I have an exceptional memory and I take a lot of notes, which I am then able to drive a lot of insight from. Those things are closely related. Cute cat cover photo unrelated.

I take a mix of handwritten (more on that another time) and digital notes. I put a high level of consistent effort into my digital notes for future reference. I curate my thoughts using my own words and organize them using the Zettelkasten Method.

What is Zettelkasten?

A Zettelkasten (German for “slip box”) is a way to organize your ideas using small notes, or “slips,” that you connect with tags or numbers. This system, made popular by a German sociologist named Niklas Luhmann, helps you manage your thoughts for schoolwork, research, or writing. It’s like creating a network of ideas, making it easier to find and build on them later.

More on the Zettelkasten Method

If you want to learn more about the Zettelkasten Method, check out:

Jodie’s digital Zettelkasten

I write all of my digital notes using Markdown in plain text files.

Organizing

For an idea of the kinds of things I capture and write about, this is the index for my digital notes. Everything has a place so that I can find things, cross-reference, and drive innovation and insight. I use tags, but also create folder structures to support the dynamic scaling of my thoughts.

  • 000s: #index #unsorted #curate #tasks #faves
  • 010s: #mind #concepts
  • 020s: #body #workouts #exercises #health
  • 030s: #people #meetings #companies #places
  • 040s: #interests #books #film #music
  • 050s: #quotes #quips #tidbits #metaphors #allegories
  • 060s: #stories #letters #essays #blogs #writings #talks
  • 070s: #journal #reflections #memories #dreams
  • 080s: #reviews #plans #wins #goals #failures #metrics
  • 090s: #templates #reference #lists
  • 100s: #ideas #projects

What works for me may not work for you. It is not important where you place a new note, as long as you can link or find it.

Software

I use Obsidian.md for my Markdown notes. It has the right amount of flexibility that I need and lets me take care of my own storage solution.

Screenshot of Obsidian.md.
Screenshot of my Obsidian.md landing page.

There are a lot of really great Markdown editors out there, so take your pick! Here are a few more:

Keeping it up to date…

I find this method of note-taking addictive and easy to maintain. I’ve been keeping at it for ~6 years and every new addition is a delight. Things that my notes have specifically helped me with:

  • Concrete and actionable feedback loops for personal improvement
  • Whenever I add a domain, I get an exciting collision of new insights
  • Competitive market research
  • Job descriptions
  • Personal goals
  • Home improvement
  • Project planning

Best of all, it’s fun. 🕸️