This is the best, easiest to understand explanation I have watch in the last 3-4 months of trying to learn this method. Thank you for the links as well!
Hey, I'm 73 and willing to learn new tricks! My current system has me overwhelmed because there's no system. Will look further into this concept. Thanks for posting. Nice work space!
Yeah, I've started a Zettelkasten over the past 9 months or so, and I sympathize with your concerns. What I did was: (1) Use quarter slips of paper. Take printer paper, fold it in half, then cut it along the fold. Then fold it again, so you have 4 times as many 4.25-by-5.5 inch slips. (2) Write on only one side of the slip of paper. The other side will be used for citations or other metadata. (3) Reading notes are taken "portrait" style on these quarter slips. On the back side, I write the bibliographic metadata (author, title, publication info, and chapter/section...and if I am taking multiple reading notes on the same chapter/section, I include a [part 1] line beneath this). I also write the date I read it beneath the bibliographic metadata. I store these reading notes in a shoe box, organized alphabetically by author, then by date of publication. (4) Permanent notes are written "landscape" style. They are stored in a separate "shoe box". I can only cite slips stored in my bibliography shoebox. (5) The first topic in my Zettelkasten is..."Zettelkasten". It records the conventions I've chosen for my Zettelkasten, and how I came to them. Sometimes I make a choice, realize it is terrible, go back and insert an amendment. Amendments ("branches") are formed by writing in red ink an alphabetical letter. The first branch is "(a)", the second branch is "(b)", and so on. The order of branches do not matter, they are an artifact of time, rather than a categorization mechanism. (6) The slips are organized by threads and branches, top-level topics and subtopics. Each slip has a unique ID which encodes this organization scheme. For example, my top level topics look like (writing the "id" number then the "topic"): 1 Zettelkasten 2 System & Method 3 Computer Programming 4 Mathematics The subtopics are separated by a slash "/" from the top level topics. For my examples, it may be: 1 Zettelkasten 1/1 Slips of paper 1/2 ID numbers 1/3 Links 1/4 Types of entries 2 System & Method 2/1 System 2/2 Method 2/3 Language 3 Computer Programming 3/1 Structured Programming 3/2 Computer Hardware 3/3 Lisp The order doesn't matter. These have branches, formed by appending alphabetical characters to them from "a" to "z". For example: 1 Zettelkasten 1/1 Slips of Paper 1/1a Types of Paper 1/1b Writing utensils 1/2 ID numbers 1/2a Top Level Topics 1/2b Subtopics 1/2c Branches 1/2d Threads 1/3 Links 1/3a Registers (i.e., a card which is just a list of links) 1/3b References 1/3c Backlinks The branches are the starting point for possible threads. So if I wanted to continue talking about "1/1a types of paper", I would continue by enumerating with numbers appended to that id "1/1a" for entries in the thread, e.g., on "1/1a1 Pulp material", "1/1a2 Cotton paper", "1/1a3 Laser printer paper". (7) Often I find myself writing "reading notes" on a book, then forming "permanent notes" (Zettels) BUT not yet assigning IDs. Instead I wait until I have a small stack, having understood the material thus read, and then assigned them an ID. Other people assign an ID immediately. But don't feel compelled to assign an ID just because you wrote them. On the other hand, I never put in a Zettel without an ID. (8) I also write succinct topic lines on the top right corner. Some people don't (apparently).
(a) You might also want to try "rapid prototyping" different ID numbers by just using a piece of paper, and writing an "outline" of topics, to see what works best for you, too. (b) The ID numbers can be "gamed" in such a way that they store information about the structure and relation of notes to each other. For example, in the method I outlined, I have top level topics. So any card with id prefixed "1/", I *know* without reading it...the card is about the topic of Zettelkasten. On the other hand, if I used just a date, I do not have that information. (In fact, if I wrote the date on the back of the slips in my Zettelkasten, I've lost no information, but gained a bit by using a different ID.) (c) Software seems to miss the key points of the Zettelkasten method, missing the forest for the trees. Sure having a "search" bar is handy, but that's not the point of the Zettelkasten (it's not a massive dump of random information or data). I actually do not think I'd opt for software, having contrived a method which only requires printer paper, ballpoint pens, and a shoe box. After all, the ZK is the prepared research material for writing an article (or book). Manually searching through it is one of the key workflows, to find new connections and relate old material to new content. Digital ZKs lack this critical step. Plus, on an aesthetic level, I feel more productive at the end of the day, saying, "Well, I have written 5 zettels today, so at least I got that done."
