Catching my breath for a moment—it’s been a busy start to the year, in all the best ways.

Here’s a little behind-the-scenes of what we’ve been up to:

• We officially launched our Second Brain Notion Template, and over 1,300 people have already grabbed it! It’s incredible to think about so many of you diving into it and making it your own.
• We just wrapped up another YouTube video shoot, including deep dives into some of my favorite tools—like Superhuman (the email tool I swear by).
• I submitted the first 3 chapters of my next book to my editor. Exciting and a little nerve-wracking, but progress is happening.
• We’re also working on something big: building our own app with Circle Plus. More on that soon!

So yeah—these first three months have been packed, but in all the right ways.

Most of all, I just want to say thank you for being here, for reading this newsletter, and for being part of this journey.

Now, here’s what we’ve got for you today…

Eliminating Workflow Friction: A Small Change Can Make a Big Impact

This month in the Second Brain Membership, we’re focusing on choosing the right tools and removing friction from our workflows.

Often, it’s not necessary to overhaul your entire system. You can refine what’s already there.

Here’s a simple two-part exercise to try:

1. Reflect: Think of moments in the past week when a tool slowed you down or made your work harder. (Example: Maybe you spent too much time deciding where to save your notes.)
2. Adjust: Identify one small change that could reduce that friction. (Example: Instead of deciding each time where to save, create a single inbox and sort your notes weekly.)

Progress comes from small experiments that add up over time.

Now, I’d love to hear from you! What’s one small change you’ll make to improve your workflow? Reply and let me know.

NotebookLM: The Best AI for Learning & Research?

A year ago, NotebookLM was just an experiment by Google. Now, it’s the most powerful AI tool for research and learning – and it just got a HUGE upgrade.

In this video, I break down 5 insane new features that make NotebookLM your ultimate AI-powered Second Brain.

You can also chat with me live on YouTube and share your questions when you watch the video today.

The Strange, Stop-and-Start History of Innovation

I’ve been diving into The Lever of Riches by Professor Joel Mokyr, which explores Cardwell's Law, stating that technological progress doesn’t happen in a straight line—no society stays at the cutting edge forever.

This idea got me thinking about all the inventions that could have been created centuries earlier but weren’t, or those that were developed in one place but took ages to spread.

I’ve put together a huge thread on X, sharing some of my favorite examples from the book:

• The button (why it took centuries to catch on)
• The compass (230 years to become mainstream in Europe)
• The wheelbarrow (1,000 years late to Europe)
• The telegraph (a 6.7 billion percent increase in speed of information)

If you’re intrigued by how history, technology, and human progress collide, check it out.

From Idea to App—Without Code! You know that moment when you think, Why isn’t there an app for this? Well, now there can be—because you can build it yourself. Bubble makes it ridiculously easy. Their AI-powered visual development does the heavy lifting, so you don’t have to. It’s like having a designer and developer in one, turning your idea into a working MVP in minutes. No coding. No tech headaches. Just pure creation. I love how Bubble is lowering the barrier for anyone—whether you’re a first-time entrepreneur or part of a team—to go from concept to fully functional app, faster and cheaper than ever. This is the future of building. Create Your Own App Thanks to Bubble for sponsoring this newsletter!

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