Building a Second Brain

Author: Tiago Forte

Summary

None

Highlights Added July 17, 2024 at 11:02 AM

To be able to make use of information we value, we need a way to package it up and send it through time to our future self. We need a way to cultivate a body of knowledge that is uniquely our own, so when the opportunity arises—whether changing jobs, giving a big presentation, launching a new product, or starting a business or a family—we will have access to the wisdom we need to make good decisions and take the most effective action. It all begins with the simple act of writing things down. ([Location 60] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=60))

call a Second Brain. Think of it as the combination of a study notebook, a personal journal, and a sketchbook for new ideas. ([Location 289] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=289))

When you enter the professional world, the demands on your notetaking change completely. The entire approach to notetaking you learned in school is not only obsolete, it’s the exact opposite of what you need. In the professional world: It’s not at all clear what you should be taking notes on. No one tells you when or how your notes will be used. The “test” can come at any time and in any form. You’re allowed to reference your notes at any time, provided you took them in the first place. You are expected to take action on your notes, not just regurgitate them. ([Location 313] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=313))

a piece of content has been interpreted through your lens, curated according to your taste, translated into your own words, or drawn from your life experience, and stored in a secure place, then it qualifies as a note. ([Location 325] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=325))

The Superpowers of a Second Brain There are four essential capabilities that we can rely on a Second Brain to perform for us: Making our ideas concrete. Revealing new associations between ideas. Incubating our ideas over time. Sharpening our unique perspectives. ([Location 456] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=456))

Second Brain Superpower #1: Make Our Ideas Concrete Before we do anything with our ideas, we have to “off-load” them from our minds and put them into concrete form. Only when we declutter our brain of complex ideas can we think clearly and start to work with those ideas effectively. ([Location 461] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=461))

Second Brain Superpower #2: Reveal New Associations Between Ideas In its most practical form, creativity is about connecting ideas together, especially ideas that don’t seem to be connected. Neuroscientist Nancy C. Andreasen, in her extensive research on highly creative people including accomplished scientists, mathematicians, artists, and writers, came to the conclusion that “Creative people are better at recognizing relationships, making associations and connections.”3 ([Location 479] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=479))

Second Brain Superpower #3: Incubate Our Ideas Over Time Too often when we take on a task—planning an event, designing a product, or leading an initiative—we draw only on the ideas we have access to right in that moment. I call this approach a “heavy lift”—demanding instantaneous results from our brains without the benefit of a support system. ([Location 492] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=492))

Second Brain Superpower #4: Sharpen Our Unique Perspectives Until now we’ve talked mostly about gathering the ideas of others, but the ultimate purpose of a Second Brain is to allow your own thinking to shine. ([Location 504] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=504))

As people set out on their Second Brain journey, there are three stages of progress I often observe—and even encourage. Those stages are remembering, connecting, and creating. It takes time to fully unlock the value of using digital tools to enhance and extend what our minds are capable of, but there are also distinct benefits at every step along the way. ([Location 555] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=555))

The first way that people tend to use their Second Brain is as a memory aid. They use their digital notes to save facts and ideas that they would have trouble recalling otherwise: takeaways from meetings, quotes from interviews, or the details of a project, for example. ([Location 558] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=558))

The second way that people use their Second Brain is to connect ideas together. Their Second Brain evolves from being primarily a memory tool to becoming a thinking tool. ([Location 564] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=564))

A piece of advice from a mentor comes in handy as they encounter a similar situation on a different team. An illuminating metaphor from a book finds its way into a presentation they’re delivering. The ideas they’ve captured begin gravitating toward each other and cross-pollinating. ([Location 565] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=565))

Eventually, the third and final way that people use their Second Brain is for creating new things. They realize that they have a lot of knowledge on a subject and decide to turn it into something concrete and shareable. Seeing so much supporting material ready and waiting gives them the courage to put their own ideas out there and have a positive impact on others. ([Location 571] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=571))

To guide you in the process of creating your own Second Brain, I’ve developed a simple, intuitive four-part method called “CODE”—Capture; Organize; Distill; Express. ([Location 584] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=584))