Great commentary. Interesting subject. Thank you for sharing. Consistency for me is sporadic and my lifestyle changes up. So, I tip the hat to those who can stay the course.
Hi! I'm 51 too, been taking notes all my life, the're in a mess. And just discovered Zettelkasten. So this really sounds familiar 🤣. I'm starting my journey using notes in the computer and phone though. Using some of my preexisting computer habits and knowledge. Will see how it goes. Thanks for the video and your honest approach!
Well, I'm 64. But I'm ready to start using these new ideas and methods ... now! Many parallels to "Getting Things Done", and so implementing smart notes into my life will be a more natural transition. Also, similarities to a filing cabinet filing system I [irregularly] use, where papers go into the cabinet chronologically, with date (and time, if more than one) as their marker. Then weekly, add to a simple digital list of items filed using key words. Thank you for your careful, systematic presentation. Excellent! And helpful.
If you go digital you are forced by the very limits and requirements of that software to create notes that fit it to make it work. By keeping it analogue you create your own, unique method and are not forced into using another's system. I found I needed notes to work for me in a very specific way, at least initially, and software would not account for my needs, so, I too chose index cards as my second brain of choice and make it entirely my own. Good luck with your experiment and may it lead you too down some very interesting and deep rabbit holes and bring new knowledge and connections for you to bring back to the world! 🙏
Thanks for posting this and including the links! I'm also fascinated with Zettelkasten right now. I've been collecting articles and ideas in Evernote for awhile and lately I've been wondering why. I rarely search it for information; instead I search online (and end up collecting more articles.) What I like about Zettelkasten is storing the ideas in my own words to help me remember and generate new ideas. So I'm testing it out too, using evernote. Only with new notes for now but possibly converting some of my existing notes in the future. And not the full system either. I'm trying to keep it simple and let it grow organically.
Since I first watched this video...almost a year and a half ago...I've tried Notion and PP (Pen and Paper)...and one thing is clear - between referencing in Notion and Creating Insights/Ideas and getting things done with PP (Pen and Paper), PP (Pen and Paper) is more important. And it's worked hands down...without stress...that's what ZK is all about - generating insights/ideas without stress.
I'm glad you didn't wait to start making videos :) This was so encouraging- as a chronic notetaker myself, it was helpful to know that others do this too! Thank you~
sorry to be so off topic but does someone know of a tool to get back into an instagram account? I stupidly lost my account password. I appreciate any assistance you can give me.
Great explanation of ZK, one of the simplest I heard so far ! But about using papers, the difficult thing about that is... once you have hundreds of cards, with every new one you'll have a hard time trying to find all the other cards that you may link the new one to. Do you will check every existing card for each new one to add ? I think that's the major barrier in using analog ZK, since with software you can easily find the existing notes that could relate to the new ones.
Thank you for this Video. I was looking for someone talking about this topic. For me i did write more that 2000 Notes from about 7 Months until now using Obsidian + Notion. I'm thinking about moving to the Paper-Zettelkasten Method, because I'ts in my Opinion more effective and has bigger place. And of course let my Obsidian-Zettelkasten Vault as a tool to improve my Paper-Zettelkasten-Version.
Thanks for this brilliant explanation. I have been looking at this for a while now but your video summarises it very clearly. I love writing by hand but you are right this is a lot of work and frankly if your not consistent it could result in a backlog which would turn the system into a pain so I have come to the conclusion this type of system is made for digitising. You are so right that a lot of good ideas get over complicated by enthusiasts when in fact their power is their simplicity (bullet journaling comes to mind). There is a note taking app that seems to be built on the zettelkasten system called remnote. Its a bit of a learning curve though and your clarifying the system now means I have a much better idea of what I am trying to do and why. Thanks 😊
As one who just switched from a date based to Luhmann’s alphanumeric system, I’d highly recommend Luhmann’s method, you get physical clusters of notes in a way that the date based system can’t unless you only take notes on one topic at a time.
