Three new Moleskine knock-offs arrived on Sunday. One’s teal, one’s a dark blueish-green, one’s magenta. (At least that’s my argument; you may disagree based on your interpretation of the below photo.)
Alas, they’re here and I plan on using them.
Much has been said about the benefits of writing things down; I’ve talked about it on my Substack before — December 6, 2025 edition of The Saturday List — and I even shared a screengrab from a Scientific American article on the same subject.
(Yes, I’ve wondered if I’m related to either of the authors; No, I’m not sure how two folks with Low Country last names ended in in Norway.)
It used to be easier to be “the guy with the notebook” because you didn’t stand out. Now, you bring a notebook to a meeting or you have one at the coffee shop and people wonder about you.
Turns out, I’m somewhat high in Conscientiousness, one of the Big Five Personality Traits.
The Big Five
Psychologists use the Big Five Personality Traits to help figure people out. You can use the word “OCEAN” to remember them:
- Openness
- Conscientiousness
- Extroversion
- Agreeableness
- Neuroticism
We’re all somewhere from 1 to 100 on each and that’s part of what makes each of us unique. And once you understand where you are on each, you can have a better idea of where you might be able to grow.
I mentioned above that I’m somewhat high in Conscientiousness, so a using those notebooks with a plan (more on that below) is something I do pretty often; I’m also somewhat high in Neuroticism. (I need paper and pen sitting nearby to write lists down.) Note that both can explain the fact that I am almost never late for meetings. (Unless my gallbladder is being removed; even though I sent a note and asked to move that particular job interview, I ended up being removed from consideration. Oh well.)
And, I’m pretty high in Openness, so I’m — get this! — open to new experiences. I’m (allegedly) imaginative, and adventurous, and creative!
Understanding WHAT makes you tick and HOW you tick are both pretty important. Here’s more…
Taking Notes? Journaling? Writing An Actual Book?
A couple months ago, I sat down with Megy Karydes for my Podcast, The Vandy Program. The full interview is below and Megy actually wrote a book that helps you minimize stress in your life, called 50 Ways to More Calm, Less Stress.
ONE of those 50 ways — and one that she religiously follows — is daily journaling. That’s right, setting aside time in the morning with your coffee (or tea) and making it a ritual.
It doesn’t have to be formal; it could be venting, or it could be making lists of things that are on your mind. Or poetry. Anything. But make it a ritual and, behold, you’re in Growth Mode.
One reason I ordered three notebooks of my own is that I’ve got one for Personal and one for Business. And the extra one is in case I come up with another Big Idea (for a book or something else). (Or if I exhaust the Personal or Business one and find myself needing to rip one open because I can’t wait.) But I’m the type of person who can benefit from daily journaling, and from taking notes when I watch videos or am reading an interesting book or article.
All Five Traits and Your Learning Style
So if I’m open to new experiences, and I’m conscientious and a little neurotic — in a good way, I promise! — what does that say about Activating Growth Mode?
Well, you can’t be High in all five traits, so there’s got to be a little give and take.
Take a gander at the photo below of the books that are on my nightstand.
I’m definitely open to new things, and like to read and make a habit of it AND take lots of notes, so High in Openness and Medium-to-High in both Conscientiousness and Neuroticism.
That means that I might be…less agreeable about points of view. (Honestly, I’m probably right in the middle on Agreeableness. Depends on the situation.) So that’s a place where I need to grow. AND I’m definitely an introvert, so Extraversion would be a low score for me. Assignments: get out of my shell and challenge my assumptions.
Is ‘Growth Mode’ Just ‘Learning Mode’ In Disguise?
One advantage of hosting a podcast is the ability to learn from a variety of people. About a variety of topics. (I know, I know…”Pick a Lane!”) Reaching out to people and then having them say “yes, I’ll go on your show” is actually a bit of a thrill…THEN doing more research on who they are and what they do and what makes them tick is quite fun. (Working on increasing the Extroversion score and moderating my Agreeableness so that it’s situationally appropriate.)
FINALLY, once I’m sitting down with the guest, the discussion can open up a whole host of possibilities. (I guess my job as the interviewer is to help guide the discussion in the right direction; and if *I* learn something new about the topic, then, hopefully, the viewer or listener will, too.)
A Couple Examples
My friend Jennifer Brown is a two-time guest on the pod; I find I always learn something about people when I speak with her. “Canadian Steve” teaches me something about Canada and how they view Americans each time I speak with him. (Links to recent episodes with both are below.)
So This Post Is About…What?
No, I’m not just here to post about my podcast or my “High in Openness” personality.
I’m here to, hopefully, ask you to figure out how to maximize Growth Mode for yourself.
Are you open to new experiences? If not, you are possibly higher in another personality trait; your conscientiousness might mean you’re the type of person who could sit down with a guitar, fire up some online lessons, and become kinda self-taught in an afternoon.
OR you might have the “High in Neuroticism” trait — again, Neuroticism is not *necessarily* a bad thing — that could make you the type of person who could get the temperature conditions exactly right in your home kitchen to make a perfect loaf of fresh bread.
In any event, keep at it. Whatever “it” is…
