What is a 2nd Brain?

• 🧰 A TOOL, or collection of tools, used to KEEP INFORMATION so it doesn’t have to be memorized.

• 🔄 A METHODOLOGY for DISTILLING INFORMATION so it can be used practically.

Good news! You already have disjointed components of a 2nd Brain, we just need to get you actively integrating and building out the rest!

Everyday Examples

• 📱 Contact List in your phone… so you don’t have to have every number memorized.

• 📁 Folders on a computer… so you can easily retrieve documents.

• 🥘 Recipe Book… so you can recall formulas for your favorite meals.

• ✅ To-Do List… so you don’t forget what needs to be done.

• 🗓️ Calendar… so you don’t miss important events.

If you reflect on these components, you can already see the power of getting something else to remember things for you. Imagine having a tool for every bit of information, so you lose track of NOTHING that you come across! Most importantly, this frees up your real brain (1st brain 😉) to do what God made it for, creating things!

This is where we get into methodology, because 2nd Brain-ing isn’t about collecting ALL the information just so it sits somewhere, it’s about collecting the RIGHT INFORMATION and doing something with it.

Thankfully, with Toil+Profit coming out weekly, I can help you construct your 2nd Brain bit-by-bit. Today we begin with the basics. May is 2nd Brain Month 🤓.

CODE + PARA

CODE = Flow of Information / PARA = System of Organization

Capture → Organize → Distill → Express

CAPTURE - What information is useful?

• Articles, Social media posts, Documents, Self-made notes, Highlights from a book you’ve read, Etc.

• Remember the idea is not to hold onto EVERYTHING, it’s to hold onto only the things that are directly helpful for you personally or vocationally.

ORGANIZE - How do you keep all this information accessible so that you can use it when needed?

• See the PARA Method below! And get a good tool… sometimes it’s best to start with your native “Notes App” on your phone.

DISTILL - How do you draw out the most necessary bits of information so that you’re getting the most potent use out of what has been stored?

• As you start to collect information it could be easy for you to try to capture too much. When something triggers your “Capture” process, you need to make the information easily actionable for the future.

EXPRESS - How are you sharing what you have with others?

• You don’t have to have a newsletter to do “express.” For the longest time my 2nd Brain expression was for using resources to accomplish the projects on hand, or for my vocation.

Projects / Areas / Resources / Archive

PROJECTS: What projects are you working on that need your attention?

AREAS: What zones do you typically have responsibility over?

RESOURCES: What topics are of interest and might become helpful later?

ARCHIVE: Completed or inactive items from the previous zones that stay here in the event that something might be needed in the future.

🌟 TOP PICKS & BEHIND THE SCENES

Building a Second Brain
The book that started it all! Your one stop shop, if you want the thorough in’s and out’s.

The PARA Method
A sequel of sorts that breaks down the organizational method more by answering some practical questions.

Cool, I’m in! Where do I start…

I’ll refer you to how we began this Newsletter 10 months ago, with the essential types of information that you need to get out of your 1st Brain and into a system that will do the remembering for you!
- Events: Calendar
- Tasks: To-Do List
- Information: Notes

If you cover those three zones, you’ll find building out the rest of your 2nd Brain is light work. Some build out a 2nd Brain system that handles all 3 in one tool. But as you’ll see next week, there are a few pitfalls to 2nd Brain building, that I think you should avoid…

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