The Power of Writing Things Down
Recently, I decided to start figuring out how far along I was with the goals that I had set to achieve by the end of this year. As I looked over my vision board and all of my notes, I realized that the majority of my goals for this year have already been accomplished. I believe that this has a lot to do with the fact that I had written down my goals at the beginning of the year in order to help me become more focused and productive in actually accomplishing them. In this post, I will share my thoughts of why there is power in intentionally writing things down.
Clarity + Focus
When it comes to writing down your goals, I believe that it is important to do so, because when you write them down, it helps you to focus on what you want to see change in your life and it brings clarity to your thoughts. I know for me, I am a visual person, so as soon as I start to write down my goals or even my thoughts, it helps me to better visualize my big picture goals. It’s almost like if you were to grab a tissue from a tissue box. Once you grab one tissue, another pops up for you to grab, and then another and another. This concept is the same for me when I start writing my goals and thoughts down. As I write down my initial goal or thought, suddenly new thoughts, strategies and ideas begin to pop up and I become increasingly aware of how all of the pieces can fit together!
Update + Rewrite
Once you write down your goals, it is always a great thing to revisit them on a regular basis. There are different theories floating around on the intervals in which one should check in on their goals, but I believe that you should check in on your goals at least once a month. What I mean by this is that you should carve out some time to read your goals and update them as needed. As we are pursuing our dreams, goals shift and change due to the nature of how life works. Maybe you have greater clarity in what you want to do or maybe after working on a goal you realize it isn’t exactly what you initially wanted. Once a month, I go over my goals to update and rewrite them. This has helped me stay focused and to have continued forward movement towards where I want to be in the future.
Mental Checklist
Another reason I find power in writing down my goals and thoughts, is because it naturally helps me make a mental checklist of what I need to do. Since I am a planner, the mental checklist might come a little easier for me than for others, but I would encourage everyone to make a checklist of practical to-do items that will propel you toward the goal. For me, this looks like brainstorming the little steps that will get me closer and closer to my end goal. For example, one of my goals is to write a book and release it by the middle of next year. My practical to-do list for that goal is to write for an hour each week, meet with people who have published a book before, meet with a graphic designer to help make a vision for the project, etc. I did not necessarily have these steps at the beginning of the year when I first had the vague goal to write a book. My to-do list morphed throughout the year as I had more vision for my goal and revisited this overall goal on a monthly basis.
As you are looking to pursue new things in life, I would encourage you to take up the habit of writing down your thoughts and goals. Take some time this week to curl up with your favorite journal and pen or your laptop and favorite program and write down your thoughts about the future. Where do you want to go? What do you want to see? Who do you want to be? From there, take some time to focus in on these things to bring clarity to your future! Share your journey on social media by using the hashtag #faithfultomypurpose!