Journal For Business Planning - How a Simple Journal Creates Business Planning Breakthroughs

https://lestallion.com/collections/journal-notebook-for-business-planning

Ever feel overwhelmed by the endless stream of digital tools promising to organize your business life? Our fascinating exploration reveals why successful entrepreneurs are returning to an unexpected ally: the physical notebook.

The digital age has brought us countless apps and platforms, yet many business leaders find themselves drowning in notifications and scattered information. We unpack how a well-structured business journal creates what we call a "sanctuary for your business brain" – a dedicated space where strategic thinking happens without digital distractions. The science is compelling too; research confirms that writing by hand activates different neural pathways than typing, enhancing memory and comprehension in ways that digital methods simply can't match.

Through real stories like Emily, who transformed her catering business through organized journaling, and Jake, whose tech startup secured funding within six months after implementing a structured notebook system, we demonstrate the tangible impact of this approach. We examine specific features that make notebooks like Lestallion particularly effective for business planning – numbered pages, tables of contents, quality paper, and professional design that elevates the journaling experience from casual to strategic. Most importantly, we provide actionable advice on breaking down goals, establishing reflection routines, and tracking key metrics to maximize your journaling practice.

The most powerful takeaway? In a world constantly pulling us in a million different directions, sometimes the simple act of slowing down and putting pen to paper creates the clarity and focus that unlocks true business breakthroughs. Could your next level of success be waiting on the pages of a notebook rather than another productivity app? Listen now to find out.

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LeStallion offers premium PU leather journal notebooks for writing, dedicated to all those who are pursuing their dreams and goals, or nurturing their personal development and mental health.

For More Info on LeStallion, check out:
https://lestallion.com/

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
All right, welcome back everyone to the Deep Dive,
and today we're well, we'rediving deep into something that
you know might seem surprisinglybasic in today's digital world.

Speaker 2 (00:10):
Basic.

Speaker 1 (00:11):
Yeah, basic, exactly, but we think it's super
relevant to you, our awesomelisteners, who are like all
about leveling up in thebusiness world.
Right, we're talking about thegood old fashioned journal
notebook, but not just anynotebook.

Speaker 2 (00:25):
Right right, not just any notebook.
We've talked before about howimportant it is to have a
structured way to capture yourthoughts, to organize
information, and that reallyapplies here too.

Speaker 1 (00:36):
It totally does so.
Today we're specificallyzeroing in on how using a
journal, particularly one that'swell-designed for business
planning, can seriouslytransform how you strategize,
track your progress andultimately crush your goals.
And we've got a ton ofinteresting stuff to unpack here
Research, real-world examplesand even a deep dive into

(00:57):
Lestallion notebooks, which someof you might already be
familiar with.
Those have some pretty coolfeatures we'll get into.

Speaker 2 (01:02):
Absolutely.
I think a lot of people aregoing to be surprised by how
powerful this seemingly simpletool can be.

Speaker 1 (01:08):
I think so too.
So let's jump right in.
In today's world, it's likecrazy how much information we're
bombarded with right Emails,apps, notifications it never
stops.
It can feel pretty overwhelming, especially when you're trying
to build a business or, you know, just get things done.

Speaker 2 (01:25):
Oh, absolutely.
It's like a constant fire hoseof information and trying to
manage all of that digitally itcan be exhausting.

Speaker 1 (01:31):
Exactly so.
That's where you know.
That's where the idea of adedicated physical notebook
becomes really appealing.
It's like almost a sanctuaryfor your business brain a place
where you can like map out yourplans and, you know, really
wrestle with ideas without allthe digital noise.

Speaker 2 (01:47):
It is.
It's about creating a space forfocused thinking, a place where
you can be strategic and reallyget things down on paper.
And there's something about theact of writing by hand.
You know, research actuallysuggests it can boost your
memory and comprehension.

Speaker 1 (02:01):
Wow.
So it's like not just abouthaving a place to jot things
down, but like actually engagingwith your thoughts in a more I
don't know more powerful way.

Speaker 2 (02:09):
Exactly, you're not just passively typing, you're
actively processing informationwhen you write by hand.

Speaker 1 (02:16):
That's really interesting and when you think
about, like some of thelistalian notebooks we've seen,
with their numbered pages andtable of contents, it's like
they're designed for that kindof deep, organized thinking,
right Like for someone like youwho's constantly, you know,
sifting through information,that structure must be super
helpful.

