The Building a Second Brain Podcast

Learn how to save your ideas, organize your learning, and dramatically expand your creative output with digital notetaking. My name is Tiago Forte, and I am your host and the creator of the Building a Second Brain course, where I’ve taught people from around the world how to build their own “Second Brain” – a trusted place outside their head where they can collect their most important ideas and insights, and use them to do their best work and live a better life.

The 9 Biggest Myths about Building a Second Brain 04/19/2021

The 9 Biggest Myths about Building a Second Brain Overwhelmed by the information you have to consume and keep track of? /episode/index/show/secondbrain/id/18780494

Myth: I haven’t built a Second Brain yet 04/19/2021

Myth: I haven’t built a Second Brain yet Overwhelmed by the information you have to consume and keep track of? /episode/index/show/secondbrain/id/18779438

Myth: A Second Brain means tediously overhauling and restructuring my entire digital life 04/19/2021

Myth: A Second Brain means tediously overhauling and restructuring my entire digital life Overwhelmed by the information you have to consume and keep track of? /episode/index/show/secondbrain/id/18779399

Myth: A Second Brain is just a bunch of random ‘life hacks’ for knowledge work 04/19/2021

Myth: A Second Brain is just a bunch of random ‘life hacks’ for knowledge work Overwhelmed by the information you have to consume and keep track of? /episode/index/show/secondbrain/id/18779387

Myth: Building a Second Brain is just self-help for note-taking nerds 04/19/2021

Myth: Building a Second Brain is just self-help for note-taking nerds Overwhelmed by the information you have to consume and keep track of? /episode/index/show/secondbrain/id/18779378

Myth: A Second Brain requires me to have technical skills 04/19/2021

Myth: A Second Brain requires me to have technical skills Overwhelmed by the information you have to consume and keep track of? /episode/index/show/secondbrain/id/18779369

Myth: There is a ‘right way’ to build a Second Brain 04/19/2021

Myth: There is a ‘right way’ to build a Second Brain Overwhelmed by the information you have to consume and keep track of? The Building a Second Brain Podcast gives you the tools to overcome Information Overload and thrive in the Information Age. Tiago Forte will teach you how to build your own "Second Brain" – a trusted place outside your head where you can collect your most important ideas and insights, and use them to do your best work. You'll discover how myths and misconceptions about the creative process hold us back, and how replacing them with a more strategic, intentional approach can unlock your true creative potential. You'll be amazed at how your productivity radically expands with the right frame of mind and the best tools. Tiago draws on years of experience teaching, speaking, and writing about productivity, learning, organizing, and note-taking for our modern, connected era. /episode/index/show/secondbrain/id/18779360

Myth: If I create a Second Brain, it will kill my creativity 04/19/2021

Myth: If I create a Second Brain, it will kill my creativity Overwhelmed by the information you have to consume and keep track of? /episode/index/show/secondbrain/id/18779351

Myth: Second Brains are for people who aren’t actually out in the world doing the hard work 04/19/2021

Myth: Second Brains are for people who aren’t actually out in the world doing the hard work Overwhelmed by the information you have to consume and keep track of? /episode/index/show/secondbrain/id/18779345

Myth: Maintaining a Second Brain will force me to sit in front of a computer all day 04/19/2021

Myth: Maintaining a Second Brain will force me to sit in front of a computer all day Overwhelmed by the information you have to consume and keep track of? /episode/index/show/secondbrain/id/18779333

The 10 Principles of Building a Second Brain 03/24/2020

The 10 Principles of Building a Second Brain Building a Second Brain is based on ten principles. Each episode in this podcast series corresponds to one of the principles. This episode summarizes what we've discussed, and also shares information about the Building a Second Brain course. /episode/index/show/secondbrain/id/13685306

Keep Your Ideas Moving 03/24/2020

Keep Your Ideas Moving Systems that must be perfect to be reliable are deeply flawed. Instead of trying to create a perfect organizational system before starting to create things, concentrate on consistently moving your projects and goals forward. Your Second Brain will evolve to suit your needs only when you put it to use in your daily work. /episode/index/show/secondbrain/id/13685342

Make Things Easier for Your Future Self 03/24/2020

Make Things Easier for Your Future Self If you make your notes a little better each time you touch them – a little more organized, a little more succinct, a little more clear – then your future self will find it easier and easier to access the knowledge you’ve saved. Instead of doing a lot of work upfront to organize your ideas, do it a little bit at a time, whenever it’s convenient. /episode/index/show/secondbrain/id/13685366

You Only Know What You Make 03/24/2020

You Only Know What You Make Don’t just passively consume huge volumes of information that soon gets forgotten. Instead, use what you’re learning to make new things. Applying what you learn in tangible projects not only helps the learning stick, it allows you to get feedback and incorporate the thinking of others to make it even better. /episode/index/show/secondbrain/id/13685375

Intermediate Packets 03/24/2020

Intermediate Packets Cranking out work in one big push or digesting information in one big gulp requires a lot of motivation and self-discipline, which are in scarce supply. By breaking down your work into a series of small, “intermediate packets,” you can make consistent progress while building up a reserve of useful knowledge. With these packets at your disposal, you’ll have many more options for how to combine and remix them into new things in the future. /episode/index/show/secondbrain/id/13685381

Start With Abundance 03/24/2020

Start With Abundance Creativity flows from abundance. Instead of sitting down to a blank canvas and trying to think of something clever, start your creative process by sifting through a plentiful supply of interesting ideas, insights, and inspirations that you can build off of. Your Second Brain is the perfect place to collect this creative raw material. /episode/index/show/secondbrain/id/13685399

Slow Burns 03/24/2020

Slow Burns Stop completing your projects via “heavy lifts” – grueling slogs of painful work where you create everything from scratch. There is another way – you can slowly gather ideas, in the background and over time, using “slow burns.” Once the project gets underway, you’ll already have a rich collection of interesting ideas, insights, examples, facts, and illustrations that you can easily combine together without burning yourself out. /episode/index/show/secondbrain/id/13685408

Projects Over Categories 03/24/2020

Projects Over Categories Instead of organizing ideas by category – such as “psychology,” “marketing,” or “economics” – which leads to silos that they can’t escape from, organize your ideas according to the projects where they will be most useful and actionable. Organizing your ideas according to which project they apply to also makes it easier to decide where they go, and easier to find when you need them. /episode/index/show/secondbrain/id/13685426

Idea Recycling 03/24/2020

Idea Recycling Ideas are not single-use only. They can outlive the projects they were originally a part of. Every document or deliverable you create represents valuable thinking you’ve done, and can be recycled and reused in future projects. By putting in a little extra effort to preserve your work for the future, you’ll never have to do the same work twice. /episode/index/show/secondbrain/id/13685453

The Capture Habit 03/24/2020

The Capture Habit Don’t play “catch and release” with your thoughts. Your ideas have value, but tend to arrive when you least expect them. By making it a habit to “capture” and save them, you can allow them to live forever in a trusted system that reflects your goals and interests. This also leaves your mind free and clear to come up with even more ideas. /episode/index/show/secondbrain/id/13685474

Borrowed Creativity 03/24/2020

Borrowed Creativity Creativity is not a mysterious force to be conjured from nothing – it emerges organically from practical efforts to gather, organize, and digest your own ideas, and the ideas of others. Before you create novel work of your own, you can prepare by gathering the ideas you encounter in your daily life in a single, trusted place outside your head. This makes it easier to see unexpected patterns and connections between ideas, leading to more powerful and unique insights in your work. /episode/index/show/secondbrain/id/13685486

The Building a Second Brain Podcast

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