My Brain for the AI
A Journey Through Note-Taking
Two years ago, I started on a journey that would change the way I interact with information and ideas. I decided to invest time in learning how to take notes effectively. This might sound trivial, but for someone like me, who rarely took notes in school and struggled to see their usefulness, it was a significant shift.
The Beginning: Rediscovering Note-Taking
My initial gut feeling was that the way I’d been taught to take notes in school was fundamentally flawed. This led me to dive into the world of note-taking methodologies, starting with Sönke Ahrens’ “How to Take Smart Notes.” The concept of linking notes together fascinated me, which naturally led me to Obsidian with the Zettelkasten method.
While I never fully adopted the Zettelkasten method (it felt relatively irrelevant in our digital age), it was a crucial starting point. I began keeping a daily journal, tracking my activities and to-dos. My notes weren’t perfect, but they were a start.
Evolving Methods and Tools
My quest for better note-taking led me to “Building a Second Brain” by Tiago Forte, which offered a more digital-centric approach. While I couldn’t apply the proposed method of note-taking like the CODE or PARA method, it provided valuable insights. I experimented with different tools, eventually switching to Logseq for its simplicity in appending notes.
One of the most impactful resources I encountered was the Reflect Academy. Their simple yet efficient principles of note-taking resonated with me, ultimately leading me to choose the Reflect app for my note-taking needs. Despite its cost and closed-source nature, the passion behind the product and its features aligned perfectly with my requirements.
The Heart of Note-Taking
Through this journey, I’ve learned that the specific method or app you choose is secondary. What truly matters are the ideas, signals, and histories you capture. The best note-taking system is one that’s messy but frictionless – a system that allows you to capture thoughts effortlessly because notes are for the future, a future where someone else can organize, distill and express better than we can ourselves.
I’m speaking about feeding your notes to your own AI. This idea transforms note-taking from a personal organizational tool to a potential knowledge base for artificial intelligence, opening up new possibilities for how we interact with and leverage our accumulated knowledge.
Reflecting on Two Years of Notes
Looking back at my notes from the past two years, I’m amazed at what I learned from topics I’ve explored. Here’s how Claude AI summarized all my notes for the last 2 years :
- Productivity and Work:
- Positive emotions and feeling good lead to better productivity and success.
- Approaching work with a sense of play and curiosity can enhance performance.
- Self-confidence significantly affects performance; “flipping the confidence switch” can help.
- Balancing health, work, play, and love is important for a well-lived life.
- Software Design and Development:
- Good software design involves problem decomposition and managing complexity.
- Modular design and information hiding are key principles in software development.
- Continuous small investments in good design are more effective than large up-front investments.
- Stacked Diffs offer advantages over Pull Requests in code review and development workflows.
- Essay Writing and Creativity:
- Essays are a means of figuring things out and exploring ideas.
- Writing helps form and express ideas more clearly.
- Curiosity and paying attention to unexpected things can lead to interesting insights.
- Life Philosophy:
- Life is short, so it’s important to avoid wasting time and focus on what matters.
- Cultivate impatience for things you want to do and avoid procrastination.
- Relentlessly prune “bullshit” and savor the time you have.
- Influence and Decision-Making:
- Understanding triggers of automatic behavior can help in influencing decisions.
- The rule of reciprocation is a powerful tool in compliance and influence.
- Simplicity and providing reasons are important in persuasion.
Conclusion
My journey through the world of note-taking has been transformative. It’s not just about organizing information; it’s about creating a second brain – one that can potentially interface with AI in the future. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or simply someone interested in personal growth, I encourage you to explore different note-taking methods and find what works for you.
Remember, the goal isn’t perfection. It’s about creating a system that allows you to capture and connect ideas effortlessly. In our rapidly evolving world, where AI is becoming increasingly prevalent, your notes could become the bridge between your thoughts and the intelligent systems of tomorrow.
So start sketching down those ideas, observations, and learnings. You’re not just taking notes; you’re building a brain for the AI age.
Disclaimer: I use AI-generated content for writing my post, here’s my original note