HACKING the Mind with a Creative Writing Journal

Learning to be creative is a practical skill set.

Especially in the information age.

This is the era where creativity is seeing a resurgence.

Only a few are capitalizing.

You can use your creativity to inspire & build.

Or you can use your creativity to spread hate & worry.

But you can’t do both.

This article is going to shed more light on my creative writing journal known as the Idea Machine.

This creative writing journal has 333 writing prompts that will help you think out-of-world ideas on autopilot.

Before investing in a creative writing journal, it’s smart to understand the systematic process behind creativity.

Having a baseline understanding of the theory makes taking action much more satisfying.

Systematizing Creativity

I find it strange when someone says:

‘I have nothing to talk about.’

That’s not possible.

You have plenty to talk about.

However, awareness of your ideas may be low.

Thoughts are the imagery that comes to the mind.

Structured thoughts lead to an idea.

The average human mind has roughly 30,000+ thoughts a day.

And you still have nothing to talk about?

Yea… I’m not buying it.

The issue is that concentration skills are low.

Imagine this:

A fisherman is in a lake that has TONS of fish.

However, he forgot his fishing pole.

Effective?

‘No.’

Why not?

‘Because he forgot his tool.’

Correct.

Fishing Pole = Pencil

Sure, the fisherman can use his hand.

However, a pole would have helped him because that’s his tool.

It allows him to use the bait & enhance his chances of catching a fish.

Likewise, it’s the same thing with creativity.

So many fish.

Aka: thoughts.

All we need is the right tool.

Aka: a pencil.

‘Why a pencil though?’

Mainly because we want to ease ourselves into accessing the mind.

If you have supreme concentration skills, great!

You may not need a pencil.

However, if you’re someone who can’t concentrate, then a pencil warms you up.

Don’t be fooled though.

A pencil is not only a means to an end.

Writing by hand is one of the best-kept secrets to becoming an Idea Machine.

You don’t have to ditch your tool, even as concentration skills skyrocket.

Why Writing Leads to Amazing Thoughts

I don’t recall the last time I took notes.

For me, taking notes is a distraction.

Instead, I use my mind.

Then, I’ll recall information later that is relevant for a problem-solving session.

I’ll create ideas.

Then I’ll connect them.

Everything is visual.

Words, boxes & lines.

It’s like a mind map on crack.

The reason I like to use a pencil is that it’s connecting my mind with my body.

Also, writing by hand is a foreign concept in the digital age.

Which is even better.

Supreme creativity is born through discomfort.

If you haven’t written by hand in a long time, that’s great.

A conscious effort will be required to move the hand correctly in a writing session.

I’ve been saying “pencil” throughout this article, but a pen is fine as well.

Writing by hand requires tons of faculties:

-Using language.

-Motor sensory skills.

-Balance.

-Using logic.

-Being present.

etc.

This allows you to access your thoughts at will.

Now you’re the fisherman who came prepared.

Practicing Creativity

When I read a book, my goal is to get 1 great idea.

If I got 1 great idea, then the whole book was worth it.

Nowadays, I see a lot of people saying they will stop reading a book if they are not captivated by the first 3 chapters.

I think that’s short-sighted.

You never know which part of the book will deliver that 1 haymaker idea.

Likewise, it’s the same thing with practicing creativity.

Most of your writing may be crap.

However, within that crap is 1 haymaker idea that makes the entire session worth it.

In the beginning, you can’t spot good writing from bad writing.

However, the more you practice, the better you get.

View creative writing as a muscle.

Each time you write, each time you are stronger for the next session.

The prior session makes you stronger for the present session.

Time vanishes.

Now you’re in an infinite loop of creativity.

Benefits of a Creative Writing Journal

The Idea Machine Journal has 333 creative writing prompts dealing with topics on:

• Personal development, fantasy, metaphysics, morality, and more.

You may wonder:

Why have a creative writing journal with prompts?

That’s a great inquiry.

The reason why is because we want to associate PRACTICALITY with creativity.

We don’t want to view creativity as this distinct box separate from the real world.

Assimilation is the goal.

With creative writing prompts, it becomes easier to target the mind on a goal.

But that’s all the guidance you will get.

The Idea Machine only gives you a prompt & it’s your goal to bring that prompt to life.

One of the prompts talks about an introverted star athlete who hates talking to the media.

You are given the role of the coach who has to inspire your introverted athlete to see the value of talking to the media.

What do you say?

From there, it’s all about exercising your imagination.

As you write, you’ll notice tension in the brain.

Don’t fear the tension.

WELCOME IT.

That’s your neural pathways firing and wiring in new ways.

This unorthodox position of suspending your identity to take up the identity of the coach, shocks the brain.

In this state of shock, stellar ideas (which you never knew you had) start coming forth.

You are getting relevant thoughts.

Now your goal is to structure those thoughts into an idea.

Importance of Brevity

The entire ArmaniTalks brand is built on short stories.

Why?

It’s because short stories are primal.

Before the advancement of information technology, we had cave paintings & oral storytellers.

Information was delivered in a succinct fashion.

In the Idea Machine, you are only given 1 page per prompt.

Sometimes, you won’t need the full page.

Other times, you’ll be thinking:

‘I need more than a page!’

At that moment, you will be FORCED to prioritize your thoughts.

During the process of prioritizing thoughts, you learn the art of building compelling ideas.

Editing is not easy for a creator.

However, it’s a must.

The ability to deliver a message concisely is another facet that makes the Idea Machine creative writing journal, deadly.

Writing clearly allows you to speak clearly.

Rambling will be a thing of the past.

I told you…we are going for practicality.

Becoming an Idea Machine

The mind is a thought-generating machine.

Unfortunately, most people use these thoughts for destruction.

Picture a lake.

You throw a bunch of sticks on the lake

Eventually, all the sticks will wander off in their own direction.

That’s how many people’s minds are.

Thoughts wander off in their own direction.

On the other hand, picture a lake that is flowing in 1 direction.

When you toss the sticks in the lake, all the sticks will follow in that direction.

That’s what a creative mind is like.

The thoughts have a purpose!

A creative writing journal allows you to control your mind at will.

Level up your ability to craft compelling ideas that captivate imaginations & hearts.

Learn how in the Idea Machine:

– ArmaniTalks