Michael B. Jordan Says He Owes His Oscar to Journaling. Psychologists Say You Can Write Your Way to Greater Success Too

At an after Oscars Q&A, Michael B. Jordan credited the statuette in his hand to his journaling habit. Non-actors should steal it. 

EXPERT OPINION BY JESSICA STILLMAN, CONTRIBUTOR, INC.COM @ENTRYLEVELREBEL

Michael B. Jordan. Illustration: Inc; Photo: Getty Images

When Michael B. Jordan stepped off the stage after winning Best Actor at the Oscars on Sunday night, he was asked about how he prepared to play the dual role of twins Smoke and Stack in the supernatural thriller, Sinners. 

Jordan didn’t thank his dialect coach or talk about his commitment to a particular method of acting. Instead, he credited his win to journaling. 

How Michael B. Jordan writes himself into character 

“I write a lot of journals for my characters, like backstories,” Jordan revealed.  “I try to go from, like, the earliest memory that I can conjure up and think of, and I write all the way up to the first page of the script,” 

It’s a practice that helps him “figure out like, where they’re coming from, and that informs a lot of their decisions,” he continued. 

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Clearly given the gleaming statuette in his hand the technique works for crafting compelling on-screen performances. 

But is there also a lesson here for the rest of us who are unlikely ever to be in the running for an Academy Award? Psychologists emphatically answer yes. While Jordan might think through his character’s story and deepest drives on the page, experts insist we can all benefit from  exploring our own personal narratives in writing. 

We’re all stars of our own story 

When screenwriters craft a character, they focus on creating a “story arc,” or the overarching journey of change that character goes through in the film. (Trust me on this, I’ve been married to a screenwriter for more than 15 years.) Jordan’s journaling is a tool for him to better understand this arc. 

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