Welcome to my new blog!

To set down such choice experiences that my own writings may inspire me and at last I may make wholes of parts . . . Each thought that is welcomed and recorded is a nest egg, by the side of which more will be laid.

—Henry David Thoreau, journal entry for January 22, 1852

This is the first time I've thought of making a public journal. Keeping a journal will help in two ways, the first is that it will help record the lessons, and the second will help become more reflective and shape the way that you view your life.

Your journal isn’t just a place for you to store what you know, but also how and when to use it. This should be a valuable tool to reference things in the future.

Tracking your progress and holding yourself accountable for your decisions will be easier if you use your journal .

“A journal is like a mirror; it doesn’t lie. Looking at past decisions, as well as what I learned from them, and knowing that someday I’ll be evaluating today’s decisions the same way, has made me much more honest with myself. And that has made all the difference in my business and my life.”

  The process of journaling will also help you see the world more clearly.

The important thing is that it should have at least four things: (1) a date for each entry, (2) a Lessons Learned section, (3) a Lessons Not Yet Learned section, and (4) a reference and categorization method. 

Lessons Learned

The Lessons Learned portion is just what it sounds like: the important lessons you’ve picked up. These could be observations, ways to use a new tool, or reflections from an exercise or real- world experience. They may be extremely personal insights about your life as an entrepreneur or rules of thumb that lead to financial success. They can even be insightful questions. Don’t be afraid to draw diagrams or pictures—for visual learners, these can be powerful reminders.

Lessons Not Yet Learned

In the Lessons Not Yet Learned section, record terms and tools you haven’t mastered or don’t quite understand. You can also record the challenges you’re facing or problems you’re grappling with. As you make progress, you’ll be able to transfer these Lessons Not Yet Learned to the Lessons Learned category.

A Reference and Categorization Method

To maximize the effectiveness of your journal, you’ll need way to link your Lessons Learned to the specific notes and tools you’ll need when a previously encountered problem or question resurfaces. With every entry, don’t just record the problem, but also any tool or skill you used to solve it, and where you can find material or explanations related to that tool.

Furthermore, an index or keyword list will help you keep track of everything and help you link daily observations, lessons, and questions from the past to today’s problems and the tools you’ll need to solve them.

At first your index or keyword list may seem haphazard, but after a few reorganizations you’ll settle on a system that works for you. The reorganizations won’t be wasted effort, either. You’ll find them helpful for review and synthesis.

I'll include here an example of a blog entry on these topics:

Lessons Learned:

The lessson learned today is how to keep an effective busnissees journal. As previously stated, It should cover these sections, 1. the date and time, 2. a lessons learned sections. 3 a lessons Not Yet learned section and 4. a reference and categorization method. Further, we have learned that a journal will be a valuable tool for future reference and a mirror to measure our own progress. A specific time should be allocated to writing in a journal, this can be daily, weekly or as needed or as impressed upon. A few example of this might be; when you read a book or a note, after a class, exercise or action experience, around town, after a key struggle in the business world, or anytime you'd like to set goals.

Lessons Not Yet Learned:

Journaling is an intensely personal affair. Keeping the records straight an in a format that best suits my needs for future reference will be a learning experience. Here are a few tips:

Making journaling a part of my schedule. This should be fairly simple because I am being forced to write as part of a class. As the time goes it will become a habit and hopefully I will see some benefit from it.  

Make Your Observations as Specific and Colorful as Possible. For example, I'm very new to blogging and learning this new blog space and how to manage it will be a good challenge.

Periodically Review and Reorganize Your Journal. This is also another work in progress item. I won't be able to review and reorganize my journal until I have a few more posts and entries. 

Share Your Journal. Surprisingly, writing this in a blog format lends it to be easily shared. Whither or not anyone else finds any value to my jabbering remains unseen. 

Just Write. Of all the tips so far I believe I have managed this tip the best, I have now blabed own about very little for a good chunk of time. 

More to come, talk soon.

Tim Lines