You might email yourself a quick note, brainstorm some ideas in a document, or highlight quotes in a book you’re reading, but that information probably remains disconnected and scattered. The insights you uncovered through serious mental effort remain hidden in forgotten folders or drifting in the cloud. The solution is to keep only what resonates in a trusted place that you control, and to leave the rest aside. ([Location 607] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=607))

When it comes to digital notes, we can use much easier and lighter ways of organizing. Because our priorities and goals can change at a moment’s notice, and probably will, we want to avoid organizing methods that are overly rigid and prescriptive. The best way to organize your notes is to organize for action, according to the active projects ([Location 625] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=625))

There is a powerful way to facilitate and speed up this process of rapid association: distill your notes down to their essence. Every idea has an “essence”: the heart and soul of what it is trying to communicate. It might take hundreds of pages and thousands of words to fully explain a complex insight, but there is always a way to convey the core message in just a sentence or two. ([Location 640] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=640))

All the previous steps—capturing, organizing, and distilling—are geared toward one ultimate purpose: sharing your own ideas, your own story, and your own knowledge with others. ([Location 655] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=655))

A Second Brain gives us a way to filter the information stream and curate only the very best ideas we encounter in a private, trusted place. Think of it as planting your own “knowledge garden” where you are free to cultivate your ideas and develop your own thinking away from the deafening noise of other people’s opinions. ([Location 719] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=719))

You may already consume a lot of content from many different sources, but perhaps never put much thought into what you do with it afterward. Maybe you are already a diligent organizer, but you’ve fallen into a habit of “digital hoarding” that doesn’t end up enriching your life. Or, if this is all completely new to you, you may be starting at square one. No ([Location 724] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=724))

Knowledge assets can come from either the external world or your inner thoughts. External knowledge could include: Highlights: Insightful passages from books or articles you read. Quotes: Memorable passages from podcasts or audiobooks you listen to. Bookmarks and favorites: Links to interesting content you find on the web or favorited social media posts. Voice memos: Clips recorded on your mobile device as “notes to self.” Meeting notes: Notes you take about what was discussed during meetings or phone calls. Images: Photos or other images that you find inspiring or interesting. Takeaways: Lessons from ([Location 789] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=789))

As you start collecting this material from the outer world, it often sparks new ideas and realizations in your inner world. You can capture those thoughts too! They could include: Stories: Your favorite anecdotes, whether they happened to you or someone else. Insights: The small (and big) realizations you have. Memories: Experiences from your life that you don’t want to forget. Reflections: Personal thoughts and lessons written in a journal or diary. Musings: Random “shower ideas” that pop into your head. ([Location 799] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=799))

What Not to Keep The examples I’ve shared may seem so expansive that you’re wondering if there is anything you shouldn’t keep in your Second Brain. In my experience, there are four kinds of content that aren’t well suited to notes apps: ([Location 815] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=815))

Is this sensitive information you’d like to keep secure? The content you save in your notes is easily accessible from any device, which is great for accessibility but not for security. Information like tax records, government documents, passwords, and health records shouldn’t be saved in your notes. Is this a special format or file type better handled by a dedicated app? Although you could save specialized files such as Photoshop files or video footage in your notes, you’ll need a specialized app to open them anyway, so there’s no benefit to keeping them in your notes. Is this a very large file? Notes apps are made for short, lightweight bits of text and images, and their performance will often be severely hampered if you try to save large files in them. Will it need to be collaboratively edited? Notes apps are perfectly suited for individual, private use, which makes them less than ideal for collaboration. You can share individual notes or even groups of notes with others, but if you need multiple people to be able to collaboratively edit a document in real time, then you’ll need to use a different platform. Twelve ([Location 817] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=817))

Ask yourself, “What are the questions I’ve always been interested in?” This could include grand, sweeping questions like “How can we make society fairer and more equitable?” as well as practical ones like “How can I make it a habit to exercise every day?” ([Location 860] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=860))

Even if you spend the twenty or thirty minutes it would take to consume it now, in the future you’ll just have to spend all that time reading it again, since you’ll have forgotten most of the details. You also don’t want to just bookmark the link and save it to read later, because then you won’t know ([Location 903] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=903))

Capture Criteria #1: Does It Inspire Me? ([Location 923] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=923))

Capture Criteria #2: Is It Useful? ([Location 929] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=929))

Capture Criteria #3: Is It Personal? ([Location 938] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=938))