Oh my goodness, your video is the best I have seen with the zettelkasten method. It is simple and to the point. I, too, have spend several hours researching this method of note taking. Many videos were all about the software, some even dogged pencil and paper, and where definitely more work, then I am looking for. I am definitely going with pen and paper. I love the feel of writing, plus I am going to remember it better than typing. I am also, trying to get off my electronic devices and be more involved in life. You will be creating more work for yourself if you go from analog to digital, but I agree the digital just adds more work. The only software I might use will be a app calls drafts, and it will be to just to record fleeing thoughts. How has the system been working for you? Will you add any of your previous notes to the system? Again, thank you for you video it is awesome. I am also adding it to my children homeschool curriculum.
Go digital, I am 54, I just starting with Zettelkasten, I am using Obsidian. Age is a mindset, I do not even think about age, I think of what I want to achieve by having a knowledge tree / graph. If I think about how much time my previous system wasted… there is no choice
In a paper-system-data base, when you create a new note how are you able to link it to one of thousand note previously collected, if you only have, like Luhmann, alphanumeric IDs? You cannot certainly revise all of them before linking a note to another one. Thanks for the answer.
So, I'm missing a lot here. Note 9 - let's say it's a thought about the quality of Love. I date it - 1-1-21 (or add a Lumman like reference #). Six weeks later I hear an insight about love that is meaningful to me. I create Note my 146th note , on 2 -14-21 (or ref #..). How do I physically, or mentally connect Note 146 (2-14) with Note 9 without actually thumbing through each note I have in my system? Without Categories, I'm missing how the Atomic becomes more "corporeal", if you will, to my thinking. Clearly it works given Lummans increduible output, I'm just not seeing it. Can you clarify and- great video. Thanks
Hello, how does your analog note taking journey go? I also just discovered Zettelkasten method. I’m currently using the Obsidian app to taking my notes. It’s been only 7 days. I’m still waiting to see all the connections to grow in a few months time.
I don't find your video low quality at all. It was really clear and helpful. I came across your video whilst researching zettelkasten when I learned about it on another video. I'm also 51 and a mature student who loves taking notes. I too have loads of notebooks but never go back to them - so what's the point?? This method seems to be a great idea for linking everything. I'm hoping it will help me to see links in all the info I'm gathering for projects/essays and for next year's dissertation. Thanks for your video. I'm going to subscribe and check out all the others. I love your office space btw.
Why not just stick to one system? If the paper and pen method works, why would you go digital? One advantage of the paper method is the ability to structure you ideas and to link ideas you wouldn't find normally. This is because you have them visually in front of you which maybe harder to do digitally. Thank you for the video!
I totally agree with your about starting low tech. And when "we" are ready to go high tech, either the system works better than the good old index cards or we loose nothing. It's paramount to get stuff done than be worrying about the technology.
Great video, at 6:20 you mentioned some patterns will emerge out of the existing notes? Can you show how a pattern will emerge, how does one recognize a pattern and above all how does one use those pattern to produce content (like the German inventor of this note taking system use to produce by creating a demo of your real work/notes where you recognized a pattern and then produce a content. Most of the youtubers miss this.
Great video around the zettelkasten method, JD! Ryan Holiday seems to be a very prolific writer and I've seen a few videos he has made about how he organizes notes and ideas on cards in boxes...sounds like a simpler system with less "overhead" to build and maintain a system for capturing ideas and associating them together. Maybe consider trying to implement a system in a specific topic area first...? Great thoughts JD!
I haven't seen any of Holiday's videos, although I've read some of his articles at Thought Catalog that describe his system. It seems very like zettelkasten. I like your idea of trying this system in a specific topic area first (personal finance), but honestly? I'm probably just going to dive right in on EVERYTHING. ;)
Get Rich Slowly no doubt you’ll jump into the deep end and do this for everything! Here’s the Ryan Holiday video I was thinking of: ruclips.net/video/cMnor_tTUzE/видео.html Regards, Peter
Thank you for your brilliant explanation. I have a question about the link between permanent notes. How am I supposed to link those permanent notes, especially notes in different academic fields?
