--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For notes related to books I'm writing…" description: "\"For notes related to books I'm writing, I've wondered whether I should organize my notes better, but I do find that the action or scrolling through the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e23/gretchen-rubin-867_action_for-notes-related-to-books-i-m-writing-i_1364061.jpg" --- # For notes related to books I'm writing, I've wondered… ![“For notes related to books I'm writing, I've wondered whether I should organize my notes better, but I do find that the action or scrolling through them and seeing odd juxtapositions of ideas helps to stimulate my own ideas and creativity. I worry that if I kept the notes in a highly-structured…” quote by Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e23/gretchen-rubin-867_action_for-notes-related-to-books-i-m-writing-i_1364061.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e23/gretchen-rubin-867_action_for-notes-related-to-books-i-m-writing-i_1364061.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e23/gretchen-rubin-867_action_for-notes-related-to-books-i-m-writing-i_1364061.jpg) > “For notes related to books I'm writing, I've wondered whether I should organize my notes better, but I do find that the action or scrolling through them and seeing odd juxtapositions of ideas helps to stimulate my own ideas and creativity. I worry that if I kept the notes in a highly-structured way, I might lose some of these benefits.” [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Discusses the tension between structured note‑taking and the creative spark that comes from random connections in loosely organized notes **In simple terms:** Loose organization can foster unexpected ideas, while strict structure may limit creativity Key Takeaway Balance structure with flexibility for insight Themes creativity organization knowledge management Mood reflective inquisitive Type analytical creative When to use this quote - research projects - writing drafts - brainstorming sessions - academic study - personal journaling Key Concepts cognitive flexibility information theory Questions to Reflect On - Do you have a system that captures random connections? - How can you integrate occasional free‑form review into a structured workflow? A Different Perspective Over‑structuring may suppress serendipitous insight ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Benefits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benefits/) [Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Find](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/find/) [Helps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helps/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Ideas Helps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas-helps-3124628/) [Kept](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kept/) [Kept Notes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kept-notes-2563706/) [Lose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lose/) [Might](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might/) [My own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-own/) [Notes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/notes/) [Notes Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/notes-better-4677023/) [Notes Related](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/notes-related-4677024/) [Odd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/odd/) [Organize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organize/) [Organize Notes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organize-notes-4677022/) [Own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/own/) [Related](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/related/) [Seeing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seeing/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Some](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/some/) [Stimulate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stimulate/) [Them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/them/) [Through](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/through/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Whether](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whether/) [Wondered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wondered/) [Worry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worry/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [See the world in ideas, it helps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/django-steenbrink/see-the-world-in-ideas-it-helps/) [Django Steenbrink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/django-steenbrink/) > [I have always kept notes and have kept letters from my friends and mother, which is rather depressing, as it takes you to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amitava-kumar/i-have-always-kept-notes-and-have-kept-letters-from-my-friends-and/) [Amitava Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amitava-kumar/) > [I've thrown away lots of my old diaries - you never know who might get their hands on them. 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Mu-se. It's a great thing, for someone to feel that they can draw inspiration from you. And I don't think it's necessarily a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-sevigny/muse-mu-se-it-s-a-great-thing-for-someone-to-feel-that-they-can-draw/) [Chloe Sevigny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-sevigny/) > [That tax relief can spur the economy and thereby benefit all Americans is something that Washington Democrats used to understand. President Kennedy, for example,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-bouchard/that-tax-relief-can-spur-the-economy-and-thereby-benefit-all/) [Mike Bouchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-bouchard/) > [If you can't stimulate my mind, keep it moving along...No need to waste my time sticking around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-can-t-stimulate-my-mind-keep-it-moving-along-no-need-to-waste/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Whether or not people go into space or serve the space industry, they will have the sensitivity to those fields necessary to stimulate unending…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/whether-or-not-people-go-into-space-or-serve-the-space-industry-they/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Art should stimulate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ala-bashir/art-should-stimulate/) [Ala Bashir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ala-bashir/) > [You stimulate the neo-cortex, it produces a symphony. 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I thought I'd accepted the fact that, as part of "Being Gretchen," I didn't really like music, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/i-started-thinking-more-about-music-i-thought-i-d-accepted-the-fact/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [If you've had something for more than six months, and it's still not repaired, it's clutter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/if-you-ve-had-something-for-more-than-six-months-and-it-s-still-not/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“The pleasure of doing the same thing, in the same way, every day, shouldn't be overlooked. The things I do every day take on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/the-pleasure-of-doing-the-same-thing-in-the-same-way-every-day/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [Although we often assume that feelings inspire actions, in fact, actions also inspire feelings. By pushing myself to act happier, I make myself feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/although-we-often-assume-that-feelings-inspire-actions-in-fact/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [I love finding - or inventing - ways to categorize people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/i-love-finding-or-inventing-ways-to-categorize-people/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“After someone's death, how strange to see the value drain away from his or her possessions; useful objects such as clothes, or dish towels,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/after-someone-s-death-how-strange-to-see-the-value-drain-away-from/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) [Explore all 346 Gretchen Rubin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. 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Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/) [Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. 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