
The Idea Journal
Leonardo da Vinci. Marie Curie.
Thomas Edison. Beatrix Potter.
What do all four of these people have in common?
Not only were they highly motivated and creative individuals, but they also all kept an idea journal.
An idea journal is quite different from a diary. You use an idea journal not to record all of the things that happened to you throughout the day, but to jot down daily goals, achievements, opinions, observations, or bits of inspiration. If you’re working on a project, you can fill the idea journal with updates on your progress, thoughts on how to improve the project, and anything else that motivates you.
A writer’s idea journal might be filled with ideas for stories or articles or blog posts (no need to fear writer’s block when you have an idea journal). An artist’s might contain sketches or inspirations for drawings. Ultimately, the idea journal exists as a private place to plant your ideas and watch them grow.
Here are four reasons why you should keep an idea journal.