Happy Tuesday!

As I get ready to leave Medellín, I've been preparing my next journal to be "autographed" by several friends I've made here.

I started this practice in March 2018, when I had the chance to meet one of my idols—Joanne Lien—in person after a concert.

Back then, I was training to represent my school at the national skills competition. As someone who'd only started programming a year prior, I struggled a lot with self-doubt and imposter syndrome.

Upon hearing this, Joanne graciously autographed the journal I brought, with an accompanying motivational quote:

Become a person that even you would envy. Keep going!

Later that week, she posted another quote on Instagram that resonated with me.

I added that quote to the right hand side of the autographed page:

If you do absolutely nothing now

Would you still like your self 2 years later?

(a.k.a—Would you regret not taking action today?)

The Power of Reminders

That autographed page became a huge source of motivation for me.

On days when my discipline ran thin, I'd look at that page to be instantly reminded of my "why".

That page also reminds me that I'm not alone. That there's a bunch of people rooting for me to win.

And if I fall, those people will be there—cheering for me to get up.

I started picking up my journal more often, which also helped me start journalling more consistently.

So, if you're looking for a motivational hack to

1. Remind yourself of your "why"
2. Journal more consistently

A journal autograph/"foreword" can help.

3 Tips for Getting Your Journal Autographed

1. Be intentional about who you ask.

At minimum, pick a person who:

• You trust (the more trust there is, the better)
• Genuinely roots for you

Also: Do NOT pick your current romantic partner.

Your partner might know you well, but they might not know your blind spots.

And if you (touchwood) break up with them, the journal can become painful to look at.

2. Be clear about the context you want your autographer to write for

Joanne managed to write powerful, resonating quotes because I'd told her what I was going through at that time.

Now, before I ask someone, I think about:

• The endeavors and challenges I'm facing right now
• The tonality of the autograph that I need the most

...and communicate these contextual details to them.

Sometimes, if my autographer knows me well, I also let them have free rein.

• They can write a few sentences, or a few (A6) pages.
• They can pen well wishes, or talk about how they overcame similar obstacles.

3. Use the autographed page (and journal) frequently

The autographed page is yours now.

Look at it frequently. Remind yourself why you do what you do.

And most importantly, keep journalling to focus on what matters and accelerate your growth.