What to Write in a Journal

Jim Rohn was the master of the journal. "If you're serious about becoming a wealthy, powerful, sophisticated, healthy, influential, cultured and unique individual—keep a journal. Don't trust your memory. When you listen to something valuable, write it down," Rohn said. As such, a journal can be many things to many people. Here are a few ideas for how to use a journal:

1. Keep a tally of your daily 'wins' or accomplishments.
2. Keep notes on an ongoing problem you're facing.
3. Write down ideas. The Magic of Thinking Big author David J. Schwartz writes, "Every day, lots of good ideas are born only to die quickly because they aren't nailed to paper."
4. Maintain your lifelong goal file. Writing down your aspirations in a journal helps build a file so that you can review your ideas over and over.
5. Keep a to-do list for big projects. Day-to-day tasks can be scheduled in Outlook, but larger-scale projects are perfect for recording in a journal.
6. Jot down inspirational quotes and why they impact you.
7. Keep a dream journal bedside.
8. Handwrite important facts, statistics or phone numbers to help cement them in your mind.
9. Tear out a page and write a note to someone important in your life.