Writing is Thinking

Clear up space for new thoughts to emerge

Have you ever been stuck on something at work, a problem that you just couldn’t wrap your mind around? What about a personal issue that made sense to you, but you weren’t able to succinctly verbalize it?

Generally, we would go to a coworker, friend, or partner for an ear. We ramble about the topic, listing off things and ideas that they likely have no real input about. A quick question turns into an hour and our friend does little more than nod, but suddenly it clicks. The problem is exposed, and your thoughts are distilled.

This is usually when you run off to fix the bug or finish the concept. This process is a great way to think, but we don’t always have someone to ramble to. So how can we emulate this process? Writing.

Writing is a scary thought for a lot of people. They immediately come to the conclusion that they are not writers, then go right back to scrolling endlessly on their favorite addiction – I mean, social media app.

I am not proposing that you should become a novelist or journalist. I am proposing that you "think", using writing. You’ve probably heard this saying many times in your life, and I do agree, writing is thinking. This is when you can scoff and roll your eyes. But really, it is! Let me explain my thoughts on this and why it has worked for me.

I can think of many situations when I have been frustrated with a problem, stuck, basically in an endless loop. I step away from my computer and start rambling to my wife. All I do is simply ramble about the problem. Occasionally my wife will ask a question or provide a thought, but then I go right back into the ramble. After 10, 15, or even 30 minutes something happens. The problem starts to make sense. This is when I tend to run to my computer or pull out my phone. I'll either solve the issue straight away or note my thoughts on the subject. This is also usually when my wife is about to fall asleep because the topic was about digital operations and is usually a lullaby to her ears.

The underlying principle here is conversation. Then, why am I preaching writing? Because with practice you can emulate conversation, using writing, to distill thought. We'll touch on the process, rituals, and tools.

Process

When a problem presents itself or the idea is still hazy, get it down on paper (digital or physical). Write out the full issue, even if it is in a task or project on your screen already. Write the problem in your words, not from the perspective of your manager or coworker. Write it in full paragraphs if possible.

Steer away from a bulleted list

After you have it down, brain-dump your thoughts and feelings about the subject. Steer away from a bulleted list. Write in a conversational format – as if the computer or paper is your partner, friend, or coworker.

Don't worry, you're not insane because you are "talking" to yourself. Let's be real – you would likely be actually talking to yourself, even if there was a person there, as most of these problems will bore most others.

When you have the problem and your thoughts down - read them, edit them, and rewrite them. Shape your thoughts like a narrative. Explain how you got here, what the climax of the story is, and what the conclusion could be. When you do this, you will start to see possible solutions, even ones that you would never usually consider.

Clear up space for new thoughts to emerge

If conclusions don’t pop out initially, write solutions that are likely, not correct, but close. When you get them out of your head, you clear up space for new thoughts to emerge.

Rituals

How do you reinforce this process? By writing like this, often.

This can be handled in a ton of ways, but the most successful ways for me have been journaling and daily notes. While I do not actively journal anymore, I did a lot in my early years. Most recently, I practice the concept of daily notes.

Both methods will sharpen the same skill – being able to externalize your thinking.

Every day I spin up a daily note in my PKM. It is a simple note that has a place for any type of writing. I use this as a jumping-off place for almost anything. If I come across a new person, piece of content, or thought, it goes here.

I try to write most of these notes in paragraph form as it lets me go deeper than bullet points inherently support. This allows me to loosely write, without the need to systematize it too much.

When I am stuck on a problem at work, I write it out here. When I feel frustrated about something, writing it out helps me rationalize the true problem. Even when I feel like I did something worth praising, I write it here. This tends to help limit random tweets.

The main takeaway here is ritual. Form a consistent habit of writing, to yourself, for yourself. Then when you need to, it comes naturally.

Tools

The tool does not matter. What matters is limiting friction. Use a method that is always within reach. When I was younger and journaled regularly, paper notebooks were my go-to. Now that I work on a computer all day, having a digital solution was key for me.

At first, I used Notion for this and while it is a great option, there was still a bit too much friction there for me. I've mentioned this in the past, but due to Notion not being offline-first, the sometimes lack of speediness added too much friction.

Now, I use Obsidian. It supports daily notes out the box. And since I use a modified version of Zettelkasten, I relate the date of the daily note with a lot of other notes, allowing me to form networked connections.

If you are digital-first, you can use anything for this. Apple Notes is great, Google Keep can do the job, and even Notion if the speed doesn't add much friction. If you want to mix digital and analog – GoodNotes is pretty amazing. Lastly, if analog is your jam, get a nice notebook.

Again, the main point is lowering the friction, so try to always have it within reach.

I know that this process doesn't quite seem ideal in a fast-paced, instant-gratification world, but it is not meant to be. It is meant to be thoughtful and intentional. So, have an inner dialog, and write out your actions. Externalize your thinking. It will allow you to massage and restructure your thought. Because writing is thinking.