If You Are Not Taking Notes You Are Not Learning For Success 

By Ange Fonce

Recently... I attended a Business Seminar here were I live in Portsmouth UK for young entrepreneurs... every seat was taken... and the 20 somethings who aspired to entrepreneurial greatness were "listening" with rapt attention.

There were 3 older folks in the front row who stood out... myself... and two other business men who were both legendary names and investors in this part of the world.

We stood out not just because of our Gray hair shimmering in the sea of youth around us... we stood out because we where the only people in the audience "taking notes." 

Now I am not as successful as the other two... yet from what I observed... we were the only people taking notes in the whole audience.

There is an old rule of thumb that if you have something "really important" you need done... ask for "help" from the "most productive person" you know. 

Here is an analogy of that rule... 

If you want to identify the most "senior... knowledgeable" people in an audience... look for the people who are "taking notes" and "asking questions."

There are many ways to take notes... and I have tested different approaches... early on... I scribbled notes in a notebook... and randomly and periodically flipped back through the notes to see what I had written down... that worked reasonably well... the sheer act of "writing them down" was helpful... yet I often missed the “follow up items”... and the "important nuggets" were often buried amidst my hard to read scribbles... what I tested next worked better... it is a 3 step process.

3 Step Note Taking Process...

1... I take notes on lose sheaf A 4 lined paper which I keep in A 4 clip folders.

2... I go back through the notes with a "different colour pen" and "circle the key sentences" and in effect "annotate" my own annotations.

3... I transfer the "highlighted notes" to a hard backed A 4 notebook... so I know I have the "important stuff" to "reference too"... on hand and in one book.

And by the way... I never get rid of my "note books"... there has been times when I am working on something... and gone back through my "note books" and found exactly what I am looking for... sometimes going back a year or even more. 

Probably only 5% of what I write down with pen and paper ever makes it into electronic form... like here on the internet... yet the "act of writing" and then "retyping" and "publishing" those 5% of "thoughts" and "information"... really solidifies them into my "memory."

This process has not only increased my "retention of key ideas"... it has also "improved" my "follow through" on "actionable items" that come out of meetings... conferences... and even with small groups.

Everyone is different... so try "different systems" of "note taking"... that will work for you.

Figure out the best approach for you... and do take "notes"... I “educate” the men and women who I work with in Dynamic Life Development Systems Personal Development Academy to "write things down" because it sticks in your "memory" and you "learn" and retain "information" more. 

And more than that... find a "system" to make use of the "notes" long after the presentation is over... there is no point to taking “notes”... if you are not going to make “use of them!”

And as an "add on" to "note taking."

The Benefits of a Diary or Journal...

Historically diaries and journals served as written records of events... they are now kept by people for all sorts of reasons... the main one being the capture of moments that are "important" to you... and can also be used as a "personal development" tool.

All in all it has been found that... as well as being a great "personal development" tool... there are many "benefits"... including "health benefits" too... of keeping diaries or journals.

Here are some of the "beneficial reasons" to keep a diary or journal...

Documents "your life."

Monitors your "creative mind."

Records "personal discussions" with people. 

Deepens an "understanding" of your "personality."

Develops an "awareness" of your everyday life events.

Records all the things that "happen to you" and what you are involved in.

Allows you to "communicate" with your self and put your "thoughts" down of paper. 

Records what you "think" and "feel" about your life and the world and how you "interact" with it.

Keeps track of your "achievements" and "successes" and also your "disappointments" and "mistakes."

Records your "enlightenments" or "a ha" moments... when you gain "insight" into how to solve "problems" and "issues" in your life.

Declutters your mind allowing you to "think more clearly"... and helps put your "thoughts" in order.

Helps you to "set" and "monitor" your goals... aims and aspirations and records "how" you are doing in your "progress" forward.

Records how you are growing, i.e... your "personal development."

Records your dreams and helps you to make "life changing decisions."

Monitors your "practice" and identifies your "strengths" and "areas" you have to "work on."

Helps to reduce ‘emotional pain’ and assist in "resolving problems."

Records "personal events" to pass down the generations.

Reduces "stress levels" by providing a means to express "negative emotions." 

Achieves recovery from "traumatic events" faster and more effectively.

Improves your "immune system" by "expressing emotions" in writing.

Records your "gratitude" for all the things you have... giving a "healthy perspective"  on your life.

Records "significant events" in the world around you and "how" they "affected you."

Records your "innermost feelings"... i.e., things you may not necessarily disclose to others. 

Takes you back to incidents so you can "reflect on" and "evaluate" your "experiences."

Benefits of a Diary or Journal... Summary

Diaries and journals allow you to "document" what happens to you and around you moment by moment... your diary or journal entries allow you to look at your life and life around you in a "different way"... as an "outside observer" of yourself.

There are many "benefits" to keeping a diary or journal and the overall message from people’s experience is that it is a great "personal development tool."

Personal... I journal every day... and when I read back over my old writings... I often think to myself.

"Wow... how much I have progressed since then."

Even "noting" how my style of "expression" of "writing" has changed and evolved.

Thank you... and may you enjoy a Dynamic and Productive week ahead!

Yours Sincerely



Ange is an  Author... Speaker... Multipreneur and International Peak Performance Personal Development Consultant... and Psycho Dynamic Counsellor who works with men... and women who desire to develop themselves and their relationships to become Dynamic Lifers from around the World!

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