I'm over here watching your video on the TV, just to hop on here and tell you don't worry about your age. Yeah habits are hard to break, but if you make it fun and for you it wont be very complicated. Further, you highlight something that is actually something I heard Sönke Ahrens and Tiago Forte talking about in a conversation (ruclips.net/video/kXnR7qX3BDc/видео.html) about submitting one's agency to the prescription and the system, which is problematic for people because they simply overthink it and they don't get that ZK is not something that adheres to rigid rules. Your ideas of atomicity and autonomy for a give note may look different from someone else's idea. They need not be the same, and for the sake of your respective works, they're likely best off looking different. The point is the progress. What does this "second brain" help you with in your life that's meaningful? And yeah, the software obsession isn't necessary either. I been there, and its a rabbit hole. In those phases its important to note that when it comes to workflow, it is you who needs to be consistent, not the apps you use (ruclips.net/video/sDNooHDj2Dk/видео.html). You have to remain mindful that you are in control of how you work. And I think the index card method is actually underrated way to grasp ZK and might be the quickest because it forces you to be more engaged with your notes. I've dabbled with the index cards, particularly for one of my fleeting notes if im not on digital, and its forced me to think about my notes in a different way. Cheers.
Finally! Someone has finally given a comparison between the Luhmann numbering system and a digital system, i.e., Luhmann's system can be foregone in a digital ZK because in the digital world you can simply generate a unique ID, e.g., a long UUID or a UTC date and not worry about Luhmann;s card numbering system. And yet, the Luhmann numbering system does give you a firs-to-last "blockchain" of sorts, which a randomly-generated UUID and/or UTC date stamp ID system doesn't give you -- unless you did extra work to make it so. But then does your system need to be blockchained, i.e., the order of the note creation retained as a chain stretching from first card to latest? All of this ZK stuff comes down to one basic question: How do you then get your knowledge out again? Querying on tags then following links around? So ZK _atomizes_ your ideas and knowledge, then puts it all in a flat, quasi-graph database, then this mental exercise of graphizing all your stuff is . . . illuminating . . . good, better. I'm sure it beats just random note-taking from before.
Then a Zettelkasten is most likely not for you... Niklas Luhmann's main use for his ZK was as a communication partner rather than a knowledge store (even though it actually was one), as can be seen in his published paper: luhmann.surge.sh/communicating-with-slip-boxes
Hmm still not understanding why to not use categories. Isn’t using a “tag” like a category? For example, lets say Im researching “marketing” I could see many inter-related notes around that “topic” or “category.” Advertising, copywriting, etc. Seems if I used tags I would create many inter-related groups just like numbering. Maybe hashtags would create the same behavior not sure as I rarely use them either. Anyone thought this through? Thanks
No, a tag is different from a category system. A category system is basically an outline, i.e., a set of general headings, each branching into more specific subheadings. IOW, an upside-down branching tree with branches, then finally individual leaves. This is eschewed by ZK users because it locks you into a structure right out of the gate. Tags OTOH are just a constellation of "category descriptors" let's say. An example everyone knows about is the index at the end of a (typically non-fiction) book. In the digital age a tag is basically just an index word. Long and short: With ZK you can keep things flat, peer-to-peer. That is, just use links and tags and don't try to create a top-down structure with heading/subheading pigeon-holes. One great way to envision all this is to look at a graph visualization of stuff ( datavizcatalogue.com/methods/brainstorm.html ). Yes, it can look categorical/hierarchical, but every node in a tree linked parent-child can also be linked to something completely outside of the hierarchy. HTH
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This is the best, easiest to understand explanation I have watch in the last 3-4 months of trying to learn this method. Thank you for the links as well!
Hey, I'm 73 and willing to learn new tricks! My current system has me overwhelmed because there's no system. Will look further into this concept. Thanks for posting. Nice work space!
How has this worked for you? I just read the smart notes book and this makes a lot of sense for the way I consume content.
Yeah, I've started a Zettelkasten over the past 9 months or so, and I sympathize with your concerns. What I did was:
(1) Use quarter slips of paper. Take printer paper, fold it in half, then cut it along the fold. Then fold it again, so you have 4 times as many 4.25-by-5.5 inch slips.
