Asra Yousuf

I have always enjoyed writing but often struggled with being regular at it (at least publicly). My first journal entry was in 2011- in a black hardcover diary that I still own. It was when I was overwhelmed with the uncertainty of the future and was not sure who to share it with. So I opened a blank book and wrote.

I have hopped around my fair share of platforms- from blogspot, to medium and now my own website on WordPress. But writing publicly has always been a challenge. What do you write about? Am I sure I know enough about a topic to write about it? Who am I to write about something when others before me have done a way better job? And who is even going to read it? Why put in the effort to throw words into the abyss?!

So then why am I here writing about writing? Because I wish to build a more consistent habit around it and what better way to convince myself than to talk about the benefits of writing. So here is why should I write more and why should you too?

Write to generate ideas

Writing isn’t just about documenting what you already know. At times, it can be a journey, where you start with a thought and end with a structured idea. At times, thinking through things isn’t enough to help you see things clearly. When you put pen to paper, it helps you visualize all your thoughts on a single page and structure them better.

Write to connect the dots

As Steve Jobs said, “Connect the dots looking backward”. Writing helps you put all the dots- all your random thoughts and perspectives, in a single place, allowing you to clear your mind. It is only with an empty mind that you can look at all these dots objectively and connect them to form new insights. It can help you make sense of why you reacted a certain way or subconsciously made certain decisions. It can help you question the opinions you hold strongly.

Write to make better decisions

Speaking of decisions, if you suffer from analysis paralysis when making decisions, then writing can definitely help. Write down all the information you have regarding the decision you need to make- the good, the bad, the ugly. Think about what you are optimizing for, write about the worst that could happen if you were to choose one path over the other. And after a few hours revisit what you have written with a clear mind and with the information and emotions on paper, make the best call.

Write to build a second brain

“Your mind is for having ideas, not holding them”

David Allen

Have you ever had an “Aha!” moment, only to have it fade in the dark deep corners of your brain? Tiago Forte talks about building a second brain by dumping your thoughts, ideas, and information, and organizing them systematically. This creates the space for more ideas, and the opportunity to revisit old ideas and apply them at the right time.

Write to know thyself

I often enjoy scrolling back to photos from a few years back to recall the experiences I had and the places I visited. While your photo library offers a visual timeline of how you’ve evolved over the years, your blog or your journal holds record of how your thoughts have shaped across the years. It is often interesting to go back to old posts and entries and be amused by the things that were top of your mind in a past time of your life, say June 2015.

Write to find your tribe

David Perell calls its building your “Serendipity Vehicle”. When you throw your thoughts and ideas in to the vastness of the internet, you invite serendipitous connections to happen. You allow people with similar perspectives to connect with you. A few months ago I received the following message on Twitter and said yes to a coffee invite. Since then, we have had numerous hours of conversations and enjoyed every single minute of it. Writing online is like offering people a resume of who you are- not just your qualifications and career path, but also a resume of where your curiosity has taken you over the years.

That should be reason enough for me to write more consistently. Here’s hoping I convinced myself and you. Till then!