Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Let every day be worthy

Flipping back through my collection of diary excerpts relating to the subject of why we journal, I happened upon this one . . .

William Lyon Mackenzie King, who would one day become Canada's 10th Prime Minister (and whose image also now appears on our $50 bill), wrote in his diary on September 6, 1893 at age 18:

"This diary is to contain a very brief sketch of the events, actions, feelings and thoughts of my daily life. It must above all be a true and faithful account. The chief object of my keeping this diary is that I may be ashamed to let even one day have nothing worthy of its showing, and it is hoped that through its pages the reader may be able to trace how the author has sought to improve his time." (From Diaries of William Lyon Mackenzie King, Library and Archives Canada)

This excerpt relates very directly to my own thoughts these days -- the acute desire to improve my time and not let even one day slip by without accomplishing a worthy deed.

I'm making good progress on my side project, a new set of journal materials related to goal setting. As I've read and sketched and drawn up new prompts, I've been exploring the fundamental connection between journaling and the pursuit of one's goals.

The connection isn't new, of course, but I'm truly enjoying sorting it out in my own way, creating my very own recipe for goal achievement through journaling. In addition to my usual journal themes and prompts, I've been thinking about purposeful, deliberate forward direction. I've been thinking about how to create a plan for achieving your goals that you'll want to dive into, with everything you've got, right now. That is the key. That is my goal for this set and I can't wait to share it with you.


Previous journal excerpts:
C.S. Lewis
Ralph Waldo Emerson 
Virginia Woolf
Sir Walter Scott
Siegfried Sassoon
Alice James
Sofia Tolstoy

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