The Bullet Journal Method

My personal journey with bullet journaling starts with seeing pages on book journals. I was reading a lot of stuff, and I felt like I was staring at a screen a lot of the time, so I decided to write down my review outlines in a journal. Then I found myself taking screenshots of important appointments for work onto my phone so I didn't have to use data. Then, I discovered Bullet Journaling on Pinterest, and I began to see the appeal. I had always had anxiety about not having enough room for notes I may need, but I still liked the structure of a planner. This seemed like the best outlet for me. Using the guides I found on Youtube and blogs, I managed to make my own and have been using one for over a year.

Then I discovered that I could get the book by Ryder Carroll. I decided to take the plunge on it since I am always wary of books promoted by famous people. Many times it feels like these people who become famous for X thing want to publish their book if only to diversify their income and be able to add “Best Selling Author” to their Twitter bio. But in this case, I needn't have worried, as Carroll's book seems to want to help the reader than sell any particular product. Despite this, however, I have to wonder, is there any point in actually reading it?

One of the best aspects of this book is that Carroll writes it with an air of being helpful, and wanting to use this system he has created to improve your life, without the usual junk that gets in the way. Many authors who write books like this tend to either sound self-serving, or they want to upcharge you on another course or both. Not here. Carroll asks that we have a notebook and a pen, regardless of if that notebook is the one he made to sell online or not, and not caring if we use his method or someone else's for the bullet journal. Carroll simply uses what he knows to show a system that can help us, with testimonials from people who have benefitted from that system. This is something that I find refreshing in the world of self-help books.

I also liked the layout of this book. Carroll uses the medium of a novel to show us how the pages should be laid out in the actual bullet journal. This makes for an effective example page and a good way to get the basics to the reader. I also like the other elements of the book such as the font changes to denote testimonials and the different graphs and charts to explain his more abstract points. This means that I would suggest the physical book, as it tends to bring to the reader a level of reality to the text that the audiobook or ebook just can't match.

One major negative is that this book is filled with ways to help you to “Plan for the future” using the bullet journal. This is beneficial in that it helps you to get the most out of the system. However, more often than not, Caroll descends into Self-Help territory, with advice and platitudes outside the system of a notebook and pen. This can make these sections drag for me, and worse yet, they tend to take up almost a third of the book, making that section a bit of a slog to get through

As I read this, however, one question kept intruding into my mind: Is there any point to this book?

With Pinterest, Youtube, and blogs, the bullet journal, in general, has taken on a life of its own. It is featured in countless guides, Plan-with Me's, and other videos showing how one can adapt the simple notebook to almost any situation. This includes basic guides on the system, as well, some of them created by Caroll himself. With that being said, some may wonder what the point of this book would be, when many people prefer getting guides for free on youtube.

My response can only be that this is an excellent option if you want not only to work offline, but also if you want the extra stuff Caroll includes in his text. If you want an existential look at your life, along with how the bullet journal can assist you in your self-discovery, then this book should be for you. If not, then you would be better served to watch Youtube videos on the topic.

And to go along with that, perhaps you would be better served to rent this book from the library, as it is one of those books that is good, but not that good. I give it a three out of five.