Great ideas are more valuable than gold. So why is it that we never throw away chunks of gold, but we have no problem with letting a great idea slip out of our grasp?

We’ve all been there, driving in the car, listening to audio tapes or music, and suddenly had a great idea occur to us. “As soon as I get home I’ll make a note of that, I’m sure I’ll remember, this is too good to pass up”. The human memory fails us repeatadly. I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to take preventative measures.

Tips To Capture Your Great Idea

1. Digital voice recorder. I find this to be the most convenient way to capture ideas when on the road. If you hear something on your audio tape, you can back up the track, press record, and capture a great quote. If something inspires you to have a huge idea, recording it is much easier (and safer) than trying to write while driving. I use an Olympus recorder, similar to Olympus DS-2 Digital Voice Recorder ^[1].
2. 3×5 note cards or notepad. Anything that you can fit into your pocket along with a pen makes a great idea capturing tool. I personally use a small leather journal that I received as a gift from things remembered, but anything will do as long as you use it.
3. Use Something – Use Anything. Capturing the idea is more important than where you capture it. If it comes down to it, use a napkin, receipt, or even your arm! If you have a million dollar idea, do you care what you do in order to capture it?
4. E-mail Yourself. I’ve often opened up gmail, or outlook, written up a quick note, and e-mailed myself. It captures the idea.

What To Do With These Great Ideas. Once you’ve captured these great ideas, you want to put them to use, or store them in a safe place for later.

1. OneNote. My favorite program for recording notes. The tabs, folders, password protection, and search features make OneNote superior to writing on a cave wall as Firefox is to Explorer. It’s a no brainer! Transcribe your voice recordings and written work into the proper categories within OneNote. (see: list of features ^[2])
2. Blog It. Many of my blogging ideas come when I’m away from the computer. As I experience life, I connect the dots between things I have read about and learned in the past. Things start to make sense and once they become practical, I begin to share.
3. Journal It. Do you keep a journal of your greatest life ideas, accomplishments, and contributions ^[3]? Consider it as a way to leave your legacy and pass your hard earned experience to future generations.

What Are Your Tips? Hit the comment box and let us know your favorite practices for capturing great ideas.

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