Blair Enns on writing as a means to develop thoughts and ideas

I think about this a lot. I’m biased in that I know I cannot. I have to write to generate original insight. I can ingest other people’s ideas and make them work in my domain or apply them to the problem I’m working on. I can even talk about those ideas in a podcast or on a stage. In doing so I will share valuable information that will help others. I will look smart. And I will BE smarter for having learned. BUT can I generate my own deep insights—something approaching original thought—without writing? No, I cannot.

Being on the art/design side of things, I experienced the benefit of sketching not as an end but to help develop ideas. Blair has convinced me that I need to be writing more - not to publish but to think. 🤔