Leaders take notes. I know that I remember things better when I take notes. I know that when I take notes, I essentially have a record of my learnings that I can examine later and help cement what was happening.
But, I stink on the discipline side of taking notes.
Or, when I have a good idea, I’ll think to myself “this is a great idea! I’ll never forget this life changing idea!” When, in reality, the next day the idea has already been forgotten.
I know this is not a revolutionary concept by any means, but it is still a concept worth covering. Write things down.
I jump around on what I use to keep written track of my thoughts and ideas. I have used composition notebooks, Moleskine notebooks, a yellow legal pad (which is my current weapon of choice), and even small notebooks I had made for the ministry at my church.
Or sometimes I will use my phone to help keep track. My current app of choice is Wunderlist, although Evernote, the basic To Do App, and the Notes app on my iPhone have all gotten plenty of usage over the years.
The bottom line is this: find what works for you, and use it. You’re not me (thankfully), but the principle is true. If you want to grow in leadership, in productivity, in influence, in life, good things happen when you start to write things down.