20 Thought-Provoking Journal Prompts to Help With Your Success How putting pen to paper can fast-track your personal growth.
By Tiffany Hoxie Edited by Kara McIntyre
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
If you have ever thought of diving into the practice of journaling but aren't sure where to begin, journal prompts can be a great starting point. Although journaling has been around for hundreds of years, I think our society needs it now more than ever.
In solitude is where journaling frequently takes place. For that reason, it allows us to slow down long enough to think outside the noise of the hustle and bustle that clouds our minds — which, I think most of us can agree, there is a lot of these days. If we can learn to work diligently to weed out the barriers and clutter in our minds, it opens the gate for us to reach our true potential.
Our professional and personal lives are seamlessly intertwined. Without hesitation, I can assure you that if there is something you are treading water on in your personal life, it is bound to overflow into professional matters. Our health, relationships and mindset all play a part in how things unfold in our careers.
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I have always believed that if you ask yourself the right questions, you will uncover the right answers. The below questions can help interrupt a negative path you may find yourself on and, before getting too much off course, will help you realign yourself with the values that mean the most to you.
Here are 20 thought-provoking journal prompts to help with your success:
- How can I work smarter, not harder?
- Is the work that I'm doing aligned with the vision I have for my career?
- How can I lead with more empathy?
- What is something I have been putting off that needs my attention?
- What do I need help with to reach the next level in my career?
- Is there something draining my energy, and how can I shift away from that?
- What is a goal that is important to me, and how do I plan to achieve it?
- What unhealthy thoughts have been consuming me lately, and how can I move my mindset away from them?
- What are the limiting beliefs I think about myself that aren't true?
- What is standing in the way of me meeting my goals?
- What do I feel is lacking in my life right now?
- Do I feel that I am on the path to getting burned out, and how can I reroute to prevent that?
- Have I become too comfortable, and, if so, how can I start to challenge myself more?
- What do I do when I'm upset over a work issue? Is it helping my situation or making things worse?
- Do I have a quality support system in place? If not, how can I achieve that?
- What are three things I can do today to help me be more successful?
- Are there ways I can stop wasting my time?
- How can I develop my mindset to set myself up for growth?
- Do I let how other people's opinions of me prevent me from living my most authentic life?
- When was the last time I faced a difficult situation at work, and how can I navigate it more efficiently the next time it happens?
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How to start journaling
If you need more tips for where to start in your journaling journey, here's my advice.
- Cut back on excessive social media scrolling. Many of us spend more time than we realize scrolling through social media. Instead, replace it with 5-10 minutes of writing. While we may try to convince ourselves that there is no extra time in the day to write, I believe we can always find a way to make room for the things that are most important to us. Schedule time on your calendar and hold yourself accountable.
- Free write. Some days, you may want to skip over the prompts altogether and free write. Writing without an agenda can also be beneficial as it can help you process your situation. Jot down all the clutter floating around your mind and allow yourself to write about the issues that may be draining your energy.
- Set a timer. Set yourself a timer for 2 minutes and write down whatever comes to mind. Once the time has passed, you may find that you have more to say than you realize.
Writing your thoughts down on paper may offer you a sense of relief. Rumination takes up space and energy in your mind when you could be using it for more productive things. Get the confusion out of your mind and down on a blank piece of paper. As a result, you may find that you hold the solution to any problem that comes your way.
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