Speaker 2 (02:33):
It is.
It's essential for me.
It helps me stay on track,quickly find what I need and not
get lost in a sea of digitalfiles, Plus little things like
the back pocket, you know, forholding business cards or even
loose notes.
It's incredibly practical.
Plus little things like theback pocket for holding business
cards or even loose notes.
It's incredibly practical.

Speaker 1 (02:48):
Yeah, totally Okay.
So we've talked about thebenefits of this focused
approach, but let's be real Inthe business world we all hit
roadblocks, right For sure, allthe time.
So what are some of the commonchallenges that people face when
it comes to business planningthat a journal can actually help
with?

Speaker 2 (03:04):
Well, I think one of the biggest ones is feeling
completely overwhelmed by ideas.
You know, having tons ofpossibilities is great, but it
can also be paralyzing if youdon't know where to start or how
to prioritize.

Speaker 1 (03:16):
Right, and that feeling of overwhelm can be made
worse by like having yourinformation scattered everywhere
.
Right, you've got notes on yourphone and different apps on
random pieces of paper.
It's chaos.

Speaker 2 (03:28):
It is, and that makes it really difficult to be
consistent with your planning.
You know, when everything's allover the place, it's harder to
regularly review your plans,track your progress and make
those, you know, crucialadjustments.
Along the way, things fallthrough the cracks.

Speaker 1 (03:42):
And I know you're all about, you know cutting through
that chaos and getting stuffdone.
So how does using a structurednotebook help with all of that?

Speaker 2 (03:54):
So it's all about creating a system right.
Instead of having your ideasand plans scattered everywhere,
a journal becomes like a centralhub for your business brain.
Just the act of consolidatingyour notes into one place helps
to declutter your mind.

Speaker 1 (04:04):
Makes sense.
It's like creating a dedicatedcommand center for your business
.

Speaker 2 (04:07):
Exactly, and within that command center you can
create dedicated sections fordifferent aspects of your
business, like your goals, yourmarketing plan, financial
overviews.
This really helps withstrategic goal setting because
you have a dedicated space tothink about and track your
progress.

Speaker 1 (04:26):
And those Lestallion notebooks with the table of
contents.
That makes it super easy tofind what you need right?
It's not just about havingeverything in one place, it's
about being able to navigate itquickly.

Speaker 2 (04:36):
Absolutely.
And these notebooks, they'rebuilt to last.
They often have lots of pagesthick paper.
They're designed for regularuse, for the long haul, it's not
something you just toss outafter a few weeks.

Speaker 1 (04:47):
Right.
So we've talked about thefeatures, which sound awesome,
but I think it's helpful to hearhow this actually plays out in
real life.
You know stories that show theimpact of using a journal.

Speaker 2 (04:57):
I totally agree.
Features are important, butstories make them real, they
make them relatable.

Speaker 1 (05:02):
So I have a great example, my sister Emily.
She runs a catering businessand she used to be all over the
place with her planning.
She had spreadsheets, stickynotes, everything was a mess and
she was constantly frustratedbecause she could never find
what she needed.
So I told her to try a journaland it was a game changer for
her.
She loved the numbered pagesbecause she could cross
reference things easily and thetable of contents made it so

(05:23):
much easier to, you know, jumpbetween different events she was
managing.
It brought a sense of order toher business, which you know.
Jump between different eventsshe was managing.
It brought a sense of order toher business which you know for
catering is super important.

Speaker 2 (05:33):
It sounds like it and it shows how those features
translate into real, tangiblebenefits.

Speaker 1 (05:38):
Totally, and it reminds me of an old colleague
of mine, david, who works inproject management.
He was using all this fancyproject management software, but
he found that it was actuallygetting in the way of his
brainstorming and initialplanning.
So he started using a journalto like sketch out his project
frameworks and key milestones.
He said that just the act ofphysically drawing diagrams and

(06:00):
writing things down helped himto think more clearly before he
moved everything into thedigital system.

Speaker 2 (06:06):
It's interesting how a journal can actually
complement digital tools.

Speaker 1 (06:10):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (06:10):
Right.
It's not always about replacingtechnology, but finding the
right balance.

Speaker 1 (06:14):
Exactly.
And, speaking of real worldexamples, our source material
highlights a great story about aguy named Jake who was starting
a tech company.
He was using a bunch of digitaltools, but he felt overwhelmed,
you know, just like so manyentrepreneurs do in the early
stages.

