[One Thousand Characters a Day] It's Okay to Start Now <1> - "Just Write First"

Editor's NoteJeong Hoe-il, who started his life late due to side effects from steroids used to treat severe atopic dermatitis during his school days and family debts worth hundreds of millions of won, has overcome all these hardships to become the CEO of an educational platform in Gangnam, Seoul. ＜It's Okay to Start Now＞ is an autobiographical growth record that sincerely captures how he, who had no money, credentials, health, or confidence, dreamed, changed, and succeeded by reading every day for 365 days a year. He emphasizes, "Even if your starting line is behind others, or your start is very late, the true answer to growth lies within yourself," and says firmly, "If you are ready to learn, discover, and be free, the door to growth is always open." Today, we introduce the first part where he mentions the 'importance of note-taking.' Word count: 1013.

'I need to lose weight, study English, read books.'

Every year, we make resolutions and soon fail to keep them due to weak willpower... Doesn't this sound familiar? I was the same. Far from having willpower, I used to laze around at home and get scolded by my mother.

But when I started writing down good stories and phrases in a notebook every day, change began. It was the 'law of survival by writing.' In other words, 'You must write (take notes) to survive.' If you want to change but don't know where to start, just write. Write down what you can do, what you dream you can do, and what you want to do.

There is a book called ＜Tools of Titans＞ that deals with the success know-how of world-class scholars, writers, and entrepreneurs. The birth of this book was also the result of 'note-taking.' The author has recorded everything about himself since he was eighteen, and as a result, he was able to write the book.

The successful people featured in the book, the so-called 'Titans,' all emphasize the importance of note-taking. Would you like to hear about an entrepreneur named James Altucher?

James recommends developing a habit of writing down 10 ideas every morning in a small notebook. This exercise develops the 'idea muscle' and builds confidence. The topic of the ideas can be anything. The important thing is consistent practice.

It doesn't have to be ideas. Just writing down 'to-dos' is enough. The reason people don't record is arrogance. They disguise it as 'it's bothersome,' but they actually trust their own memory, thinking 'I can remember without writing it down.' The result is predictable. When relying on memory, you cannot use your brain for more creative tasks.

Therefore, writing something down to remember it paradoxically means to forget it. You only need to remember the fact that you 'wrote it down.' This allows you to focus on other tasks. If you don't write it down, your concentration is scattered by constantly recalling it. So you must write down your to-dos without fail.

Don't know where to start? Just write. Because of the habit of not writing, you may miss quite a few things in life.

- Jeong Hoe-il, ＜It's Okay to Start Now＞, Chai Garden, 16,000 KRW