Hey Craftsman 🙂,
Welcome back to the third issue of the Craftsmen Journal. This is a weekly newsletter, click here to join up and get this sent directly to your inbox every Saturday.
Let’s dive right in.

📜 Deep dive into Journaling

“Don’t bend, don’t water it down, don’t try to make it logical, don’t edit your own soul according to the fashion. Rather, write it down as intense as it feels.” – Franz Kafka

Buried in the depth of a creator, is the unusual ability to make every craft or produce, if you will, as a masterpiece. Howbeit, the journey from conception to fruition of any product (whatever that means to you) is indeed a journey that requires a number of mindful activities, one of which I consider the most is Journaling.

Why I think you should Journal

-It enforces reflective learning

By three methods we learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second by imitation, which is easiest; and third, by experience, which is the bitterest. - Confucius

Havard business school conducted an experiment aimed at discovering which method of learning provides the highest benefits for future performance amidst the two effective methods of learning, this includes

• Learning by accumulating additional experience
• Learning by articulating & codifying experiences accumulated in the past (called “Reflection”).

One major discovery that was made goes thus: once an individual has accumulated a certain amount of experience with a task, the benefit of accumulating additional experience becomes inferior to the benefit of articulating and codifying the accumulated experience i.e in your creative journey, you’ll gain more benefit by reflecting on your daily processes and experiences rather than casually stumbling on the next day to get more done.
Hence the quote,

Experience doesn’t make anyone better, It is the reflection over the experience that makes anyone better

This is where Journaling shines in utmost brightness.

Reflection is best done when you pour out your mind on a physical notebook, not sitting all by yourself with millions of thoughts flying over your head, that’s so counter-productive in my opinion, as you can only get the best of your thought stream when journaled and reflected upon over time.

-It gives you an opportunity to listen to your inner voice

Curiosity is at the epic centre of creativity. Speaking about curiosity, It is rather unfortunate to see the brewing effects of social media on our evergreen minds, it has restricted and confined our ability to follow through on our train of curious thoughts, short-circuited our depth with every hit of dopamine in our brain while scrolling endlessly through Instagram and eventually leaves us so knackered, I’m afraid no masterpiece is made this way.

See what Albert Einstein has to say about creating a true masterpiece.

True masterpiece comes from the combination of curiosity, concentration, perseverance and self-criticism.“ ~ Albert Einstein

The idea is this, everything you pick up to work on within your space should be seen as another opportunity to create a masterpiece. Every masterpiece has its own depth and narrative within us and the only true way we connect with this narrative is to see every tickle that flows through our mind about the subject matter on a blank canvas via ink and paper, in a journal. Then you’re able to follow through on the captured idea.

-Journaling enables us to silence the inner critic and declutter ideas in a safe space with no judgement. It gives us permission to listen to our voice, our hopes and our needs.

❤️ Things I loved over the week

✍🏻 Quote

“I know not how I seem to others, but to myself I am but a small child wandering upon the vast shores of knowledge, every now and then finding a small bright pebble to content myself with while the vast ocean of undiscovered truth lay before me.” ~ Isaac Newton

📽️ Documentary - History Documentary BBC ❖ Leonardo DaVinci, behind a Genius

In a world where it feels like, wanting to go the extra mile makes you look a bit awkward, I reach back to esteemed antiques like this to see how folks defiled human boundaries and majored on the things previously considered as impossible & unimaginable, only to make a masterpiece out of it. I highly recommend it.

🎙️ Podcast -7 Hard Truths About Making Your Dreams Come True, by the School of Greatness

Aside from this particular episode, I recommend subscribing to the school of greatness podcast. It has been a game-changer and a good source of inspiration.

🎭 Something Different

📽 13 Millionaire Habits That Changed My Life - Noah Kogan

Noah Kogan, the owner of a very successful $85m company online application store called App Sumo, compiled these 13 key habits on reviewing over 100 biographies of successful people. I’m currently watching over and over again. I massively recommend it.

🙂 EndNote

If you’ve gained value from this issue and the previous issues, consider sharing with like minds within your space so they can get some value off it as well.
See you in the next issue,

#KeepCreating.

Dami, 👋