Photo Courtesy of Alexandre Dulaunoy
Carry a notebook always.
I hope that was plain enough. Why you ask? In order to capture your thoughts and memories in a moment. How many times have you been sitting somewhere and an incredibly awesome idea hits you? You promise yourself that you are going to remember it. Two days later you have this nagging feeling like there was something important that you should have remembered and you just can’t figure out what it is.
I have either small blank cards, my pocket notebook, or my phone with me. Even at night there are a few notebooks and a pen sitting on the table beside me. There is always something around me that allows me to capture what I am thinking when an idea strikes. Many of the blogs that I write come from these moments. I’ll be driving down the road and a title will hit me. As soon as I stop I hit the record button on my Evernote app and do a voice recording. It syncs and when I sit down to do my writing I can listen to the recording easily.
If I am writing in my notebook I do a regular checks of it to see what I need to take care of. I use a hard covered Moleskine pocket notebook. They are very durable and don’t bend easily.
Regardless of the method you use make sure you have something on you where you can capture your thoughts at the moment. When inspiration strikes you will be ready. Maybe it is that million dollar idea or that book you want to write that all comes in that moment when you are not expecting it. Always expect it.
Recently I ran across a YouTube video that had a young man, Kristian Anderson, doing a video for his wife’s surprise birthday party. It was an emotional video by itself. Mention the fact that Kristian had terminal cancer when he filmed it and it takes on a whole new level.