One of the most valuable kinds of information to keep is personal information—your own thoughts, reflections, memories, and mementos. ([Location 938] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=938))

Capture Criteria #4: Is It Surprising? ([Location 945] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=945))

That isn’t what a Second Brain is for. The renowned information theorist Claude Shannon, whose discoveries paved the way for modern technology, had a simple definition for “information”: that which surprises you.7 If you’re not surprised, then you already knew it at some level, so why take note of it? Surprise is an excellent barometer for information that doesn’t fit neatly into our existing understanding, which means it has the potential to change how we think. ([Location 948] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=948))

Ultimately, Capture What Resonates I’ve given you specific criteria to help you decide what is worth capturing, but if you take away one thing from this chapter, it should be to keep what resonates. ([Location 962] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=962))

From the book Designing for Behavior Change:9 Participants in a famous study were given four biased decks of cards—some that would win them money, and some that would cause them to lose. When they started the game, they didn’t know that the decks were biased. As they played the game, though, people’s bodies started showing signs of physical “stress” when their conscious minds were about to use a money-losing deck. The stress was an automatic response that occurred because the intuitive mind realized something was wrong—long before the conscious mind realized anything was amiss. ([Location 977] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=977))

First, you are much more likely to remember information you’ve written down in your own words. Known as the “Generation Effect,”10 researchers have found that when people actively generate a series of words, such as by speaking or writing, more parts of their brain are activated when compared to simply reading the same words. ([Location 1045] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=1045))

Don’t worry about whether you’re capturing “correctly.” There’s no right way to do this, and therefore, no wrong way. The only way to know whether you’re getting the good stuff is to try putting it to use in real life. ([Location 1081] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=1081))

If at any point you feel stuck or overwhelmed, step back and remember that nothing is permanent in the digital world. Digital content is endlessly malleable, so you don’t have to commit to any decision forever. While every step of CODE complements the others, you can also use them one at a time. Start with the parts that resonate with you and expand from there as your confidence grows. ([Location 1085] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=1085))

Tharp calls her approach “the box.” Every time she begins a new project, she takes out a foldable file box and labels it with the name of the project, usually the name of the dance she is choreographing. This initial act gives her a sense of purpose as she begins: “The box makes me feel organized, that I have my act together ([Location 1116] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=1116))

Into the box she puts anything and everything related to the project, like a swirling cauldron of creative energy. Any time she finds a new piece of material—such as “notebooks, news clippings, CDs, videotapes of me working alone in my studio, videos of the dancers rehearsing, books and photographs and pieces of art that may have inspired me”—she always knows where to put it. It all goes into the box. Which means that any time she works on that project, she knows exactly where to look—in the box. ([Location 1120] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=1120))

Even a project as open-ended as this one started the same way as all the others, with her goals: “I believe in starting each project with a stated goal. Sometimes the goal is nothing more than a personal mantra such as ‘keep it simple’ or ‘something perfect’ or ‘economy’ to remind me of what I was thinking at the beginning if and when I lose my way. I write it down on a slip of paper and it’s the first thing that goes into the box.” ([Location 1127] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=1127))

Consider how much time we spend designing and arranging our physical environment. We buy nice furniture, deliberate for weeks over the color of our walls, and fiddle with the placement of plants and books. We know that the details of lighting, temperature, and the layout of a space dramatically affect how we feel and think. There’s a name for this phenomenon: the Cathedral Effect.2 ([Location 1162] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=1162))

No one questions the importance of having physical spaces that make us feel calm and centered, but when it comes to your digital workspace, it’s likely you’ve spent little time, if any, arranging that space to enhance your productivity or creativity. As knowledge workers we spend many hours every day within digital environments—our computers, smartphones, and the web. Unless you take control of those virtual spaces and shape them to support the kinds of thinking you want to do, every minute spent there will feel taxing and distracting. ([Location 1169] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=1169))

Inside these folders live the files that I use to execute each project. Here is the project folder dedicated to the book you’re reading right now: ([Location 1351] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=1351))

The temptation when initially capturing notes is to also try to decide where they should go and what they mean. Here’s the problem: the moment you first capture an idea is the worst time to try to decide what it relates to. First, because you’ve just encountered it and haven’t had any time to ponder its ultimate purpose, but more importantly, because forcing yourself to make decisions every time you capture something adds a lot of friction to the process. This makes the experience mentally taxing and thus less likely to happen in the first place. ([Location 1358] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=1358))

