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Journal Every Day to Let Go of Perfectionism

Writer's picture: Edgar San Martin, Jr.Edgar San Martin, Jr.

Updated: Jan 18

In 2024, I finally picked up an old pocket notebook cluttering my bedroom for years. Since then, I wrote in that notebook every day, no matter what. I filled an entire page - front and back.

Three journals later, this simple habit has become both a catalyst for my growth and, admittedly, another source of anxiety. Despite this, I know I’ll write a page a day until the day that I die.

A purple statue is journaling in a white room. Cracks are forming on his chest.

Why You Should Write Every Day

Everyone should set aside a few minutes to write every day. Not because it’s trendy or because I think we all need to strive to write the next Crime and Punishment. No. Everyone should write because writing is a powerful tool for self-introspection.

Writing is known for its many health benefits, from reducing stress to improving mental clarity. On top of that, though, what you choose to write helps you understand yourself. But the quality of your writing shouldn't be the focus.


Letting Go of Perfection

When I sit down or take a short walk to write, there’s often a voice in my head whispering, Make it perfect. Write the best thing ever.


Sure, it’s a nice idea. Imagine every word perfectly chosen. Every thought perfectly well-researched, every argument tied up to perfection.


How exhausting does that sound? How long do you think it would take to write like that every day?


It’s no wonder so many writers never start.


What I’ve discovered is that writing daily isn’t about perfection - it’s about practice. When you commit to writing something each day, you learn to embrace the messiness of your own thoughts. Thoughts, after all, are rarely polished or organized. They’re chaotic, imperfect, and sometimes entirely incoherent. And that’s okay.


So, What Do You Write About?

What to write is the hard part of writing every day. That’s why I keep a growing list of prompts (in my head) to fall back on when I’m stuck. Here are some:


  • What quote did I like today? Why?

  • What’s a business idea I’ve been thinking about?

  • What scared me today?

  • Write from the POV of a stranger.

  • Spend one minute writing nonstop, let your thoughts flow incoherently.

  • What’s a future plan I’m excited about? What can I do now to get there?

  • My reaction to something I saw on YouTube or anything I've watched or listened to.

  • What am I worried about right now?

  • Describe a detailed observation of something that caught my eye today.

  • What lessons did I learn today, and how can I apply them to my skillset?


Most of my journals are filled with these kinds of things on bullet points. They’re not fancy. They’re not even particularly profound (I've written so much about fried chicken). But they serve a purpose: they keep me writing.


Writing as a Daily Practice

Over the past year, I’ve noticed a surprising shift in how I approach writing. In the beginning, I was so caught up in the idea of producing something “worthy” that it often paralyzed me. But as I’ve filled my pocket notebooks, I’ve realized that writing doesn’t need to capture a perfect reflection of myself.


The end product of writing we typically imagine - something polished, edited, and ready to share with the world - is important. But that’s not what daily journaling is about. Daily journaling is about showing up for yourself, not caring about being perfect. It’s about capturing your thoughts onto paper and letting whatever’s inside you spill out.


The only purpose of a first draft is to exist.

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