(2) Write on only one side of the slip of paper. The other side will be used for citations or other metadata.
(3) Reading notes are taken "portrait" style on these quarter slips. On the back side, I write the bibliographic metadata (author, title, publication info, and chapter/section...and if I am taking multiple reading notes on the same chapter/section, I include a [part 1] line beneath this). I also write the date I read it beneath the bibliographic metadata.
I store these reading notes in a shoe box, organized alphabetically by author, then by date of publication.
(4) Permanent notes are written "landscape" style. They are stored in a separate "shoe box". I can only cite slips stored in my bibliography shoebox.
(5) The first topic in my Zettelkasten is..."Zettelkasten". It records the conventions I've chosen for my Zettelkasten, and how I came to them. Sometimes I make a choice, realize it is terrible, go back and insert an amendment.
Amendments ("branches") are formed by writing in red ink an alphabetical letter. The first branch is "(a)", the second branch is "(b)", and so on. The order of branches do not matter, they are an artifact of time, rather than a categorization mechanism.
(6) The slips are organized by threads and branches, top-level topics and subtopics. Each slip has a unique ID which encodes this organization scheme. For example, my top level topics look like (writing the "id" number then the "topic"):
1 Zettelkasten
2 System & Method
3 Computer Programming
4 Mathematics
The subtopics are separated by a slash "/" from the top level topics. For my examples, it may be:
1 Zettelkasten
1/1 Slips of paper
1/2 ID numbers
1/3 Links
1/4 Types of entries
2 System & Method
2/1 System
2/2 Method
2/3 Language
3 Computer Programming
3/1 Structured Programming
3/2 Computer Hardware
3/3 Lisp
The order doesn't matter. These have branches, formed by appending alphabetical characters to them from "a" to "z". For example:
1 Zettelkasten
1/1 Slips of Paper
1/1a Types of Paper
1/1b Writing utensils
1/2 ID numbers
1/2a Top Level Topics
1/2b Subtopics
1/2c Branches
1/2d Threads
1/3 Links
1/3a Registers (i.e., a card which is just a list of links)
1/3b References
1/3c Backlinks
The branches are the starting point for possible threads. So if I wanted to continue talking about "1/1a types of paper", I would continue by enumerating with numbers appended to that id "1/1a" for entries in the thread, e.g., on "1/1a1 Pulp material", "1/1a2 Cotton paper", "1/1a3 Laser printer paper".
(7) Often I find myself writing "reading notes" on a book, then forming "permanent notes" (Zettels) BUT not yet assigning IDs. Instead I wait until I have a small stack, having understood the material thus read, and then assigned them an ID. Other people assign an ID immediately. But don't feel compelled to assign an ID just because you wrote them. On the other hand, I never put in a Zettel without an ID.
(8) I also write succinct topic lines on the top right corner. Some people don't (apparently).
(a) You might also want to try "rapid prototyping" different ID numbers by just using a piece of paper, and writing an "outline" of topics, to see what works best for you, too.
(b) The ID numbers can be "gamed" in such a way that they store information about the structure and relation of notes to each other. For example, in the method I outlined, I have top level topics. So any card with id prefixed "1/", I *know* without reading it...the card is about the topic of Zettelkasten.
On the other hand, if I used just a date, I do not have that information.
(In fact, if I wrote the date on the back of the slips in my Zettelkasten, I've lost no information, but gained a bit by using a different ID.)
(c) Software seems to miss the key points of the Zettelkasten method, missing the forest for the trees. Sure having a "search" bar is handy, but that's not the point of the Zettelkasten (it's not a massive dump of random information or data). I actually do not think I'd opt for software, having contrived a method which only requires printer paper, ballpoint pens, and a shoe box.
After all, the ZK is the prepared research material for writing an article (or book). Manually searching through it is one of the key workflows, to find new connections and relate old material to new content. Digital ZKs lack this critical step.
Plus, on an aesthetic level, I feel more productive at the end of the day, saying, "Well, I have written 5 zettels today, so at least I got that done."
Great commentary. Interesting subject. Thank you for sharing.
Consistency for me is sporadic and my lifestyle changes up. So, I tip the hat to those who can stay the course.
