the ultimate guide to keeping a journal

About this video

Clark Kegley presents journaling as the single tool he would pick to transform a life and walks through his ‘six-in-one’ journaling method from start to finish. Instead of keeping separate notebooks for self-improvement, business ideas, relationships and fitness — as he did in his 20s — he uses one blank sketchbook for a full year, divided into up to five or six sections (about 20 pages each) for the areas he wants to focus on. The front cover holds his best ‘1% quotes’ from the year and his signature strengths, on the reasoning that what you repeatedly see when opening the journal reprograms the subconscious through repetition. He also puts the number 32,850 there — the days from birth to age 90 — as a memento mori reminder, citing Steve Jobs asking himself each morning whether he would be satisfied if today were his last day. The back cover holds yearly goals split into work (quantifiable output and metrics), rest (input, health and recharging) and play (trips and fun), which he argues must stay in balance. Inside sections he keeps things like book notes distilled to one or two pages of big ideas, course and event notes, and sketched video ideas. He advises journaling from inspiration, not obligation — no daily quota — and prefers a high-quality blank sketchbook over lined pages.

Key takeaways

• Use one journal for a year, divided into up to six sections for your chosen focus areas, instead of scattering notes across multiple notebooks.
• Put your best quotes and signature strengths inside the front cover so repeated exposure reinforces them subconsciously every time you open the journal.
• Set yearly goals in the back cover across three balanced areas: work (measurable output), rest (health and recharging) and play (fun and travel).
• Distill each valuable book into one or two pages of big ideas in your journal so you can review it instantly instead of rereading it.
• Do not impose a daily journaling quota; Kegley says approaching it from inspiration rather than obligation is why he has kept the habit for years.

Episode details: published December 26, 2022 · 22:34 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. Business results and any income figures mentioned are Clark Kegley’s own claims, shared for education — they are not typical or guaranteed.

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