By Joe Byerly
A couple of weeks ago, I had a conversation with the Chief of Staff of the Army General Randy A. George when he showed me a small 5×7 notebook he always carries. Inside are nearly two decades of insights and lessons, ideas that might otherwise have been lost among routine meeting notes and to-do lists in his standard-issue green notebooks.
General George started this notebook as a major, initially to prepare himself for battalion command. But over time, it became a habit. Whenever an idea or lesson popped into his head, or he came across something that would make him a better leader, he wrote it down. Rather than letting those thoughts gather dust on a shelf or disappear into a forgotten box with old everyday-use notebooks, he kept them close, reviewing and adding to them regularly in this notebook.
I have four of these special notebooks that I have relied on, not just as a writer, but as a military leader. Before taking battalion command in 2022, I revisited one I had created in 2012 as a captain. As I flipped through its pages, I reconnected with a version of myself who constantly questioned authority and hadn’t yet gained a broader perspective. That walk down memory lane gave me newfound empathy for the younger officers I was about to lead.
We assume we’ll remember how we felt, the things that challenged us, or the “great ideas” we had as we move up the organizational ladder, but the truth is, we don’t. Old thoughts are replaced with new ones, and past experiences are reshaped by the perspectives we gain over time.
We forget.
Keeping a notebook, one filled with quotes, lessons learned, and fleeting insights, ensures that we don’t lose the wisdom we accumulate. It keeps personal growth from slipping through the cracks of a busy life.
If you don’t already keep a notebook like this, start one today. Write down a quote, a lesson, or a challenge you’re facing. Years from now, you’ll thank yourself.
Joe Byerly is the founder and director of From the Green Notebook and host of the podcast. He officially retired from the U.S. Army on August 31, 2024. If this post resonated with you or sparked any questions, feel free to reach out to him at Joe@fromthegreennotebook.com.