This Video is amazing and the content is very high quality. Thank you so much
Hi! I'm 51 too, been taking notes all my life, the're in a mess. And just discovered Zettelkasten. So this really sounds familiar 🤣. I'm starting my journey using notes in the computer and phone though. Using some of my preexisting computer habits and knowledge. Will see how it goes. Thanks for the video and your honest approach!
Well, I'm 64. But I'm ready to start using these new ideas and methods ... now!
Many parallels to "Getting Things Done", and so implementing smart notes into my life will be a more natural transition. Also, similarities to a filing cabinet filing system I [irregularly] use, where papers go into the cabinet chronologically, with date (and time, if more than one) as their marker. Then weekly, add to a simple digital list of items filed using key words.
Thank you for your careful, systematic presentation. Excellent! And helpful.
If you go digital you are forced by the very limits and requirements of that software to create notes that fit it to make it work. By keeping it analogue you create your own, unique method and are not forced into using another's system. I found I needed notes to work for me in a very specific way, at least initially, and software would not account for my needs, so, I too chose index cards as my second brain of choice and make it entirely my own. Good luck with your experiment and may it lead you too down some very interesting and deep rabbit holes and bring new knowledge and connections for you to bring back to the world! 🙏
Thanks for posting this and including the links! I'm also fascinated with Zettelkasten right now. I've been collecting articles and ideas in Evernote for awhile and lately I've been wondering why. I rarely search it for information; instead I search online (and end up collecting more articles.) What I like about Zettelkasten is storing the ideas in my own words to help me remember and generate new ideas. So I'm testing it out too, using evernote. Only with new notes for now but possibly converting some of my existing notes in the future. And not the full system either. I'm trying to keep it simple and let it grow organically.
Thanks for sharing. I really enjoyed your video. I am learning this method, and you explained very clearly.
Since I first watched this video...almost a year and a half ago...I've tried Notion and PP (Pen and Paper)...and one thing is clear - between referencing in Notion and Creating Insights/Ideas and getting things done with PP (Pen and Paper), PP (Pen and Paper) is more important.
And it's worked hands down...without stress...that's what ZK is all about - generating insights/ideas without stress.
I'm glad you didn't wait to start making videos :) This was so encouraging- as a chronic notetaker myself, it was helpful to know that others do this too! Thank you~
sorry to be so off topic but does someone know of a tool to get back into an instagram account?
I stupidly lost my account password. I appreciate any assistance you can give me.
@Dash Marcellus Instablaster :)
New innthis method, thank you for explaination.
That was a nice video. Well articulated and valuable advice toward the end. Get started!
Done is better than none, so well done. Great explaination of zettelkasten method. I am obsesed too. 😂 Nice video and wonderfull room. Keep going! 👍
Great explanation of ZK, one of the simplest I heard so far !
But about using papers, the difficult thing about that is... once you have hundreds of cards, with every new one you'll have a hard time trying to find all the other cards that you may link the new one to.
Do you will check every existing card for each new one to add ?
I think that's the major barrier in using analog ZK, since with software you can easily find the existing notes that could relate to the new ones.
Thank you for this Video. I was looking for someone talking about this topic.
For me i did write more that 2000 Notes from about 7 Months until now using Obsidian + Notion. I'm thinking about moving to the Paper-Zettelkasten Method, because I'ts in my Opinion more effective and has bigger place. And of course let my Obsidian-Zettelkasten Vault as a tool to improve my Paper-Zettelkasten-Version.
Thanks for this brilliant explanation. I have been looking at this for a while now but your video summarises it very clearly. I love writing by hand but you are right this is a lot of work and frankly if your not consistent it could result in a backlog which would turn the system into a pain so I have come to the conclusion this type of system is made for digitising.
You are so right that a lot of good ideas get over complicated by enthusiasts when in fact their power is their simplicity (bullet journaling comes to mind).
There is a note taking app that seems to be built on the zettelkasten system called remnote. Its a bit of a learning curve though and your clarifying the system now means I have a much better idea of what I am trying to do and why. Thanks 😊
As one who just switched from a date based to Luhmann’s alphanumeric system, I’d highly recommend Luhmann’s method, you get physical clusters of notes in a way that the date based system can’t unless you only take notes on one topic at a time.
