Here we begin to expand relationships in the studio and interrelate concepts.
You will immediately stumble into ambiguity.
- Is my category a Select List or a Relationship with a list of Categories?
- Do I write notes inline here, or do they get their own page?
- How many columns are too much?!
Only you know the answers. Play. Experiment. Explore the structure of your own mind.
Also, keep it simple.
Because paradox is inescapable in knowledge flow practice :)
Yes, there are standards, constraints, things you’ll definitely want to include, some bad habits. Don’t worry about that yet. We will get super nerdy about those things, in time.
For now, simply begin.
Discover the practices that nourish your thinking and work. Then (later), we’ll expand the shapes that express your thinking — in ways that have impact in your circumstances.
In other words, yes, we’re going to get to the more-complex stuff. But if you think metacognition (knowing your own mind) is easy … you are definitely doing it wrong.
Build a (Small) Framework
Ideas are like the weather … they move on, never to return.
Create a table or space that lets you easily capture ideas as they occur to you. We are so tangled up in doing and efficiency …we frequently forget to think.
Begin by writing down an idea, question, or insight that is playing through your mind. An association, a question, a quote you want to explore.
Let this space be your catch-all. Don’t worry about organizing it, practice adding to it, whenever something interesting occurs to you.
Include:
- Your idea
- What sparked it?
- Why did it matter, at that moment?
- Context: what does this relate to (do NOT overthink this! Just start with a few.)
- Motion: What next? Think more, research, let it sit?
Consider using a tool like Readwise to capture your notes and highlights when you read or browse the web.
