• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer

Sources of Insight

Better Insights. Better Results.

  • Help Me With
    • Future Self
    • Personal Development
    • Personal Effectiveness
    • Thinking Skills
    • Happiness
    • All Topics –>
  • Frameworks
  • Resources
  • Books & Courses
  • About
  • Contact

How Writing Things Down Frees You Up for More Solutions

by JD

image

“Writing, to me, is simply thinking through my fingers.” — Isaac Asimov

I’ve long been a fan of writing things down to free myself up.

A while back, a friend of mine got me in the habit of carrying a little yellow sticky pad everywhere I go.

It lets me jot things down, wherever I go, so I never have to keep things buzzing around in my head.

I already knew that writing things down is a way to avoid task saturation.  I noticed the more I wrote down ideas, the more they flow.

I also noticed the more I write things down, the clearer my mind is.  I really am freed up.

I bet writing things down was a part of Edison and  da Vinci’s success.

While reading the book, Power Thinking: How the Way You Think Can Change the Way You Lead , I was happy to see John Mangieri and Cathy Block really spell it out so clearly:

“Judicious analysts do two things when confronted with a difficult problem: they decide what strategy they will use to solve it and then write down ideas as they think of them. 

By writing ideas down as they are generated, they free up their mind from the task of remembering them. 

Thus, it is able to come up with additional possible solutions and to analytically assess the soundness of the ideas that have been developed during the problem-solving process.”

I think this really helps clarify and support why writing things down is an important part of Getting Results.

You Might Also Like

10 Reasons for Writing Things Down

Dump Your Brain to Free Your Mind

How To Create a Tickler List of Good Ideas

How Writing Things Down Frees You Up for More Solutions

The Power of Handwritten Notes and Reminders

Category: Effectiveness, Intellectual-Horsepower, Mind, Personal Effectiveness, Thinking Skills, WritingTag: Effectiveness, Writing

About JD

Previous Post:Wonder Around to Build Your Curiosity
Next Post:3 Keys to The Good LifeThe Good Life

Sidebar

About the Author

JD

Hi, I'm J.D. Meier.
I've spent 25 years studying what helps people perform at their best in work and in life.
Join me on a quest to unleash your greatest potential.
Learn more...

The Shop

Curated books, tools, and programs I trust most to help you grow your greatness.
Browse the Shop

Popular Articles

7 Happiness Principles
25 Inspirational Movies
50 Life Hacks for Your Future Self
101 of the Greatest Insights and Actions
101 Questions that Empower You
How To Get Whatever You Want
How To Think Like Bill Gates
Lessons Learned from Bruce Lee
The Exponential Results Formula
You 2.0

My Best-Selling Book

This is the book that changes lives ...

Better Insights, Better Results!

Unleash your greatest potential! Better insights, better results! Learn proven practices for mind, body, emotions, career, finance, relationships, spirituality, and fun.

Growth. Resilience. Strength.

Learn mindsets, skillsets and toolsets to respond to change, built your resilience and grow your strengths..

Stand on the Shoulders of Giants!

Learn wisdom of the ages and modern sages through great books, great people, and great quotes.

Topics

  • All Topics
  • Personal Development
  • Future Self
  • Emotional Intelligence
  • Leadership
  • Personal Effectiveness
  • Productivity
  • Mental Health

The Shop

  • The Leadership Shop
  • The Personal Development Shop
  • The Gift Guide
  • Best Books I Recommend

Features

  • Featured Guests
  • Book Summaries
  • Great Lessons
  • Great Quotes
  • How Tos
  • Lists
  • All Resources

My Other Sites

  • JD Meier.com
  • Getting Results.com

Copyright © 2026 · Sources of Insight · All Rights Reserved