A small, 9x14 cm Clairefontaine notebook is the key to my productivity.
Serving as a pocket-sized journal, I use it to create checklists, remember ideas, and stay on schedule. I bought my first one while studying abroad in Bordeaux as an undergrad, and have acquired many duplicates in recent years as the pages fill up (however, the American editions don't have vertical lines).
I write the same quote on the first page of each notebook. It's from an interview with Angus Reid, a former Canadian Football League player and author of Thank You, Coach: Learning How to Live, By Being Taught How to Play. I think of it as a credo - a mission statement of sorts - that guides my actions as a coach. It goes like this:
"The most important thing you can ever say to somebody is the truth.
The most powerful thing you can ever give to somebody is your full attention.
The most impactful thing you can ever do for somebody is hold them accountable."
With truth comes clarity. With attention comes respect. With accountability comes growth.