I decided to take a different approach: I took all the files they’d migrated over and moved them all to a new folder titled “Archive” plus the date (for example, “Archive 5-2-21”). There was always a moment of fear and hesitation at first. They didn’t want anything to get lost, but very quickly, as they saw that they would always be able to access anything from the past, I watched them come alive with a renewed sense of hope and possibility. ([Location 1437] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=1437))

My mentor advised me to “move quickly and touch lightly” instead. To look for the path of least resistance and make progress in short steps. I want to give the same advice to you: don’t make organizing your Second Brain into yet another heavy obligation. Ask yourself: “What is the smallest, easiest step I can take that moves me in the right direction?” ([Location 1469] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=1469))

Quantum Notetaking: How to Create Notes for an Unknown Future ([Location 1560] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=1560))

Discoverability is the element most often missing from people’s notes. It’s easy to save tons and tons of content, but turning it into a form that will be accessible in the future is another matter. To enhance the discoverability of your notes, we can turn to a simple habit you probably remember from school: highlighting the most important points. Highlighting is an activity that everyone understands, takes hardly any additional effort, and works in any app you might use. ([Location 1591] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=1591))

Highlighting 2.0: The Progressive Summarization Technique Progressive Summarization is the technique I teach to distill notes down to their most important points. It is a simple process of taking the raw notes you’ve captured and organized and distilling them into usable material that can directly inform a current project. ([Location 1612] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=1612))

Here is a snapshot of the four layers of Progressive Summarization:* ([Location 1619] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=1619))

There is one more layer we can add, though it is quite rarely needed. For only the very few sources that are truly unique and valuable, I’ll add an “executive summary” at the top of the note with a few bullet points summarizing the article in my own words. ([Location 1653] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=1653))

Progressive Summarization helps you focus on the content and the presentation of your notes,* instead of spending too much time on labeling, tagging, linking, or other advanced features offered by many information management tools. It gives you a practical, easy thing to do that adds value even when you don’t have the energy for more challenging tasks. Most importantly, it keeps your attention on the substance of what you’re reading or learning, which is what matters in the long term. ([Location 1684] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=1684))

One evening I was reading an online article that I saw shared on social media. The article explained how Google used “structured interviews” as part of their hiring process to reduce bias, ensure consistency, and learn from past hires. I was a solo freelancer at the time and had no immediate use for knowledge about hiring practices. I knew that someday I might, so I decided to save the paragraph you see below to my Second Brain. ([Location 1710] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=1710))

Pablo Picasso, Le Taureau (series of 11 lithographs), 1945–46 (© 2021 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York). Starting with the top left image and moving across and down, Picasso deconstructed the shapes of the bull one step at a time. In the first couple of drawings, he adds more detail. The horns are fuller, the tail becomes three-dimensional, and the hide has more depth and texture. Picasso is starting by building up detail so that he has more options to choose from when it comes time to take some away. ([Location 1759] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=1759))

Progressive Summarization is not a method for remembering as much as possible—it is a method for forgetting as much as possible. As you distill your ideas, they naturally improve, because when you drop the merely good parts, the great parts can shine more brightly. To be clear, it takes skill and courage to let the details fall away. As Picasso’s bull and Burns’s documentaries illustrate, in making decisions about what to keep, we inevitably have to make decisions about what to throw away. You cannot highlight the main takeaways from an article without leaving some points out. You cannot make a highlight reel of a video without cutting some of the footage. You cannot give an effective presentation without leaving out some slides. ([Location 1781] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=1781))

Mistake #1: Over-Highlighting ([Location 1788] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=1788))

Mistake #2: Highlighting Without a Purpose in Mind ([Location 1801] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=1801))

You have to always assume that, until proven otherwise, any given note won’t necessarily ever be useful. You have no idea what your future self will need, want, or be working on. This assumption forces you to be conservative in the time you spend summarizing notes, doing so only when it’s virtually guaranteed that it will be worth it. ([Location 1812] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=1812))

The rule of thumb to follow is that every time you “touch” a note, you should make it a little more discoverable for your future self*—by adding a highlight, a heading, some bullets, or commentary. ([Location 1815] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=1815))