Speaker 2 (06:28):
It's a classic startup struggle, for sure.

Speaker 1 (06:30):
Right.
So he decided to try using aLestallion notebook and he
created dedicated sections fordifferent parts of his business
his goals, marketing plans,financials, everything and this
helped him to bring so much morestructure to his planning
process his planning process.

(06:50):
Apparently, he loved the dashedlined pages because they were
perfect for brainstorming andcapturing those spontaneous
ideas while still keeping hisnotes organized.

Speaker 2 (06:56):
And what's really inspiring about Jake's story is
the progress he made Within justsix months.
He was hitting major milestones, secured funding and his
productivity went through theroof.
The journal basically becamehis entrepreneurial Bible.

Speaker 1 (07:10):
That's amazing.
It really shows how powerful asimple tool can be when it's
used effectively.
So for our listeners who arethinking about using a journal
for their business, what aresome actionable tips to get
started?

Speaker 2 (07:24):
One of the best pieces of advice from our source
material is to break down thosebig long-term goals into
smaller, more manageable steps.
You know, outline your annualgoals, then divide those into
quarterly and monthly milestones.
This makes everything feel lessoverwhelming and gives you a
clear roadmap to follow.

Speaker 1 (07:41):
Makes sense.
Yeah, break it down intobite-sized pieces.
What else?

Speaker 2 (07:44):
Another crucial tip is to schedule regular time for
reflection.
Don't just write down yourplans and forget about them.
Set aside time to review yourprogress, Think about what's
working, what needs to beadjusted, and write those
reflections down in your journal.
It becomes like a record ofyour journey you know.

Speaker 1 (07:59):
So it's like the journal becomes this living
document, not just a static plan.

Speaker 2 (08:04):
Exactly.
And finally, make sure you'retracking your key business
metrics in your journal too,whether it's revenue, expenses,
customer feedback.
It's important to have all thatinformation in one place so you
can see the big picture andmake informed decisions.

Speaker 1 (08:18):
Right, so you can see how your actions are actually
affecting your results and a lotof these listalia notebooks.
They have that professionallook and feel too, which I think
is important.
Oh, absolutely.
They feel like serious businesstools, not just, you know, flim
feel too which I think isimportant.

Speaker 2 (08:28):
Absolutely.
They feel like serious businesstools, not just, you know,
flimsy notebooks.

Speaker 1 (08:33):
They're made to last so, beyond just the practical
stuff, what's the bigger impactof consistent journaling on like
overall business success?

Speaker 2 (08:42):
well.
One thing is that it leads toincreased productivity.
When you're clear about yourpriorities and action steps, you
waste less time and focus onthe things that matter most.

Speaker 1 (08:52):
And doesn't writing things down also boost
creativity.

Speaker 2 (08:55):
Yeah, there's research to suggest that
actually the physical act ofwriting can spark new ideas and
help you solve problems in adifferent way than you know just
typing on a computer.

Speaker 1 (09:05):
Interesting and maybe most importantly, journaling
helps with accountability.
When you're regularly writingdown your goals and tracking
your progress, you're morelikely to stay committed and
take ownership of the results.

Speaker 2 (09:16):
Absolutely.
It's about taking control ofyour business, not just letting
things happen, and a journal canbe a powerful tool for that.

Speaker 1 (09:24):
Okay, so let's sum up our deep dive.
What are the key takeaways forour listeners about using a
journal for business planning?

Speaker 2 (09:31):
The bottom line is that a dedicated journal,
especially one that's designedwith business in mind, is a game
changer.
It gives you structure, helpsyou focus and makes it way
easier to track your progress.

Speaker 1 (09:42):
So it's about moving from feeling overwhelmed and
scattered to feeling clear,organized and in control.

Speaker 2 (09:48):
Precisely, Having a great business plan is important
, but it all starts with havingthe right tools to actually put
that plan into action.
A journal gives you the clarity, the focus and the structure
you need to make your vision areality.

Speaker 1 (10:00):
So, for everyone listening, think about this In a
world that's constantly pullingus in a million different
directions, could the simple actof slowing down and putting pen
to paper be the key tounlocking your business success?
It's something to consider.
Thanks for joining us for thisdeep dive, everyone.
Thanks for having me, it wasgreat having you.