Why You Need a ‘Failure Journal’
There’s surprising power in recording all the ways you screwed up
A couple years ago, after pushing myself to learn some new skills, I started a “win journal,” a running collection of the big and small victories that I achieved every day. It helped me whenever I was feeling discouraged — I could simply return to the journal and remember that I’m capable of accomplishing great things.
The win journal boosted my self-confidence, but there came a point when I wanted to make some bigger strides in my life. To do this, I knew I needed a clearer picture of what was working and what wasn’t. So to go along with the win journal, I created its antithesis: the failure journal. The self-awareness it’s given me has been key to my growth.
In a failure journal, you record your — you guessed it — failures. You can do this in either a digital or paper notebook (I use the Notion app). While chronicling your blunders may not sound as enjoyable as capturing your wins, the process is powerful. Not only does it help you remember your mistakes so you’re less likely to repeat them, it allows you to disassociate with the emotions around your failures and discover lessons in each one. You’re reframing failure as a necessary part of success.