This is the “campsite rule” applied to information—leave it better than you found it. ([Location 1817] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=1817))

Mistake #3: Making Highlighting Difficult ([Location 1819] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=1819))

There are five kinds of Intermediate Packets you can create and reuse in your work: Distilled notes: Books or articles you’ve read and distilled so it’s easy to get the gist of what they contain (using the Progressive Summarization technique you learned in the previous chapter, for example). Outtakes: The material or ideas that didn’t make it into a past project but could be used in future ones. Work-in-process: The documents, graphics, agendas, or plans you produced during past projects. Final deliverables: Concrete pieces of work you’ve delivered as part of past projects, which could become components of something new. Documents created by others: Knowledge assets created by people on your team, contractors or consultants, or even clients or customers, that you can reference and incorporate into your work. ([Location 2006] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=2006))

Those four retrieval methods are: Search Browsing Tags Serendipity ([Location 2093] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=2093))

Retrieval Method #1: Search The search function in your notes app is incredibly powerful. The same technology that has revolutionized how we navigate the web via search engines is also useful for navigating our private knowledge collections. ([Location 2096] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=2096))

Retrieval Method #2: Browsing If you’ve followed the PARA system outlined in Chapter 5 to organize your notes, you already have a series of dedicated folders for each of your active projects, areas of responsibility, resources, and archives. ([Location 2107] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=2107))

Retrieval Method #3: Tags Tags are like small labels you can apply to certain notes regardless of where they are located. Once they are tagged, you can perform a search and see all those notes together in one place. The main weakness of folders is that ideas can get siloed from each other, making it hard to spark interesting connections. Tags can overcome this limitation by infusing your Second Brain with connections, making it easier to see cross-disciplinary themes and patterns that defy simple categorization. ([Location 2127] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=2127))

I don’t recommend using tags as your primary organizational system. It takes far too much energy to apply tags to every single note compared to the ease of searching with keywords or browsing your folders. However, tags can come in handy in specific situations when the two previous retrieval methods aren’t up to the task, and you want to spontaneously gather, connect, and synthesize groups of notes on the fly.* ([Location 2140] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=2140))

Retrieval Method #4: Serendipity The fourth retrieval method is the most mysterious but, in many ways, the most powerful. Beyond searching, browsing, and tagging, there is a frontier of possibility that simply cannot be planned or predicted by human minds. There are moments when it feels like the stars align and a connection between ideas jumps out at you like a bolt of lightning from a blue sky. These are the moments creatives live for. ([Location 2143] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=2143))

Besides his prolific works, Hemingway was known for a particular writing strategy, which I call the “Hemingway Bridge.” He would always end a writing session only when he knew what came next in the story. Instead of exhausting every last idea and bit of energy, he would stop when the next plot point became clear. This meant that the next time he sat down to work on his story, he knew exactly where to start. He built himself a bridge to the next day, using today’s energy and momentum to fuel tomorrow’s writing.* ([Location 2444] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=2444))

Chefs have a particular system for accomplishing this daunting feat. It’s called mise en place, a culinary philosophy used in restaurants around the world. Developed in France starting in the late 1800s, mise en place is a step-by-step process for producing high-quality food efficiently. Chefs can never afford to stop the whole kitchen just so they can clean up. They learn to keep their workspace clean and organized in the flow of the meals they are preparing. ([Location 2617] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=2617))

In the kitchen, this means small habits like always putting the mixing spoon in the same place so they know where to find it next time; immediately wiping a knife clean after using it so it’s ready for the next cut; or laying out the ingredients in the order they’ll be used so that they serve as placeholders. ([Location 2621] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=2621))

Building a Second Brain is not just about downloading a new piece of software to get organized at one point in time; it is about adopting a dynamic, flexible system and set of habits to continually access what we need without throwing our environment (and mind) into chaos. ([Location 2634] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=2634))

Project Checklists: Ensure you start and finish your projects in a consistent way, making use of past work. Weekly and Monthly Reviews: Periodically review your work and life and decide if you want to change anything. Noticing Habits: Notice small opportunities to edit, highlight, or move notes to make them more discoverable for your future self. ([Location 2642] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=2642))

