# How I Journal and Take Notes | Brainstorming + Focusing + Reducing Anxiety | Tim Ferriss ![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/UFdR8w_R1HA/maxresdefault.jpg) ## Intro [(00:00:00)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=0s) - [[Tim Ferriss]] has a condition called hypergraphia, which means he writes all the time, resulting in hundreds of notebooks. [(00:00:03)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=3s) - He believes it's essential to have a systematic way of filtering the best information to the top of one's attention. [(00:00:16)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=16s) - Ferriss uses multiple passes for almost all types of note-taking and will describe a few different types of note-taking that he does regularly. [(00:00:28)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=28s) - The key to his note-taking process is constantly asking what information is truly important and selecting only the absolute best. [(00:00:42)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=42s) - He will demonstrate a few ways to filter and prioritize notes, which is a straightforward process. [(00:00:22)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=22s) ## Notebook Exercise [(00:00:50)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=50s) - A small notebook is used for brainstorming and note-taking, especially during events or when feeling overwhelmed, and is small enough to fit in a back pocket [(00:00:52)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=52s). - An exercise involves making a list of the craziest things that could be done or eliminated to alleviate stress, with the goal of coming up with lots of ideas, no matter how absurd [(00:01:21)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=81s). - The list is written quickly, and the point is to come up with ideas that might productively stretch the mind and lead to a solution that wouldn't have been considered otherwise [(00:02:32)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=152s). - One idea from the list, "stop all social media scheduled for three months," was chosen and implemented, completely changing the way social media is used and leading to regular "off-grid" time to recharge [(00:02:52)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=172s). - The notebook is reviewed multiple times, with different passes indicated by boxing, circling, and highlighting, and a schedule is used to review the notes [(00:03:29)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=209s). - Another type of notebook is used for note-taking during events, with quotes and action steps written down, and a box in the bottom right-hand corner is used for potential action steps [(00:04:18)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=258s). - The pages of the notebook are numbered, and an index is created in the beginning of the notebook to keep track of highlights and important pages [(00:05:03)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=303s). - The index is used to find specific quotes or ideas later, and a system of numbering the pages, with the back of a page numbered as 0.5, is used to keep track of the pages [(00:05:36)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=336s). ## Morning Pages [(00:06:00)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=360s) - Morning pages, popularized by [[Julia Cameron]], were introduced as a tool for high-achieving creative individuals to reduce anxiety and increase productivity [(00:06:04)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=364s). - The purpose of morning pages is not to write polished content, but to act as "spiritual windshield wipers" that trap anxiety, distractions, and nebulous fears on paper, allowing individuals to focus on their day [(00:06:42)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=402s). - Morning pages involve writing down thoughts, feelings, and concerns without editing or censoring, often resulting in unstructured "brain vomit" that can help clear the mind [(00:08:40)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=520s). - Julia Cameron recommends writing three longhand pages each morning, which can be done in a dedicated workbook or a regular notebook [(00:07:14)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=434s). - The practice of morning pages can help individuals process their thoughts and emotions, sometimes revealing gems of insight, but primarily serves as a tool for stress reduction and anxiety management [(00:08:45)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=525s). - An example of morning pages is provided, showing a stream-of-consciousness writing style that includes worries, anxieties, and brainstorming ideas, demonstrating the unstructured nature of the practice [(00:07:33)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=453s). - The goal of morning pages is not to produce good writing, but to capture thoughts and feelings in a raw, unedited form, allowing individuals to release their neuroses and anxieties onto paper [(00:08:37)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=517s). ## Five Minute Journal [(00:09:00)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=540s) - The five-minute journal is a tool used for focus, improving focus and execution, and appreciation, with a simple and straightforward format that includes the date, a quote, and prompts for gratitude, daily affirmations, and reflection on the day's events [(00:09:25)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=565s). - The journal prompts include "I'm grateful for" (listing three things), "What would make today great" (listing three things), "Daily affirmations" (completing the sentence "I am"), and "Three amazing things that happened today" (listing three things) [(00:09:34)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=574s). - The journal also includes space for reflection on how the day could have been improved, with the prompt "How could I have made today better" (listing three things) [(00:09:52)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=592s). - The simplicity of the journal is intentional, as complexity can lead to failure, and the journal's format is designed to be easy to use and help the user develop a consistent habit [(00:09:59)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=599s). - The journal can be used in conjunction with other tools, such as morning pages, which are used for reducing anxiety and worry, and note-taking for digesting information or brainstorming [(00:12:07)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=727s). - The practice of writing down things to be grateful for can help cultivate an appreciation for the smaller things in life, which can translate to noticing the bigger things [(00:12:51)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=771s). - The journal can also be used to remind oneself of prompts or heuristics, such as the "state story strategy" from [[Tony Robbins]], which involves improving one's physical state, creating an enabling story, and developing a strategy for achieving a goal or solving a problem [(00:10:41)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=641s). - A journaling system was created in 2017, which included B.O.B forms that later became Quixote, possibly related to "[[Tools of Titans]]" [(00:13:17)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=797s). - The journaling system involved creating different forms and spreadsheets to digest hundreds of hours of audio and transcripts from the [[Tim Ferriss]] Show podcast, including TFS answers and a spreadsheet [(00:13:41)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=821s). - Three tasks were set to test the form, including creating B.O.B forms, looking at TFS answers, and emailing 20 new people to test the form using Google forms or Wufoo forms [(00:14:05)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=845s). - The five-minute journal was used to help overcome tendencies to overestimate daily tasks and underestimate long-term capabilities, with very little space and few bulleted options [(00:14:25)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=865s). - Daily affirmations were used, including "I am forever forward, no hurry, no pause," an expression taught by a friend and former [[United States Navy SEALs | Navy SEAL]], and also common in [[Buddhism | Buddhist]] circles [(00:14:40)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=880s). - Daily affirmations also included reassuring statements, such as "I am alright" and "I am good at this," to help with writing difficulties and concerns of insufficiency [(00:15:07)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=907s). - A daily review was conducted, including three amazing things that happened that day, such as Molly the dog heeling well while walking, a prediction by Rava Khan about [[Krypto]], and a great late-night call with a dear friend [(00:15:29)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=929s). - The daily review also included reflecting on how to make the day better, such as not using the ketogenic diet as an excuse to drink excessive coffee [(00:16:15)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=975s). - Additional reflections included not using keto as an excuse to drink 15 liters of coffee, and instead drinking less coffee or using caffeine pills if needed [(00:16:55)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=1015s). - A consistent practice involves reviewing patterns every quarter to identify ways to improve the next day, with common answers including drinking less coffee and waking up earlier [(00:17:32)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=1052s). - The five-minute journal is used for brainstorming, insight, note-taking, review, writing for answers, problem-solving, and setting interesting goals [(00:17:55)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=1075s). - The morning pages can be used to reduce anxiety, worries, or neuroses, and can be done in a workbook or elsewhere [(00:18:04)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=1084s). - The 5-minute journal is helpful for focus, keeping things simple, and appreciation [(00:18:14)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=1094s). - It is not necessary to use all three journaling methods every day, and using them as needed can still result in a dramatic difference in quality of life, focus, and ability to execute consistently [(00:18:22)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=1102s). - Using at least one of these journaling methods consistently can lead to improved focus, ability to execute, and overall quality of life [(00:18:25)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFdR8w_R1HA&t=1105s).