A system to store it, a workflow to maintain it, and it starts with a note.
Reflection
I.
“Left unwritten, knowledge will surely be forgotten.
It needs a place less ephemeral than the mind, more organized than a pile of post-its, and more flexible than a file cabinet.
Knowledge needs a system and it starts with a note.”
Note-taking isn't just a method of storing information.
It's the process of understanding what you read and think. It creates entry points into your memory by giving you context and clues. With a proper system, those ideas can be connected in a way that ideas bubble up organically and effortlessly.
Notes are simply how knowledge is remembered.
Attempting to implement the Zettelkasten method. I’ve learned how little I actually retain from my reading. “How to Take Smart Notes” is transforming my reading and writing.
Here’s a look at what I’ve built so far in Obsidian
Quote
I.
“A mental note, a scribble on a napkin, or a sophisticated literature are where ideas begin and, sadly, where most die. Without a proper place to collect, system to organize, and workflow to process these great ideas unavoidably disappear into the ether form which it came.” — Sönke Ahrens, How to Take Smart Notes"
My current workflow is in its infancy but already yielding crazy results.
Types of notes:
- Fleeting
- Literature, reference, or source
- Permanent
Fleeting notes are normally written in my bullet journal or pocket notebook and then written into an Obsidian note as literature, reference, or source notes which are 2-3 sentences.
At the end of the day, I review all notes and attempt to create a single permanent note of 300-500 words.
It’s proving to be a difficult habit to establish, but I think one that will be worth it.
Action
I.
Read as if to write.
Artists have a vast appreciation for other artists. It is through their own obsessional observance that they improve their own craft. It's subtle, they don't replicate but integrate.
Highlighting is replicating, but note-taking is integrating.
Until next time,
Josh Duffney