This is where the Project Kickoff Checklist comes in. Here’s my own checklist: Capture my current thinking on the project. Review folders (or tags) that might contain relevant notes. Search for related terms across all folders. Move (or tag) relevant notes to the project folder. Create an outline of collected notes and plan the project. ([Location 2674] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=2674))

Mark project as complete in task manager or project management app. Cross out the associated project goal and move to “Completed” section. Review Intermediate Packets and move them to other folders. Move project to archives across all platforms. If project is becoming inactive: add a current status note to the project folder before archiving. ([Location 2739] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=2739))

A Weekly Review Template: Reset to Avoid Overwhelm Here is my own Weekly Review Checklist, which I usually complete every three to seven days depending on how busy a given week is. The point isn’t to follow a rigid schedule, but to make it a habit to empty my inboxes and clear my digital workspaces on a regular basis to keep them from getting overwhelmed. I keep this checklist on a digital sticky note on my computer, so I can easily refer to it. Clear my email inbox. Check my calendar. Clear my computer desktop. Clear my notes inbox. Choose my tasks for the week. ([Location 2808] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=2808))

A Monthly Review Template: Reflect for Clarity and Control While the Weekly Review is grounded and practical, I recommend doing a Monthly Review that is a bit more reflective and holistic. It’s a chance to evaluate the big picture and consider more fundamental changes to your goals, priorities, and systems that you might not have the chance to think about in the busyness of the day-to-day. Here’s mine: Review and update my goals. Review and update my project list. Review my areas of responsibility. Review someday/maybe tasks. Reprioritize tasks. ([Location 2844] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=2844))

There’s a third category of habits that will come in handy as you start putting your Second Brain into action in the real world. ([Location 2876] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=2876))

Your Turn: A Perfect System You Don’t Use Isn’t Perfect Each of the three kinds of habits I’ve introduced you to—Project Kickoff and Completion Checklists, Weekly and Monthly Reviews, and Noticing Habits—are all meant to be performed quickly in the in-between spaces of your day. ([Location 2915] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=2915))

This is indiscriminate consumption of information, treating every meme and random post on social media as if it was just as important as the most profound piece of wisdom. It is driven by fear—the fear of missing out on some crucial fact, idea, or story that everyone is talking about. ([Location 3042] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=3042))

In a 1966 book,* the British-Hungarian philosopher Michael Polanyi made an observation that has since become known as “Polanyi’s Paradox.” It can be summarized as “We know more than we can say.” ([Location 3088] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=3088))

We can try to describe how we do these things, but our explanations always fall far short. That’s because we are relying on tacit knowledge, which is impossible to describe in exact detail. ([Location 3091] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=3091))

There is no single right way to build a Second Brain. Your system can look like chaos to others, but if it brings you progress and delight, then it’s the right one. ([Location 3147] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=3147))

you can always fall back on the four steps of CODE: Keep what resonates (Capture) Save for actionability (Organize) Find the essence (Distill) Show your work (Express) ([Location 3155] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=3155))

You can also simplify things by focusing on just one stage of building your Second Brain. Think about where you are now and where you want to be in the near future: ([Location 3162] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=3162))

Are you hoping to remember more? Focus on developing the practice of capturing and organizing your notes according to your projects, commitments, and interests using PARA. Are you hoping to connect ideas and develop your ability to plan, influence, and grow in your personal and professional life? Experiment with consistently distilling and refining your notes using Progressive Summarization and revisiting them during weekly reviews. Are you committed to producing more and better output with less frustration and stress? Focus on creating one Intermediate Packet at a time and looking for opportunities to share them in ever more bold ways. ([Location 3163] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=3163))

Choose a capture tool. I recommend starting with a read later app to begin saving any article or other piece of online content you’re interested in for later consumption. Believe me, this one step will change the way you think about consuming content forever. ([Location 3176] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=3176))

Get set up with PARA. Set up the four folders of PARA (Projects; Areas; Resources; Archives) and, with a focus on actionability, create a dedicated folder (or tag) for each of your currently active projects. Focus on capturing notes related to those projects from this point forward. ([Location 3178] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=3178))

Practice Progressive Summarization. Summarize a group of notes related to a project you’re currently working on using multiple layers of highlighting to see how it affects the way you interact with those notes. ([Location 3185] (https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B09MDNDYYF&location=3185))