I've always loved a good statistic on something. I think I like hearing a proven "why" behind something, and it somehow makes me more likely to take things seriously. So, when I finished a whole year with my first ever Growth Book I was thinking back on all the reasons why it worked so well for me, and I wanted the facts. So, being the professional statistician that I am (not) I wanted to research a bit. And I loved what I found. It turns out the act of writing something down has a big impact. So without further ado, here are the 4 reasons why writing things by hand is amazing for you!
1. It increases your chances of achieving your goals
I’m sure we have all set some goals in life...right? Well, in a ton of studies I found, it was crazy to see the impact that actually writing goals down by hand has on attaining them. According to one study, the researcher said that you become 42% more likely to achieve your goals and dreams, simply by writing them down on a regular basis, and you achieve those at a significantly higher level! The reason for this? Read below.
2. It activates both sides of the brain
When you think about your goals your only activating your imaginative right side of the brain. But, if you write them down by hand you are now activating the left logic based side of the brain and that’s where planning action starts to take place. Soooo amazing!
3. It engages more of our senses
Another cool fact is that when you write things by hand you are actually engaging more senses than if you were to be typing things down, or not writing them at all. Here’s another random bonus tidbit for you. Having more of your senses engaged is also why it’s better for you to be outside than inside all day.
4. It improves memory and recall
I think this may have been one of the biggest reasons I am so successful when using my Growth Book. I tend to not have that great of memory. So, reading all the facts about this was great. When you are taking freehand notes on something whether it’s a sermon, lecture, podcast, you name it. You are forced to write down quick sentences that describe what you’re trying to remember. The reason that is important is because without you knowing, you are processing the information, summarizing it, and conceptualizing what they are saying. All of which cannot happen and doesn’t happen when you’re typing things out or not writing at all. The memory you have of something after you jot it down on paper lasts in your mind far longer and at a much deeper level than had you not done otherwise.
So, the next time you’re sitting down to write in your Growth Book, just think about how much you are actually storing in your mind and heart as you listen to sermons and podcasts, write down a few sentences from a book, or write down a verse to memorize. It changes your brain, and as a result...your actions, far more than you may realize.