This is the second post in my series about how journaling can help you achieve massive professional growth. If you missed the first post, here’s it is.
Wouldn’t it be great if we could remember what we were doing or thinking a week ago. It would be even better if we could remember six months ago. The truth is, there is just too much going on in our lives to remember what we had for dinner last night. But, knowing these events in our lives can help us to grow. The same thing is true in our professional careers, and there’s no better way to do that than via journaling. Here’s 7 tips you can use to build a strong journaling practice.
Reduce Mistakes
There is no way to eliminate mistakes. However, recalling what mistakes you did make and what you did about them can go a long way in helping you to reduce those mistakes. Write down your personal and professional events in a journal so that you can recall them in the future.
Learn
Probably the biggest benefit from journaling is what you learn about yourself. When you read back your challenges and accomplishments, you can recognize areas where you need to focus on, and you can take pride in your achievements. You can do some of this without a journal, but most people forget much of what they have done and why they did it.
Help Others
When you start to grow, you can help others do the same. Journaling can be your source for inspiration to help others. It’s a great tool to use if you plan to mentor younger co-workers at some point. You can even use passages to show the people you help. Showing what you have created or how you overcame a challenge from time-to-time can be great inspiration for them.
More Than Just Words
Journaling can be done with a notebook and pen. However, by using a computerized version, you can tie in graphics, videos, audios, and other media types. You are limited only by your imagination. The more of these types of media you incorporate, the better. Besides, it can be a lot of fun to produce a journal in this fashion. You can choose to print out hard copies and store them in a notebook if you’d like.
Let the Format Evolve
At the current time, there is no journaling police that will come and take you away if your format is not correct. There is no correct format. Just start creating, and the format will start to evolve as you develop it. You will notice what works and scrap what doesn’t. Don’t restrict yourself. Just create and then make changes as you progress.
Here’s a great way to get started. Download my FREE Professional Growth Journal and try it for the next 20 days.
Revisit Your Journal
While there is some value in simply recording thoughts in your journal, you’ll get more out of it if you review what you have created from time-to-time. I like to look over mine each month and make note of how I’ve grown or what challenges I still need to address. It’s also a great tool to use to track quarterly or yearly goals. This review process will give insight into where you were at crucial career moments in your life.
Measure Your Progress
When you revisit your journal, make comparisons about where you were previously to where you are now. Are you happy with the progress? If not, what is it that is holding you back? Look for clues in your journal and construct ways to get where you want to be. Sometimes, it can be small changes that make big differences later on.
Don’t forget to download your FREE Professional Growth Journal and get started today.
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