Oh my goodness, your video is the best I have seen with the zettelkasten method. It is simple and to the point. I, too, have spend several hours researching this method of note taking. Many videos were all about the software, some even dogged pencil and paper, and where definitely more work, then I am looking for. I am definitely going with pen and paper. I love the feel of writing, plus I am going to remember it better than typing. I am also, trying to get off my electronic devices and be more involved in life. You will be creating more work for yourself if you go from analog to digital, but I agree the digital just adds more work. The only software I might use will be a app calls drafts, and it will be to just to record fleeing thoughts. How has the system been working for you? Will you add any of your previous notes to the system? Again, thank you for you video it is awesome. I am also adding it to my children homeschool curriculum.
Go digital, I am 54, I just starting with Zettelkasten, I am using Obsidian. Age is a mindset, I do not even think about age, I think of what I want to achieve by having a knowledge tree / graph.
If I think about how much time my previous system wasted… there is no choice
In a paper-system-data base, when you create a new note how are you able to link it to one of thousand note previously collected, if you only have, like Luhmann, alphanumeric IDs? You cannot certainly revise all of them before linking a note to another one. Thanks for the answer.
So, I'm missing a lot here. Note 9 - let's say it's a thought about the quality of Love. I date it - 1-1-21 (or add a Lumman like reference #). Six weeks later I hear an insight about love that is meaningful to me. I create Note my 146th note , on 2 -14-21 (or ref #..). How do I physically, or mentally connect Note 146 (2-14) with Note 9 without actually thumbing through each note I have in my system? Without Categories, I'm missing how the Atomic becomes more "corporeal", if you will, to my thinking. Clearly it works given Lummans increduible output, I'm just not seeing it. Can you clarify and- great video. Thanks
Hello, how does your analog note taking journey go? I also just discovered Zettelkasten method. I’m currently using the Obsidian app to taking my notes. It’s been only 7 days. I’m still waiting to see all the connections to grow in a few months time.
Great explanation. Thank you.
I don't find your video low quality at all. It was really clear and helpful. I came across your video whilst researching zettelkasten when I learned about it on another video. I'm also 51 and a mature student who loves taking notes. I too have loads of notebooks but never go back to them - so what's the point?? This method seems to be a great idea for linking everything. I'm hoping it will help me to see links in all the info I'm gathering for projects/essays and for next year's dissertation. Thanks for your video. I'm going to subscribe and check out all the others. I love your office space btw.
Why not just stick to one system? If the paper and pen method works, why would you go digital? One advantage of the paper method is the ability to structure you ideas and to link ideas you wouldn't find normally. This is because you have them visually in front of you which maybe harder to do digitally. Thank you for the video!
I totally agree with your about starting low tech.
And when "we" are ready to go high tech, either the system works better than the good old index cards or we loose nothing.
It's paramount to get stuff done than be worrying about the technology.
Great Video, where did you get the Adinkra that's on your neck? I've been looking for quality pendents but they're hard to find.
Great video, at 6:20 you mentioned some patterns will emerge out of the existing notes? Can you show how a pattern will emerge, how does one recognize a pattern and above all how does one use those pattern to produce content (like the German inventor of this note taking system use to produce by creating a demo of your real work/notes where you recognized a pattern and then produce a content.
Most of the youtubers miss this.
Great video around the zettelkasten method, JD! Ryan Holiday seems to be a very prolific writer and I've seen a few videos he has made about how he organizes notes and ideas on cards in boxes...sounds like a simpler system with less "overhead" to build and maintain a system for capturing ideas and associating them together. Maybe consider trying to implement a system in a specific topic area first...? Great thoughts JD!
I haven't seen any of Holiday's videos, although I've read some of his articles at Thought Catalog that describe his system. It seems very like zettelkasten. I like your idea of trying this system in a specific topic area first (personal finance), but honestly? I'm probably just going to dive right in on EVERYTHING. ;)
Get Rich Slowly no doubt you’ll jump into the deep end and do this for everything! Here’s the Ryan Holiday video I was thinking of: ruclips.net/video/cMnor_tTUzE/видео.html Regards, Peter
Thank you for your brilliant explanation.
I have a question about the link between permanent notes.
