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Zettlekasten as my dumb brain understands it.
A step-wise approach to understand the core concept without bugging with tools like Roam or Notion or Obsidian or Pen/Paper.
A thread
A step-wise approach to understand the core concept without bugging with tools like Roam or Notion or Obsidian or Pen/Paper.
A thread
1. Take Literature Notes
In an index card or a digital page (Apple Notes or Notion or whatever) jot down information you don't want to forget or thing you'll use later in your own writing or thinking. Write in your words. Concisely. Not more than 3 sentences. No copy and paste.
In an index card or a digital page (Apple Notes or Notion or whatever) jot down information you don't want to forget or thing you'll use later in your own writing or thinking. Write in your words. Concisely. Not more than 3 sentences. No copy and paste.
2. Take Reference Notes
Mention the course of the note. It could be the name of the book with author name or research paper or link to youtube video or blog link or your own thought.
Mention the course of the note. It could be the name of the book with author name or research paper or link to youtube video or blog link or your own thought.
3. Make notes permanent
Look at all the notes of the day and arrange them in logical order based on learning, projects, circles, interests, thinking or research. Add value to existing ideas, arguments, discussions. Creating that web of knowledge note by note is the objective.
Look at all the notes of the day and arrange them in logical order based on learning, projects, circles, interests, thinking or research. Add value to existing ideas, arguments, discussions. Creating that web of knowledge note by note is the objective.
3.1 Finding meaningful connections
Finding the relationship between what I just learned and what I already know. This is how web of knowledge is created and it is easier to retrieve later as it is in the form of connected notes. This creates more cues to trigger the right memory
Finding the relationship between what I just learned and what I already know. This is how web of knowledge is created and it is easier to retrieve later as it is in the form of connected notes. This creates more cues to trigger the right memory
3.2 Ask the following questions to find meaning:
- how does this idea fit into what I already know?
- Can this be explained by something else?
- What are the common keywords that I can use to retrieve? (Keywords should belong to a bigger umbrella of interest)
- how does this idea fit into what I already know?
- Can this be explained by something else?
- What are the common keywords that I can use to retrieve? (Keywords should belong to a bigger umbrella of interest)
5. Arranging Notes
- Arrange notes by relevancy. Physically you can keep them one after the other. Digitally you can add necessary links that connect them.
- Index them to discover later
- Arrange notes by relevancy. Physically you can keep them one after the other. Digitally you can add necessary links that connect them.
- Index them to discover later
6. Inbox your fleeting notes
- Before making a note permanent, have them in the fleet. Review fleeting notes everyday so that they can be pushed into permanent note.
- Before making a note permanent, have them in the fleet. Review fleeting notes everyday so that they can be pushed into permanent note.
7. Identify Gaps
- What is missing?
- What are the gaps?
- What are the questions unanswered yet?
- What to learn next?
- What is missing?
- What are the gaps?
- What are the questions unanswered yet?
- What to learn next?
8. When you want to publish something do this
- assemble relevant notes
- put them in logical order
- connect them coherently
- write and edit
- package
- publish
- assemble relevant notes
- put them in logical order
- connect them coherently
- write and edit
- package
- publish
Zettelkasten method is a powerful knowledge management system, developed by Niklas Luhmann, a German sociologist. His system allowed him to build a huge web of knowledge, learn and retrieve information with ease and develop new ideas, discussions and arguments efficiently.
Who doesn't want to get better and efficient in learning and publishing? I was shy to keep all the notes to myself. Gearing up guts to share a nugget at a time with you all going forward. Learn in public zindabad 
