The power of journal prompts.
Last week I posted a poll online asking what people were struggling with when it comes to writing.
The overwhelming answer was: “What to write about (Prompts)”
So, this got me thinking more about journal prompts and how they can be the bridge between consuming and creating.
In my opinion, journaling is one of the first steps to notice:
- patterns
- curiosities
- struggles
- passions
- strengths
- ideas
And more in your life.
Stashing New Ideas
Instead of staring at a blank page waiting for inspiration to strike, I’ve learned to store new ideas and questions away so that I can expand upon them when I want to write.
We’ve all been there… wanting so badly to come up with a great idea, but you feel completely drained of any ability to do so.
But with this process I’ve developed over the past several years – writing finally becomes easier.
(And dare I say enjoyable?)
Whether you’re looking for a way to document your life, or want to discover what your purpose may be in life – these prompts will help you gain clarity and discover a part of you you didn’t know existed.
Writing as Reflection
Writing is a fun and easy way to reflect.
And without reflection, it’s easy to get caught doing something misaligned with your motives.
In order to recognize and evaluate where you are in life – writing is necessary.
There’s no better way to do it.
It’s what has changed my life for the better.
It’s brought me clarity. It’s helped me align with my vision. And it’s allowed me to connect with others (through content).
An Easy Way to Start Writing
But before you can make all of these wonderful things a reality… how do you get started with writing in the first place?
For most people, a journal is a quick, enjoyable, and low-friction place to get started.
This is where my writing began in 2013. With a pen and a retired school notebook.
“Dear diary, today I’ve decided to try something new…”
And just like that – a passion for writing has followed over a decade later.
Did I ever think I would get to this point of using writing as much as I am now?
No way!
But I’m sure glad I began when I did, regardless of how embarrassing my first “diary” entries were.
- My first journal allowed me to understand what I was going through.
- I was able to document my life. (and these old journal entries are my favorite things to look back on years later – even more so than old photos)
- I was able to process my thoughts, ideas, and struggles in a deeper way.
Categories of Prompts
I like breaking the prompts down into a few separate categories depending on the outcome you’re looking for.
- Decision making
- Learning
- Goal setting
- Pursuing purpose
- Finding clarity
This way, you’re able to pick a prompt from whichever category you’re feeling inspired to pursue and expand upon that idea further.
List of Prompts
Without further ado…
(Decisions) Deciding what’s worth pursuing:
What would you do if you know you couldn’t fail? (May not be worth it)
What would you do even if you knew you would fail? (Stuff worth doing regardless)
(Decisions) On finding guidance:
Think about someone you look up to or care about…
What would this person do in this scenario or decision you need to make?
(Learning) What you learned today:
What is one thing you learned today that you could teach someone else about?
(Learning) On learning about yourself:
Think about a time in your life when you worked on a personal project.
What did you learn through this process?
Did you feel a sense of purpose when learning by taking action?
What’s another project you may benefit from?
(Goals) On setting + achieving goals:
What action did you take today that got you closer to your goal(s)?
What went well?
What could have gone better?
How can you improve tomorrow?
(Purpose) On spending time wisely:
Is how you’re spending your time today, this week, or this month what you want to be remembered for forever?
If not – what can you do to change that?
(Purpose) On child-like wonder:
What would your 10-year-old self think of what you’re doing today?
Does this make you excited, or does it invoke a desire to change?
How can you continue to seek that child-like wonder in daily life?
(Clarity) On silence & solitude:
When was the last time you enjoyed silence?
Did you have any specific ideas or thoughts during this time?
How can you “listen to yourself” more often? (Going for a walk outside, reading a book, journaling in a quiet space, etc)
Feel free to come back to this email, and use any and all of these prompts when you need a starting point for writing!
Hoping this helps you find some clarity today or this week.
–Eric Pfohl