TLDR;
This video presents ten ways to use a pen and paper to improve your life, drawing inspiration from figures like Quentin Tarantino and Chris Martin. It covers strategies for identifying and addressing problems, boosting creativity, managing tasks, cherishing memories, capturing ideas, documenting life, improving diet, prioritizing tasks, and tracking habits. The core message emphasizes the power of simple writing practices to bring about significant positive change.
- Overcoming obstacles and fostering positive change through targeted writing exercises.
- Enhancing mental clarity and creativity by decluttering thoughts on paper.
- Improving productivity and motivation through structured task management and reflection.
The "Detest Fest" [0:10]
Quentin Tarantino used a "detest fest" to identify and address negative aspects of his life. He would spend a night listing everything he was doing wrong and then dedicate the last two hours to figuring out how to change it. This process involves strategically planning how to implement change, making it a cathartic and useful exercise for personal improvement.
Free-form writing [0:59]
Chris Martin, the lead singer of Coldplay, practices free-form writing for 12 minutes each day to improve his mental health. This involves writing down everything that is bothering you and then discarding the paper. This exercise helps in working out what's going on and releasing thoughts that you can't express, cleaning your mind. The author finds this useful for enhancing creativity by filtering out unnecessary thoughts.
The splurge list [1:46]
A "splurge list" is used to write down everything that needs to be remembered for the day. Unlike a to-do list, it aims to alleviate pressure by simply capturing all thoughts and tasks on paper. The idea is that the mind is not a good place to store things that you need to remember, so writing them down helps to keep track of everything.
The Done List [2:14]
The "done list" involves writing down small achievements to create momentum and encourage further task completion. Inspired by Admiral William McRaven's advice to "start off by making your bed," this list helps combat procrastination by highlighting accomplishments. By recognizing small wins, motivation is built to tackle the next task.
The handwritten word [2:50]
Handwritten letters and cards carry more care and attention than digital communication. The author shares a personal anecdote of writing down things he noticed about his wife every day for a year, compiling it into a book for their 10th wedding anniversary. This gift was more significant than anything money could buy, demonstrating the power of the handwritten word in relationships.
Thoughts and ideas [3:47]
It's important to write down your best ideas because you will not remember them. The author loves having a bank of old ideas collected over the years. More often than not, when he goes back into these, that's what compels him to make something creative.
Document your life [4:08]
Before sleeping, spend 5 minutes writing down a couple of sentences outlining the funniest, most memorable, or most story-worthy moment from that day. The author shares a story about one of the worst days of his life, when his mom was rushed to the hospital. He chose to remember it by writing about a funny moment that happened that day.
Food diary [5:01]
Writing down everything you eat in a day can help overhaul your diet. The author shares a personal experience of being frustrated with the amount of chocolate he was eating at Easter time. By simply bringing a level of consciousness to everything that he was eating, he was able to completely overhaul his diet.
3 key tasks [5:24]
The author writes down three key tasks to achieve each day, planning the night before. Completing these three tasks makes him feel on track, even if nothing else gets done. He also uses the number three as a journaling prompt at night to write down three things he feels grateful for each day and will only check his email on three occasions.
Habit tracking [6:00]
Using a pen is the most effective way to stay on track with habits. The author uses a habit tracker in his journal, with days of the month down the side and habits being tracked across the top. He color-codes his habits and puts a cross in the box every time he is successful with doing these habits. He likes looking back and seeing previous months, seeing what his highlights were, seeing the habits that he was tracking and how successful he was with that.