Sam Altman has revealed his unique process of processing ideas: He writes them by hand in a notebook.
His low-tech solution is always to carry a notebook in his pocket, jotting down ideas and ripping pages out until a good one emerges.
At age 39, he might be a young entrepreneur, but Sam Altman is proving to have very effective productivity techniques up his sleeve. Many of these methods stem from his experiences as the co-founder of OpenAI and his time at Y Combinator, where he interacted with other entrepreneurs.
However, he has also developed some of these strategies through trial and error. In a preview of his interview for David Perell’s How I Write podcast, Altman revealed his unique approach to note-taking.
He emphasized the importance of jotting down ideas and tasks at any time, so he always carries a small spiral notebook in his pocket. Altman says simplicity is key: “You don’t want [fancy notebooks]. You definitely want a spiral notebook because [it’s important that] you can rip pages out frequently.”
It’s Not the Notebook That Matters. It’s the Content in It
You may think that the main purpose of carrying a notebook is to keep the sheets of paper organized in one place. However, this function is irrelevant for Altman because he ends up ripping out each page once it’s no longer useful.
Altman prefers spiral notebooks because they allow him to keep the notebook flat on the table while writing and use the hard covers as support. The OpenAI CEO says, “I take a bunch of notes, and then I rip them out so I can look at multiple pages at the same time.”
This way, Altman can better visualize the set of notes and more easily discard ideas. “I can crumple them up and throw them on the floor, and I’m done. When our house cleaner comes in, there’s this pile of crumpled papers, where I type my notes on or whatever, on the floor,” he added.
Writing by Hand Forces You to Process What You’re Writing
The habit of writing down ideas or reminders, which other millionaires like Bill Gates also do, responds to a brain mechanism that links handwriting with improved memory functions and thought development. A study by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology shows the importance of handwriting in cognitive processes related to learning.
Additionally, according to a paper from the University of Washington, note-taking activates the brain’s motor mechanisms to draw letters during writing, which improves the logical and analytical capacity of the ideas being written.
On the other hand, Altman’s concept of discarding ideas aligns with the approach of writer and entrepreneur Seth Godin. He believes that true success is not in having good ideas. Instead, it comes to those people with so many ideas who, in order to get a good one, have previously discarded thousands of ideas that don’t work.
Jeff Bezos, who is also a big note-taker, used to require his employees to submit a memo outlining the topics to be discussed in meetings. This process compelled the meeting convenor to articulate and develop ideas and potential solutions.
Taking notes or simply writing by hand can help you materialize abstract ideas that “sounded great in your head” into something more tangible and feasible. When you write an idea down on paper, your brain has to process it, even if it ultimately ends up in the trash.
Image | TechCrunch | Kelly Sikkema
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