Our beliefs about what drives insights determine the outcome as much as the tools we use. That's why we benefit from mental models to support our thinking.

I'm happy to announce that researcher and author, Sönke Ahrens, will join us at the Second Brain Summit to reveal his mental models.

Drawing from his seminal work How to Take Smart Notes, countless coaching sessions on the zettelkasten method, and some deep dives into the history of science, he will present you with a handy toolbox to improve the quality of your "thinking in writing".

This also translates into practical consequences for "smart note-taking". Some ideas presented will be counterintuitive, but thought-provoking for sure.

If you'd like an intro to Sönke and his work, check out my blog post on his book where I share 10 principles to revolutionize your note-taking and writing.

To meet Sönke and many more of your favorite teachers and creators live, join us at the Second Brain Summit on October 3-4 in LA

Get your ticket

3 Mistakes to Avoid When Progressively Summarizing Your Notes

There's a simple habit you've already used in school to make your notes more discoverable. I'm talking about highlighting, of course!

It's even more powerful when you layer several rounds of highlights on top of each other as I do in my Progressive Summarization technique (here's a 3-minute intro video).

However, there are a few mistakes that I see people repeating when they highlight and summarize their notes. Here's what they are and how to avoid them:

Over-highlighting: Resist the urge to highlight excessively. Remember, less is more. A useful guideline is to ensure each subsequent layer of highlights encompasses no more than 10-20% of the previous layer.
Highlighting without a purpose: Progressive Summarization is not always necessary. Wait until you have a clear purpose for a note (e.g., you're using it in an active project) before adding the next layer of summarization.
Making highlighting too difficult: Don't overthink it. Keep the highlighting process simple and intuitive, paying attention to what resonates with you or surprises you.

Did My Bestselling Book Turn Out to Be a Financial Failure?

Many authors dream of writing a bestselling book, but few stop to consider whether that success translates into business growth.

Two years after releasing Building a Second Brain, I dove deep into the numbers to answer the crucial question: Did my book actually grow the underlying business?

My analysis revealed both wins and missteps in my strategy, with surprising results that offer valuable lessons for anyone considering writing a book to promote their brand or business.

Read on the blog

Book Recommendation: Crypto Confidential by Nat Eliason

On the surface, Nat's book is about the particular events leading up to and following the bull market in cryptocurrencies during and after the pandemic.

But don't be fooled by that very niche topic.

This is actually a book about the psychology of gambling and its increasingly diverse forms, about the culture of the Internet that is increasingly powerful and influential, and about what happens when gargantuan global forces intersect with an individual life, which is going to happen more and more in coming years.

Crypto Confidential has the specifics of a good story but also speaks to universal themes that we all must grapple with, like fear, greed, ambition, balance, and the paradox of living a simple, humble life in an era of exponential technologies.

Get your copy

If you want to take a peek behind the scenes, check out this fantastic interview Nat did with David Perell on everything he learned from writing Crypto Confidential and becoming a world-class storyteller in the process.