The Power of Writing

Writing as self discovery

“Who are you?”

And I don’t mean your name, age or occupation.

The thing is, most of us don’t know. Sure, we might be able to answer what we like or don’t like when asked. Or what we like to do for fun. But have you tried analysing it deeper? Do you know why you like or dislike certain things? Why do you admire the people you do?

What is it about a subject that draws or repels you? Why did you choose a particular career path? A religion? Did you choose it?

Write about what you find interesting, important, and things you disagree with. See what you think and why, being completely honest with yourself.

You might be surprised by what you discover. You might see that some beliefs are not really yours. But have been instilled upon you. Is it “just something you do” or something that has been in the family? Question everything.

Writing can also be used to heal emotional wounds. When we write about our painful experiences, we can begin to process them and eventually let go of them.

You’re writing to figure yourself out. By articulating yourself and your thoughts, you get hints into your subconscious belief systems and guidance. You get to see what drives you.

It would be useful to say that, in writing for self-discovery, you shouldn’t worry about the structure and style of writing. What matters more is the in-depth exploration of your mind.

It is meant for clarifying thoughts, asking and answering questions, exploring ideas and reflecting. Learning how to think.

Writing for learning

Not just taking notes. Not merely copying what you’ve read or writing what you’ve heard word for word, but pausing to think about what you’ve learned and explaining it for yourself. That is how you go from passive to active learning.

While studying new material, pay attention to what you’re thinking. Take note of anything that you find important, interesting, or something you disagree with. Note emotional reactions. Write down any questions that you may have.

Think of it as a conversation with the writer/teacher. You are attempting to say back to them “this is what I understand you are saying”.

Writing to learn helps you think critically about the material while encouraging you to grasp, organize, and integrate prior knowledge with new concepts.

It’s worth noting that writing for learning is different from writing to teach or to explain.

When you’re writing to explain you are stepping into the role of an instructor as opposed to a student role you take on when writing to learn.

You are stepping out of the material you are teaching and are given a new perspective, seeing it more objectively, and enforcing critical thinking. This way you are often able to generate fresh ideas and gain a deeper understanding of a subject.

The pen is a sword.. or however the saying goes

Seeing how we can use writing to improve ourselves in different areas of our life, it is all pretty straightforward but why do it in the first place? Or I should say, why do it consistently? Why practice getting better at writing?

We usually start by writing what we think. If we don’t know what to write about, we don’t know what we think (or we simply don’t know enough to have thoughts on it). Therefore we can’t express ourselves.

An inability to express what we think, and do it clearly can cost us opportunities such as promotions, job opportunities, arguments, and negotiations. The ability to write is directly connected to our ability to communicate and express ourselves verbally. Improving the skill of writing will ultimately improve the ability to think and communicate, giving you the advantage and upper hand in any situation in life.