Seth Godin, the legendary marketing mind, believes people should blog every day. Why? Because making public predictions and observing the world sharpens your thinking. In the process, you develop a discipline that inevitably benefits you.
While keeping a private diary is valuable, it lacks accountability. Public writing creates a record—something you can revisit in a month or a year. How did reality compare to your predictions? Writing publicly forces you to stand by your thoughts.
Seth argues that if you can express one idea every day and stand behind it, it’s a powerful exercise. Often, thoughts seem logical in our minds, but when written and exposed to an independent reader, they don’t always hold up. Writing forces clarity. If you write clearly, you think clearly. Podcaster and writer David Perell strongly advocates this idea—using writing as a tool to refine thinking.
Every year, CEOs, Chairmen, and CFOs write sections of their company’s annual report for stakeholders. One of the most iconic examples is Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway shareholder letter. Typically 12-14 pages long, it updates shareholders on financial and operational performance while also offering insights, philosophy, and wit.
Executives must be deliberate with their words because every sentence will be scrutinized by shareholders and the public. Every word carries weight.
Even in small companies, managers should write a monthly summary of their department’s performance. This process forces them to critically evaluate their work rather than simply “going through the motions.”
Whenever I travel, I make a habit of writing a few thoughts about my experiences—the places I visited, what inspired me, random encounters, the food, and the history. I often find that jotting down a few sentences sparks more ideas, and before I know it, I’ve written an entire blog post.