Always Take Notes

taking notes

Taking notes is an important learning and professional skill. One of the best note taking methods is the Cornell method.


The Cornell note taking system

The Cornell note taking system is a good system to organize your notes. It has three components:

  1. Notes section for taking notes in class or online
  2. Cues section for asking questions after the class.
  3. Summary section for summarizing what you learned.


Importance of taking notes

The faintest ink is better than the strongest memory.


Ideas can come from anywhere and at any time. The problem with making mental notes is that the ink fades very rapidly.

Rolf Smith

Did you write it down? If you did not, you should have. This is because only what you have committed to paper has significance. Man’s experience is only that which he has recorded. The more you consider that, the more significant it may become…

Therefore whatever you did is only real upon the printed page.

Jeff Cooper


I’m not writing it down to remember it later, I’m writing it down to remember it now.

Field Notes tagline


Three Team Rules by Coach Don Meyer:

  1. Everybody takes notes.
  2. Everybody says “please” and “thank you, “yes ma’am” and “yes sir”.
  3. Everybody picks up trash.

Ink it when you think it.

Sam Horn

Always take notes.

Don Meyer

Jeff Mankin

Jeff Mankin teaches financial literacy. His website is FinallyLearn.com.

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