Sometimes, the source of wisdom and insight about your agency is closer than you think.

Who do you know that has:

  • a similar experience of running an agency
  • aligned ambitions and values
  • truly understands your context
  • is really rooting for you
  • can spare you time to chat day and night
  • and even knows the things you daren't admit openly?

It'll be a pretty damn small list.

For most founders I know, they're the only name on it.

But that's fine. You can work with that.

Last week, I wrote about Steve Martin's slow determined rise to becoming the biggest comedian in the world.

One of the techniques he very deliberately used was journalling.

He'd reflect regularly on how he was progressing, what he was learning, how he was feeling.

He'd make notes about experiments to try or decisions he made.

Journalling enabled him to talk to himself and get his own advice, with that little step back that writing it down made him take.

It was through journalling that he found his way to the version of his act that finally broke through.

Talking to himself was the best form of coaching he could get.

And it can be the same for founders. It's surprising how useful it can be in helping unlock your thinking.

Don't expect spiritual enlightenment, but do expect to tell yourself some home truths and ask challenging questions.

If you already have the habit of journalling as a founder, I'd love to hear from you about how you approach it, and how it's helped you coach yourself. What tips would you share with other founders about keeping a journal? Just hit reply to let me know.

If you don't yet keep a journal then, this week, try journaling at the very beginning or end of each day. Jut take 10 minutes to jot down some bullet points about what's going on and how you feel. Commit to do it just for one week, and email me on Friday to let me know how it went.

Next week I'll share back some of the stories (happy to keep them anonymous if asked).