#27 - How to take Smart Notes to Build your Second Brain

If there’s one super power I’ve developed over the past year, it’s taking notes in a way that gets exponentially more powerful over time.

I’ve combined Zettelkasten, How to Take Smart Notes, Second Brain, and Getting Things Done into a method that works for me.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The Zettelkasten Method popularized by How to Take Smart Notes

• The Second Brain method

• How to combine these two systems with the best features of each

• Some guiding principles to make your note system work for you and focus on learning, being productive, and helping you

My Zettelkasten Map, after 5 months

My Method

1. Inbox

   1. Captured notes go here to be processed

2. Permanent Notes

   1. Atomic ideas in a single note

3. Reference Notes

   1. Notes in my own words from things I consume, organized by medium

4. Projects

   1. MOCs for projects I am working on.

      1. MOCs are an index into a project

      2. Next Actions list - a few tasks that are next or in progress

      3. Later list - any task or idea I want to do (should do / maybe do list)

5. Journal

   1. Brain dumps organized by date, reviewed for tasks or ideas that get processed

Resources

• How to Take Smart Notes by Sönke Ahrens

• Getting Started with Zettelkasten

• Building a Second Brain by Tiago Forte

• PARA Method

• Getting Things Done by David Allen