Last week I wrote a post about Derek Sivers on how he has the best “About Me” page on the internet.
I’ve since been exploring his other content, and one blog post that stood out to me was his process for keeping a daily diary.
Derek has kept a daily diary for more than 20 years, and has structured his files to easily search and explore his ideas from many years ago. He claims being able to reflect on how he felt (often years) in the past helps him make better decisions in the present.
Since committing to daily blogging, almost everything I’ve written has been publicly posted on this blog. I don’t have any record or collection of private writing.
So for the past week I’ve been following Derek’s daily diary writing process, and I’ve been surprised as how helpful it has been.
There are two things that have stood out to me.
First, the private nature of the writing means my standards are a lot lower. I don’t think as much about the structure or being to the point. I just let the thoughts fall onto the page in whatever form or format they come out in. This is liberating.
Second, I follow Derek’s advice of writing until I have penned down all of my thoughts or emotions. It’s like a weight is lifted once I’ve externalised all the thoughts I’ve had on an idea.
I’m going to continue experimenting with the private daily diary and report back on what I’ve found.
I’d recommend having a read of his blog post and seeing if there is anything that you’d like to try. At the very least, it’ll likely make you think twice about writing or keeping a record of your thoughts.