Productivity Tip: Write Notes To Capture Motivation

Whenever you feel the urge to do something, that is a strong signal from your brain of a direction that is important to you. It is equally important to capture that thought/feeling, as it is likely to fade quickly, and then be forgotten. Then, later, you can review it when you are ready to act on it, and away you go!

IMPORTANT:  This should be a QUICK exercise to capture the MOMENT when it hits you. Don't feel bogged down by details. If you can't get a lot of information down, that's fine. If you can capture the passionate moment, then you're doing it right.

Here's an example; I will break down the parts in a moment:

I want to make a mobile to-do list app to help people with productivity.

Reason: I would like to make a to-do list app that I have been using already. I have struggled with being productive, and I think that having aids around will help me to increase my productivity. Having a mobile app with helpful functions will keep those tools close at hand when they are needed most.

Path #1: Learn enough React Native to put together a to-do list app for people to use.

 

To write a note to yourself to read later, it should consist of three things:

#1: The "I want" statement. This is a single sentence that starts with "I want" and then briefly describes what you would like to do.

Example: "I want to make a mobile to-do list app to help people with productivity."

Important note: the desire should be specific, and not generalized. If the statement is too vague, then the desire is diluted. For example, "I want to make technological aids that assist people with their desires and achievements" is too general to convey the very specific wish I listed above.

#2: The persuasive paragraph. This paragraph is an outpouring of emotion on why you really want this goal to be realized. 

Example: "Reason: I would like to make a to-do list app that I have been using already. I have struggled with being productive, and I think that having aids around will help me to increase my productivity. Having a mobile app with helpful functions will keep those tools close at hand when they are needed most. I also want to make it so other people can use these tools to aid in their own lives."

Note that this may take a few tries until you're able to convey enough of the passion so that, upon re-reading, you get fired up again.

#3 (optional): List anything that inspires you towards this goal. In an unrelated example, I have several songs that inspire certain dramatic scenes in my head.

Example: "Inspiration: Listen to "Spend My Lifetime Loving You" from "Zorro""

 

 

LATER, when you review your notes, you can add possible paths to realization. This will give you the first step in a path toward realizing your goal, and thus move you from "how the heck do I do this" to "oh, I can start by going this way"

Example: "Path #1: Learn enough React Native to put together a to-do list app for people to use."

Feel free to add a number of path starts below, but since further steps can get numerous and complicated, it's probably best to only list the start of each path.

Again, this should be done as a review, not at the time of the idea. BUT, if you feel you have enough time to add a path along with the note at the time of writing, by all means, feel free!

I hope this method helps people when they are motivated to do something, but either don't have the time or the proper setup to do so, It's very important to capture that moment of motivation so you can regenerate it later when you're ready to act on it.