How am I supposed to link those permanent notes, especially notes in different academic fields?
What a space❤️
I'm over here watching your video on the TV, just to hop on here and tell you don't worry about your age. Yeah habits are hard to break, but if you make it fun and for you it wont be very complicated.
Further, you highlight something that is actually something I heard Sönke Ahrens and Tiago Forte talking about in a conversation (ruclips.net/video/kXnR7qX3BDc/видео.html) about submitting one's agency to the prescription and the system, which is problematic for people because they simply overthink it and they don't get that ZK is not something that adheres to rigid rules. Your ideas of atomicity and autonomy for a give note may look different from someone else's idea. They need not be the same, and for the sake of your respective works, they're likely best off looking different. The point is the progress. What does this "second brain" help you with in your life that's meaningful?
And yeah, the software obsession isn't necessary either. I been there, and its a rabbit hole. In those phases its important to note that when it comes to workflow, it is you who needs to be consistent, not the apps you use (ruclips.net/video/sDNooHDj2Dk/видео.html). You have to remain mindful that you are in control of how you work.
And I think the index card method is actually underrated way to grasp ZK and might be the quickest because it forces you to be more engaged with your notes. I've dabbled with the index cards, particularly for one of my fleeting notes if im not on digital, and its forced me to think about my notes in a different way.
Cheers.
Finally! Someone has finally given a comparison between the Luhmann numbering system and a digital system, i.e., Luhmann's system can be foregone in a digital ZK because in the digital world you can simply generate a unique ID, e.g., a long UUID or a UTC date and not worry about Luhmann;s card numbering system. And yet, the Luhmann numbering system does give you a firs-to-last "blockchain" of sorts, which a randomly-generated UUID and/or UTC date stamp ID system doesn't give you -- unless you did extra work to make it so. But then does your system need to be blockchained, i.e., the order of the note creation retained as a chain stretching from first card to latest?
All of this ZK stuff comes down to one basic question: How do you then get your knowledge out again? Querying on tags then following links around? So ZK _atomizes_ your ideas and knowledge, then puts it all in a flat, quasi-graph database, then this mental exercise of graphizing all your stuff is . . . illuminating . . . good, better. I'm sure it beats just random note-taking from before.
You can pay someone to transfer the notes to a digital format
How goes the Zettelkasten?
5:53 you mis-spoke to say that Luhmann took 9000 notes, when he actually took 90,000 notes. I subscribed because I started a Zettlekasten a week ago.
Any updates?
I take notes to help organize my thoughts and reinforce knowledge retention. I rarely ever return to my notes. 😉
Then a Zettelkasten is most likely not for you... Niklas Luhmann's main use for his ZK was as a communication partner rather than a knowledge store (even though it actually was one), as can be seen in his published paper: luhmann.surge.sh/communicating-with-slip-boxes
Hmm still not understanding why to not use categories. Isn’t using a “tag” like a category? For example, lets say Im researching “marketing” I could see many inter-related notes around that “topic” or “category.” Advertising, copywriting, etc. Seems if I used tags I would create many inter-related groups just like numbering. Maybe hashtags would create the same behavior not sure as I rarely use them either. Anyone thought this through? Thanks
No, a tag is different from a category system. A category system is basically an outline, i.e., a set of general headings, each branching into more specific subheadings. IOW, an upside-down branching tree with branches, then finally individual leaves. This is eschewed by ZK users because it locks you into a structure right out of the gate. Tags OTOH are just a constellation of "category descriptors" let's say. An example everyone knows about is the index at the end of a (typically non-fiction) book. In the digital age a tag is basically just an index word. Long and short: With ZK you can keep things flat, peer-to-peer. That is, just use links and tags and don't try to create a top-down structure with heading/subheading pigeon-holes. One great way to envision all this is to look at a graph visualization of stuff ( datavizcatalogue.com/methods/brainstorm.html ). Yes, it can look categorical/hierarchical, but every node in a tree linked parent-child can also be linked to something completely outside of the hierarchy. HTH
4:20 atomic
Well-paid, too much of info or tech can be a barrier.
Any updates?
I started using the analog system myself. My mind is more active and clean when it is connected to the pen vs the keyboard.