I am a firm believer in the idea of learning by writing. That is to say, when I try to put in my own words some idea or concept, or perhaps some aide-memoir or reminder to myself. It is a type of explanation to my dumb self. And if I cannot do it or have… Continue reading Learning by writing-the one skill I want to keep
Tag: zettelkasten
Think inside the box-asking good questions and making connections between your notes
When you are making notes for your slip box or Zettelkasten system always be asking good questions and try to make connections with other notes. Try to see what is missing. Business biographies are written by the successful. The entrepreneurs who failed never get to write their book, their story. Can we learn more from… Continue reading Think inside the box-asking good questions and making connections between your notes
Understanding is more important than learning as you want to recognise connections
When you are seeking to exploit the maximum from your Zettelkasten system of knowledge management you need to understand that understanding is more important than learning. Remembering everything you hear is of no benefit to you if you cannot make connections between relevant, meaningful ideas and concepts. These connections allow you to retrieve the information… Continue reading Understanding is more important than learning as you want to recognise connections
Writing notes by hand versus keyboard-why writing by hand is better
Studies have found that writing notes by hand, if you are listening to a lecture for example, is better than taking notes by using a keyboard on your laptop. The reason for this is simple. As you are listening to the speaker you need, if you are writing by hand, to understand what the person… Continue reading Writing notes by hand versus keyboard-why writing by hand is better
Confirmation bias and Zettelkasten
When using Zettelkasten, or any other method or system of knowledge management and note taking, guard against confirmation bias. Don’t arrive at a hypothesis and then look for facts, data or notes to support the conclusion. Look at the notes, make connections, look at disconfirming data and facts before arriving at a conclusion. Disconfirming facts… Continue reading Confirmation bias and Zettelkasten
Reading to learn
If you want to read to learn you need to make notes, smart notes. By writing what you have come across in your own words forces you to confront your understanding of the new idea/concept. You will quickly have a feedback loop which tells you if you have understood what you have learned. Reading, reading,… Continue reading Reading to learn
Conversational writing-how to write conversationally
If you are looking to write online for your business or your brand or any other reason you will need to avail of conversational writing. How do you do that? Write your first draft as if you are speaking to a friend. Don’t worry about punctuation. Write down what you would say. Short sentences. Short,… Continue reading Conversational writing-how to write conversationally
Writing is thinking-Zettelkasten confirms what I have always believed
I have been a firm believer for a long time now in the idea that “writing is thinking”. And now that I have stumbled upon the Zettelaksten method of knowledge management I note that a central principle of this system is the idea that writing is thinking, and the writing of your own permanent notes… Continue reading Writing is thinking-Zettelkasten confirms what I have always believed
Extracting the maximum from reading non-fiction books-Smart note taking
If you are anything like me and read a lot of books-fiction and non fiction-you will find that even though you understand and agree and nod along when you are reading you may struggle to retain or recall much of the material later on. This is a real shame. It means that you may well… Continue reading Extracting the maximum from reading non-fiction books-Smart note taking
Zettelkasten-the “slip-box” system for smart note taking and knowledge management
I went down a Zettelkasten rabbit hole at the weekend. Zettelkasten translates from the German to “slip box”. The Zettelkasten system is a method of note taking that allows you to gain the maximum benefit from your thoughts, the books you read, articles and videos you consume, and so on. It was invented by a… Continue reading Zettelkasten-the “slip-box” system for smart note taking and knowledge management