🎯 Goal: Personal growth

⏰ Time: 2 minutes

⚠️ Difficulty: 1 (Easy)

Summary

Self awareness is key to personal growth. But it’s hard to look at yourself objectively.

The Bug Book gives you space to truly observe yourself… like a scientist studying a bug.

The Bug Book is a simple exercise: Journal about your daily actions, reactions, and decisions. Except when you do so, imagine you're a researcher writing about a specimen.

Even refer to yourself as a 'bug' when writing to create more separation between your actions and observations.

Example entry:

“When the Bug Ben doesn't get enough sleep, productivity becomes incredibly difficult. It's like pulling teeth. Every step is a drag. When the bug gets enough sleep, everything just flows.”

Instructions:

1. Choose an on-the-go medium. You don’t have to use a physical journal for your bug book. I use the notes app on my phone and tag each entry with a label called “bug book.” I prefer using my phone because I can take observations wherever I go.
2. Be curious, but not judgmental. Ask yourself, “Why did I do that?” or “Why do I feel this way?” not “Why am I so stupid?” or “I should have known better.”
3. Write in third person. To stay judgment-free, refer to yourself in the third person. I go as far as to describe myself as “the bug Ben.” This helps keep up the illusion of studying something other than myself.
4. Be objective. Observe your actions, emotions, and the connection between them, but don’t try to assign a purpose or reason.
5. Make daily observations. Try to make at least one entry a day for one week. You’ll be amazed by how much you learn.