The Resilient Leaders Podcast with J.R. Briggs Ep 320: The Importance of a Commonplace Book
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Jan 28, 2026 Reflective leadership and the power of a commonplace notebook are explored. The practice of capturing quotes, ideas, and half-thoughts is explained. Historical thinkers who kept notebooks are highlighted. Reasons for choosing analog capture over digital are discussed. Practical methods for organizing and using a commonplace book are shared.
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Keep A Commonplace Notebook
- Try keeping a commonplace notebook to capture quotes, ideas, questions, and half-thoughts outside your head.
- Carry it with you so you can capture and revisit ideas between meetings and reading sessions.
Host's Personal Notebook Habit
- J.R. Briggs carries a leather notebook everywhere and fills it with quotes, diagrams, and reflections he later revisits.
- Many podcast topics and newsletter ideas started as entries in that notebook.
Externalize To Free Cognitive Space
- Your mind is great for having ideas but poor at holding reminders and obligations, so externalizing frees cognitive space.
- Capturing moves ideas into a trusted system you can use later instead of trying to remember them.
