In support of taking notes: Leonardo da Vinci and Richard Branson

Nathan A. Cunningham

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Feb 23, 2017 · 2 min read

It is useful, to constantly observe, note, and consider.

… said Leonardo DaVinci, apparently, and I agree. As you can see above, and read more about here, he practiced this too.

So does Richard Branson who said in a 2006 interview:

It may sound ridiculous, but my most important is to always carry a little notebook in your back pocket. I think the number one thing that I take with me when I’m traveling is the notebook…I could never have built the Virgin Group into the size it is without those few bits of paper.

Here in no particular order are some benefits I find for the habit of note taking:

1. As my Dad would say, it shows God you’re paying attention.
2. You surprise yourself constantly. “I wrote that? That’s pretty good.”
3. Your memory improves.
4. You have something to reflect on in your quest to be more self-aware.
5. You get stuff out of your head and into a system where you can retrieve it later.
6. You put two dimensional space to work getting ideas out of your head into their first manifestations in the physical world.

And who knows, maybe your notes will be sold at auction one day for an massive sum.

See also: Notebooks, Journals, and Common Place Books
See also: 15 Secrets Successful People Know about Time Management by Kevin Kruse.