Andy's comprehensive guide to evergreen notes
- Name: Andy's comprehensive guide to evergreen notes
- Author: Andy Matuschak
- Type: #literature/article
- Source: #source/website
- Link: Andy's website
- Link: Andy's website
- Annotation:
Notes¶
Note names are important¶
The names of his notes are phrases for which the note is a definition. He then uses these phrases in a "one higher" concept note. He calls this "Create speculative outlines while you write". The process of always thinking "about what this note can be added to" allows projects to emerge organically rather than trying to force a top down structured approach. You eventually get to a tipping point in the outline document to flesh it out into a new note (which you then add to another speculative document)
Work hard always¶
The person who spends an extra hour a day vs someone equally competent will over time double their efficiency and output. Knowledge compounds exponentially over time.
Note taking inbox¶
He keeps two areas for "budding ideas". One is for transient notes, which is a quick capture of an idea. And the other one is a space for developing ideas.
You need a reliable system to be able to drain this inbox, otherwise most of what you have is an unlinked mess of half written ideas.
He explains that most of his writing time in the morning is dedicated to clearing out this inbox by spending time formulating the ideas into proper ideas or discarding them if they are not promising.
Capture notes directly into your inbox and then sort through them to generate your ideas.