Not everyone can write. Some are gifted – real wordsmiths and others – are not. Elton John can’t write lyrics to save himself, Bernie Taupin does that. Even professional writers get writer’s block and sit for days in front of a typewriter (OK their iPad) and have nothing to write about.
There’s a great movie about that called, “The Words.” It’s an art-house film about an author’s struggle of plagiarism. As a journalist, and author of six books, I don’t find writing difficult… but I have… method. I use it everyday. There are white boards bolted to three walls in my house. I have vast territory mapped out with A2 paper and ideas flowing around. Blue tac is my friend, notes on walls, post-it notes driving my loved ones crazy.
It turns out though, that creative flow has a more commercial edge too – it turns out that creative writing forms part of excellence in human behaviour and high performance. Take for example the flow of fantastic money making ideas that spark and fly in our company. Most of them come from our ideas man Jaemin Frazer – and he is the king of writing every day. He got the idea from, “The Artists Way” by Julia Cameron. Most of our executive team have read it now, and I practised that sucker to death. Great stuff.
Then I was chatting to my business mentor and I asked him what his best and most helpful daily practises were. This guy brings home a million a month, so yeah, I listen to his ideas. He said, to my shock and awe, that journalling forms an integral part of his daily practise for success. He carries a “blue ocean” diary – blank pages for crazy ideas he has – dreams – pictures – media links – relationships – business thoughts. This is his external hard drive and he finds it “imperative.”
Well if it’s good enough for him, it’s good enough for me.