Ryder Carroll
Interview by Madeleine Dore
Author, digital product designer, and inventor of the Bullet Journal method Ryder Carroll discusses how we can intentionally track the ebb and the flow of our creative lives and reflect on the deep reasons why we do the things we do.
As John Lennon put it, “Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.”
As a loyal proponent of the Bullet Journal, I've seen first hand how the immensely popular analog system goes far beyond planning and teaches you to be more intentional with list-making – and life.
If there is one person who understands intentionality beyond our plans it’s this week’s guest. Ryder Carroll is an author, digital product designer, and inventor of the Bullet Journal method.
Through years of trial and error, he developed a methodology that extends far being a simple organisation tool and into a philosophy.
Best described as a “mindfulness and intentionality practice that’s disguised as a productivity system” it becomes whatever you need it to be.
In this conversation, Ryder discusses empty goals and starting with the small ‘whys’, how journaling can help us capture and see patterns in work and life, creating your own structure as a freelancer and independent creative and more.
Ryder Carroll: author & digital product designer
““I realised a lot of my productivity ended up being empty. Though I could accomplish my goals, that didn’t make me any happier.””
Shownotes
01:57
Writing lists – Lists are a great way to keep track of thoughts, goals, and plans, however these lists can often be counterproductive because they tend to be a form of procrastination and perfectionism and can lead to over planning.
04:58
This weeks’ guest – Ryder Carrol is an author, digital product designer, and inventor of the Bullet Journal Method. Ryder was diagnosed with attention deficit disorder as a child and had to find alternate ways to be focused and productive. This resulted in the creation of the Bullet Journal.
06:11
Small why’s – We often ask ourselves the question “why?” when it’s too late. Instead, try asking yourself the smaller why’s on a regular basis. Why am I doing this task? Why am I having this meeting? If you get used to challenging the smaller why’s, you will eventually be more comfortable with challenging the bigger ones.
07:38
A blank page – A blank page has infinite potential and infinite opportunity, which can be viewed in both a positive and a negative way. It’s exciting, but it’s overwhelming. It’s powerful, but it’s intimidating.
08:37
Ryder’s day – Ryder prefers to wear many different hats during the creative process and enjoys switching between all of them. He has the intentions of his community in mind at all times and he always strives towards helping them and answering the questions that they have.
10:36
Book writing process – Ryder compares writing a book to it being a human being. It starts young and clumsy, becomes a difficult and opinionated adolescent, and then it moves on to become a peer. Lastly, ideally, it will also surpass you one day.
12:49
Handwriting benefits – We live in a world where most things are now done digitally, but there’s scientific evidence that states the benefits of good old-fashioned handwriting. It helps to improve memory, to increase pattern recognition, and it also allows you to distance yourself from your thoughts in order to untangle and sort them.
14:57
Prioritising – You have the most amount of willpower at the beginning of the day, so try to structure your day so that you can accomplish the task that you’re looking forward to the least in the morning. Get this task over with, and things will only get better from there.
16:25
Morning routine – Ryder is naturally an early riser and starts every day with an AM reflection by journaling before he meditates. He finds this clears the clutter from his mind that he wakes up with on a daily basis and is better ready to face his day.
19:21
Working from home – Working from home sounds like a dream come true, but it’s not always the perfect situation. It means that you never leave the office, so you’re never not working, and you don’t have the support and the encouragement of your colleagues around you. Keeping a Bullet Journal can help you to spread your time out in a more evenly balanced way to make sure you take breaks and socialise with others.
23:46
Setting goals – When you set goals for yourself, focus on where you want to head, what you are learning, and constantly correct yourself if you start going in the wrong direction. Don’t be too specific and don’t set unrealistic expectations.
26:31
Later in the day – Ryder finishes talking about his daily routine and how, after doing his more undesirable but necessary tasks first thing in the morning, he saves his more enjoyable tasks for the afternoons.
30:28
Learn from your ruts – As difficult as it is at the time, learn from your ruts. Use them to find a new focus, use them to find a new interest, or use them to learn a new skill. Take the lessons you’ve learned during this time to propel yourself forwards in a new direction.
36:27
Be grateful – Sometimes you may be working in a job or working on a project where you’re not enjoying it, at all. Try to use that experience to guide you towards something better, but always be grateful that you had that opportunity to begin with because of the motivation that you’ll have to become better.
38:26
Digital detox – Ryder has two periods of his day where he has a digital detox. This is once in the morning and once at the very end of the day before going to sleep, and he uses them to guarantee that he can fit other enjoyable things into his day without being distracted.
40:54
Stay grounded – When you get overwhelmed, or emotional, or just when times get tough and you can’t think about anything else except for what’s bothering you, it helps to have an unexpected item on you that you can just hold. It will help to ground you in that situation and remind you that it will pass.
44:03
Saying no – Know what your goals are and know how to achieve them, and don’t be afraid to say no to any opportunities that may not get you there. Understand what you might gain if you say yes, as well as what you might gain if you say no.
47:05
Find music in the mundane – Beauty is constantly all around us, and it can be so easy to accidentally ignore or dismiss it. Open your mind up to the world and notice the little things that make you smile throughout the day.
Findings
Website and Instagram of Ryder Carrol
Bullet Journal Method by Ryder Carrol
Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker