20/20: Achieving A Clear Life Vision Through Journaling

A visionary entrepreneur reveals his secret life weapon: journaling

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The visionary entrepreneurs, creators, and impact-makers I work with all connect around the idea that there are a tremendous amount of things any one of us can do. But just because we can do something, doesn’t necessarily mean we should. Does that sound familiar?

What is calling you — and is truly yours to do? Better yet, how do you unearth it?

The year 2020 is going to be a touchstone moment.

Perhaps you are already beginning to feel the pull of how this year will truly be different than the one you are leaving behind.

Perfect vision is 20/20, and achieving that clarity is possible through my favorite tool: journaling.

To some, a journal might seem like an assortment of blank pages bound together in a pretty book. But that blank canvas also holds the keys to something very special for all aspects of your life. And hold on, before you start with the excuses…it only needs to take you about 10–15 minutes per day to see results, impactful results.

In fact, peer-reviewed scientific evidence has shown that journaling actually improves your wellbeing and happiness. However, getting into the practice of journaling is not always easy.

Maybe you’ve tried journaling and stopped, or perhaps you’ve never done it because it seems so difficult and time consuming.

Trust me — it works. I’ve been doing it for years and believe it’s one of my secret weapons.

And that’s a big statement.

When I introduce the concept of journaling, the same objections and excuses always come up:

• What if somebody reads my journal?
• Can I really be fully honest in here?
• What do I write about?

First, you have to get out of your own head because your journal is just for you. If you are concerned about somebody else seeing it, get a small lockbox or even hide your journal.

Your journal is a place for getting deeper insights into what truly matters for you. One of the best ways is to ensure you make it a ‘practice’. Just one journal entry won’t cut it. You have to decide to make it a habit, but don’t make it too overwhelming — don’t set yourself up to fail. 

Journaling takes all those thoughts rolling around in our head — the ones that keep surfacing, being ignored and pushed back down, and resurfacing again, everything all jumbled together — and brings sense to them. Writing it down creates a beginning, middle, and end, an ability to see the whole picture — to see it all differently. It is your space to see the big picture, to work through and reassemble your thoughts, fears, beliefs and big ideas.

Think of it as an experiment. Experiments work because there’s a beginning and end. It’s simply something you are giving a go and trying on. Does this fit? Does this feel good? You can then decide if you want to add it to your life. Make it a large enough number of days to feel if it’s making a difference. Just give it some space to breathe and time to activate within you.

What should you write about?

The only thing you’ll need to do is get your pen moving. Typically, the topic I start writing about won’t be the same thing I end my page with.

2020 Journaling

Your journal is a sacred place to dig deeper into what your true intention is for 2020 and beyond.

To start, I’d recommend going out into nature someplace away from your office or home and into a setting that inspires you. Then open up your journal and simply take an entire full page to detail absolutely everything that is going well right now in your life or business. This will put you in a positive mood to begin envisioning your future.

Your next assignment is to take a compelling question and keep going deeper.

I will write my question on the top of a page on my journal and then continue writing more and more answers. Most times the first answers you get will be somewhat basic and won’t have much insight. Keep pushing yourself to come up with more distinctions and to go deeper. Don’t censor yourself either — just write. No one is grading you and it’s just for you.

Here are a couple questions to get you going for your 2020 Vision:

• What is my real work to be done here?
• What brings me the greatest joy, and how can I add more of that to my life?
• How can I more easily ask for exactly what my highest desire is right now?
• What does “effortless effort” look like in this situation?
• What would I do even if I knew it would fail?
• If I could see higher and further, what would I see for 2020?
• What is my greatest vision for 2020 and beyond?

As you are writing, you need to shut off the inner critic that sits on your shoulder, whispering negative feedback into your ear: Oh, that’s stupid. Who are you to get that? Why would that work?, etc.

You cannot creatively pour out your true heart’s desire and also edit yourself at the same time.

Just give yourself a break.

Now, once you have written out your answers, you’ll want to go even further with a technique I learned from my friend, innovation expert Bill Donius. You will be using your non-dominant hand to connect to even greater creativity, intuition, wholeness, dreams, and problem solving. Shake out your hands, and start writing again with your other hand. So, yep, that means if you are righthanded, you’ll use your left hand.

Don’t worry if you think writing with your other hand will be completely illegible — try it because I guarantee you there will be deeper, more insightful answers emerging. Every time I use this process, I’m astounded by the results.

I’ve been able to tap into answers that I never would have imagined and to have the confidence that I’m getting guidance from a more elevated self (some may say my ‘Best Self’[y1] , wink). It sounds a little weird — but it totally works.

The more you use your journal, the more it will become your personal tool for exploration and lighting your way for what’s next. This is a profound gift for unleashing your unlimited potential. My latest creation, The Cosmic Journal is designed to make you re-remember what is truly yours to do here. And sure, there’s no time like the threshold of a new year to start a journal…but the truth is, it doesn’t matter if it’s on the 1^st of January or the middle of June…just start. Simply write and witness what emerges. Journaling is your journey home.

The Cosmic Journal is a unique combination of a powerful oracle, wise sage, and friendly guide rolled into one. You can read it cover to cover or flip to a page at ‘random’ to see the perfect message awaiting you from the Universe, along with a writing prompt to nudge you to uncover your own answers. Learn more at CosmicJournal.com

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You may also enjoy reading Practice You: Coming Home to Your Inner Self Through Journaling, by Elena Brower