Are Your Notes a Mess?
The Psychology of Useless Note-Taking
How Our Brain Manipulates Us (Unconsciously)
If you’re taking notes and have the bizarre feeling of writing a lot of things down without a lot to show for, then read on.
I had this awkward feeling for years…So if you’re nodding your head, I know what you’re going through.
And today, I wanted to deconstruct a hard-wired brain mechanism that prevents us from taking useful notes.
Because hang tight: Your brain may be the reason why you’re taking useless notes.
If you think about it, our brain pilots every action we do.
If you’re eating too much sweets, it’s because your brain sends the commandment to your hand to grab the packet, open it, and put the candies into your mouth. And the action of taking notes does not derogate this principle.
Why We Lie to Ourselves
There is a concept called cognitive dissonance. (Fancy jargon to say that we like to BS ourselves)
Let me explain:
When we’re drawn into doing something bad (like smoking), we tend to rationalize doing so. In other words, we talk ourselves into the fact that it’s good to do something bad.
Why?
As said previously: we’re drawn into it.
We don’t like having conflicting beliefs and attitudes. Because we tend to think that we’re rational creatures, and a rational creature can’t stand a conflict between its beliefs and its attitudes. This makes us feel uncomfortable and leads to emotional pain. And “BSing” ourselves helps us avoid pain. (Again, pain is another hard-wired unpleasant feeling that we all want to avoid.)
You’ve probably already heard that our emotions are stronger than our intellect.
And the feeling of neediness is nothing else than an emotion or a pulsion.
We can feel neediness. Neediness is not a result of logical thinking. And because the neediness is so intense, our intellect can’t even argue with it.
This is why you see so many people addicted to destructive behaviors.
So even though your rational brain knows for the matter of fact that smoking is bad, you are still going to light on this cigarette (unless you have a lot of willpower not to do so.)
The same goes for note-taking.
Even though taking notes is not a toxic practice, just because you’re taking notes and feel good about them does not mean that they are beneficial to you.
“Yeah… but this feels good!”
When you stumble across something you want to pull into your note-taking app, you feel good by doing so.
(Noticed, I said you “feel” good)
You’re experiencing an emotional need to save this bit of information for later.
You have the feeling of offloading your brain, being rewarded with a tiny lil’ shot of endorphins when you add something new in your note-taking app.
But is it really beneficial?
Or is it just another trick used by your brain trying to mislead you?
Well, I’m going to let you answer this question.
What Do You Really Do With Your Notes?
Are you a master of dumping stuff into your notes app but rarely creating something out of them?
In other words: are you only consuming information without really creating something out of it?
I’m receiving emails every day about people who complain about how bad their note-taking system really is.
Worst part?
They don’t even have a note-taking system.
They take notes randomly or with the illusion of having a system.
Who to blame?
Nobody. In fact, taking better notes is not something we’re taught at school.
Do You Have a Feeling of Wasted Potential With Your Notes?
If you can relate to what I’ve described here, then I have something for you:
I’ve created a 7-day free email course called “How to take better notes”.
This course will show you how to get on the right track and stop amassing notes without value… to finally unleash your full creative potential.
Best part? You can get it for free by Clicking here (safe link to my website).
— Matt Giaro
