Anybody like me, who has a deep familiarity with Bruce Lee, knows about his habit of carrying small pocket notebooks to capture his random thoughts. It is through these notebooks and other writings that we can study the evolution of his thinking.

A great example came from The Tao of Jeet Kune Do. There was a time, during which Lee was recovering from a very serious back injury, so he channeled his pent up energy into capturing his thoughts on topics ranging from fighting techniques to philosophy. While much of what he wrote wasn’t original, they were meditations on what he read. His contribution came in simplifying philosophical teachings that the average person would struggle to understand, so they could be integrated into their daily living: the original purpose of classic Greek & Roman philosophy.

It wasn’t just because of him that I started carrying a notebook in my bag. I have read this tip in countless business advice articles and heard it in many a YouTube video. Having access to a notebook or some other writing surface can allow you to capture a potentially world-changing idea to pursue and develop. If it’s not written down and forgotten, then it may as well have never existed.

With many of us having smartphones or other mobile technology, there’s even less excuse for not writing things down. If you prefer using tech, there is your phone’s notes app or Evernote or Microsoft OneNote. Do what works for you.

If you have read some of my other pieces, then you are probably someone trying to improve your life. So start with doing something small and actionable: WRITE IT DOWN. WRITE IT DOWN. WRITE IT DOWN. Protect your idea and nurture it, so that you can take action.

Write it down. Change the world.