shocked to find how many beliefs you have held about yourself are completely inaccurate.
Limiting Beliefs
Insecurities and social issues can leave emotional and mental scars on people for their entire lives. These ideas that have been expressed to them can create an opinion of themselves that isn’t really true. Those are often called limiting beliefs. For instance, in some places people with certain ethnic backgrounds may not be as active in certain sectors of the job market. When you mix in some negative words and oppressive speech it can create a worldview that isn’t completely true.
While there may be a lot of people who have negative attitude, not all people will hold the same beliefs, but because of the experience, the person has now decided that it could be a lost cause. Using journals to uncovered these things is essential, because there can be no progress without acknowledging that a view you hold might be a major part of why you don’t feel comfortable with change.