What if you could spend just five minutes a day making a big difference in a project you care about? And what if that five-minute period cost you nothing and only required two objects: pen and paper?
Journaling every day, even for just a few minutes, has the power to help your idea grow and move forward – whether you are starting your own business or writing your first novel. Fast Company recently posted a quick and inspiring interview with Sarah Kauss, an entrepreneur and founder of S’well bottle, a reusable water bottle that keeps liquids cold for up to 24 hours.
Kauss says she is an avid journaler and that daily journal writing has helped her track the long-term journey of her company while learning from frustrations, milestones, missteps and baby steps along the way:
By even taking five minutes at the beginning or the end of every day to capture the highs and the lows of the days or the challenges of the day or the milestone of the day, it really gives a sense of positive momentum because I would say in every entrepreneurial journey, there's always going to be steps forward and steps backward. It's not going to be sort of a linear path.
She observes that we are often inundated with messages, emails and phone calls that we must react to, but that we don’t always give ourselves quiet time for introspection and reflection. Journal writing lets you look internally instead of externally for a few minutes each day and record what you are thinking and feeling:
By journaling you actually have that space to be proactive and say, “This is what I’m going to capture from this experience.”
Kauss’ words are a great reminder for all of us to make time for daily journaling, especially when we feel overwhelmed by a new endeavor or an ongoing project. Five minutes every day can give you that burst of “positive momentum” to keep you going when the going gets tough.
How have you used journal writing to help you with an important project? Share your experience in the comments!
Find more journaling prompts to keep you excited and motivated, like this one at Mari's Free Personal Growth Library!
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