I’m incredibly excited and grateful to share that we just crossed 300,000 subscribers on YouTube!
The video that pushed us over this milestone was my recent release on NotebookLM, which gained over 228,000 views in just one week. If you haven’t seen it yet, check it out here.
To celebrate, join us this Thursday, March 27th, at 1 pm ET, for a “how Forte Labs does YouTube” session. Together, we'll chat about...
- Our vision for the YouTube channel
- Lessons learned from growing the channel
- What it's like behind the scenes
- What's coming next
Thank you so much for being part of this journey. We can’t wait to share even more valuable content with you.
Now to the newsletter…
How to Apply the PARA Method to Your Email Inbox (Hint: You Don’t)
One of the most common questions I get is: “How do I implement the PARA Method in my email inbox?” My short answer? You don’t.
Your email inbox is not a place to store information. It’s simply a channel where new information arrives, which you then process and send downstream to the appropriate parts of your Second Brain system.
Think of your email inbox as a temporary holding area, not a long-term storage solution.
So, what should you do with emails instead? Here’s a simple breakdown:
- If the email contains a task → Send it to your task manager
- If it’s a calendar invite or event → Add it to your calendar
- If it has an attachment you want to keep → Save it to your cloud storage
- If it contains valuable information worth keeping → Transfer it to your notetaking app
Once you’ve moved the information to the appropriate place, archive the email. Simple as that.
If you want to dive deeper into managing your email effectively, check out my video on Inbox Zero.
And if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the constant barrage of emails and messages, join us this April in the Second Brain Membership. We’ll be dedicating an entire month to streamlining communication and building better practices for handling emails and instant messages.
My Time in Eastern Ukraine: A Story of Beauty, Community, and Hope
From 2009 to 2011, I served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Eastern Ukraine, living in the small town of Kupyansk near the Russian border.
It was one of the greatest experiences of my life, teaching me about the kindness, resilience, and creativity of the Ukrainian people.
Sadly, Kupyansk is now on the frontlines of the Russian invasion, its streets destroyed, and its people scattered.
During my time there, I captured short clips of everyday life on my iPhone 3G—simple moments that now feel like treasures.
I’ve decided to share this video publicly as a testament to what was lost.
As one more piece of evidence that Ukraine once thrived, that Ukrainians know what kind of country they want to build, and could build it again if given the chance by the wider world.
Permission Won’t Be Granted. Go Get It.
What if the traits that actually drive success are the opposite of what you’ve been told?
As a former Google exec and career coach, my friend Jenny Wood learned that waiting your turn won’t get you ahead—having the courage to stand out, speak up, and take bold action will.
In her new book Wild Courage, Jenny reveals 9 unconventional traits that defy traditional career advice:
- Weird – Win as you or lose as “who?”
- Selfish – Protect your time.
- Shameless – Self-promote with ease.
- Obsessed – Push, persist, and perform at your highest level.
- Nosy – Ask bold questions.
- Manipulative – Influence with empathy.
- Brutal – Set boundaries and embrace the power of no.
- Reckless – Take smart risks.
- Bossy – Lead with confidence, even if you’re not in charge yet.
These 9 traits will get you noticed, promoted, and ahead—faster than you ever thought possible.
Journaling 101: Free Live Session
I want to extend an invitation by Jo Franco to a free journaling session this Sat., March 29th from 12 - 2 pm ET.
Jo is the founder of the global journaling movement JoClub, a polyglot, a Netflix Travel Host, and a speaker at last year's Second Brain Summit.
The theme of this session is “How to use journaling to transform your life.” It will help you use paper and pen as tools to reconnect with yourself, plan your path, and script your dream life.
If you are curious about journaling and enjoy meeting people around the world, you’ll be in great company. You'll also get the chance to ask questions about journaling and JoClub.
Summer of Protocols: How to Think About the World
I’ve become fascinated by "protocols," an emerging discipline introduced to me by Venkatesh Rao.
Protocols include any kind of "process" or "procedure," as diverse as computer networking schemes, climate treaties, hand-washing practices, treatment of football injuries, medical research design, fire-fighting practices, and diplomatic etiquette.
I'm starting to think "annual reviews," my main focus for the next few years, is an example of such a protocol and governed by its principles.
Summer of Protocols is a community of practice devoted to research and education about protocols, and they've just opened up their new summer program.
They are offering grants and support to enable educators to teach "protocol studies," either via brand new courses or as modules in existing ones.
The deadline for applications is April 1! I highly recommend anyone interested in this topic apply.
