Thanks for stopping by.
July 16, 2024 - curation intentional mindfulness personal knowledge personal library priorities reflection self-growth self-help skilled reflection values
What are they? Suppose we have a transcript of every word you’ve encountered in your life. Many of these were out of necessity: school assignments or a legal notice.
Some you have no regrets, like a comedy show or a letter you wrote to a family member. But all of them take up time in your finite life; all of them directly influence what you think about and do; and there is a lot of room to dramatically improve your relationship with words. Let’s begin by objectifying the whole lot of words in your life, calling it your personal library (PL).
We meticulously curate our professional lives. We craft resumes, rehearse interview answers, and strategically network. This behavior is a kind of well-maintained PL, and it often leads to career success. But if we value work-life balance, shouldn’t we invest similar effort in our personal growth?
Now, imagine you’re at a family gathering. Your niece, about to enter college, confides in you: “I’m thinking of dropping my art major for something more practical. What do you think?” Caught off guard, you reflexively respond with a vague platitude: “Just follow your passion.” Later, you’re hit with regret. You remember switching from a creative field to a “practical” business degree, spending unfulfilling years before returning to your original passion. You wish you had shared how you ultimately blended creativity with practicality, finding both personal satisfaction and financial stability. This missed opportunity to shape your niece’s path stings deeply. It’s a stark reminder of why a well-curated Personal Library matters. With one, your most important life lessons would be readily accessible when they matter most.
Without conscious curation, your PL becomes a cluttered attic rather than a well-organized library. Important ideas get buried under trivial information. Crucial insights fade from memory. You’re left with a vague sense of “I’ve read something about this,” but unable to recall the details that could make a difference.
But here’s the exciting part - once you start thinking about your PL, you can shape it. You can choose what goes in, what stays out, and what gets prime real estate in your mental bookshelf. It’s not just about remembering facts; it’s about having your best thoughts and experiences readily available.
Start small. What are the five most important things you’ve ever read or experienced? Write them down. Summarize them. Keep them close. Next time you encounter something impactful, ask yourself: “Does this deserve a spot in my top 100? My top 1000?” It’s about being intentional with the words and experiences you let shape your life.
Remember, your PL isn’t static. It’s growing and changing with you. The beauty is, once you start paying attention to it, you can guide its growth. You can seek out words that challenge you, inspire you, teach you. You can revisit the ideas that have shaped you most.
Your PL is uniquely yours. It’s the map of your mind, the record of your growth, the toolbox for your future. By actively curating it, you’re not just organizing information - you’re crafting the lens through which you see and interact with the world. So, what do you want in your library?
Try this excercise as a starting point. Or ask a chatbot to help you figure out what’s worth remembering about yourself.