I wanted to share some personal news before we get into this week's issue.

Lauren and I had our third baby last week. His name is Ángel.

Mama and baby are both healthy, and our two older kids are absolutely beside themselves with excitement.

It's one of those weeks where everything else fades into the background. The Forte family is growing, and I couldn't be more grateful.

3 Second Brainers. 3 Ways to Organize. One CODE Method.

Is there one right way to organize information? Week 2 of the CODE Challenge answers that question by showing three Second Brainers do it three different ways, and all three work.

Carolina points an AI agent at her 4-year Notion PARA system. Edvardo pulls years of blog posts into a manuscript outline. Ethan turns a Google Drive folder into a sales CRM.

Organize is where a lot of people get stuck. They wait for the "right structure" before doing the work. This week shows what PARA looks like in three real projects on a tight deadline.

Why I Try to Resist Every New Tool I Encounter

I got a question recently about tool fatigue. The overwhelm that comes from constantly evaluating new apps and wondering if you should switch.

My honest answer: I try to use as few tools as possible, and I resist switching for as long as I can get away with it.

My core stack has barely changed in years. Things for tasks, Evernote for notes, BusyCal for my calendar. The only switch I've made recently was Instapaper to Readwise Reader, and only because Instapaper went down. I didn't choose that switch. I was forced into it.

What people underestimate is what you lose when you change tools. It's not just features you have to relearn. There's a whole behavioral universe around any tool you've used for years: the shortcuts, the muscle memory, the mental rules that run automatically. Lose that, and it's like losing an arm. You're suddenly having to figure out how to do familiar things in an unfamiliar way.

The new tool might genuinely be better. You might still switch. But knowing what you're giving up going in is worth doing first.

Before you swap out a tool you've been using for years, try this: write down everything you'd lose in the transition, not just features but workflows, habits, and shortcuts. Then decide if the trade is worth it. Reply and let me know what you find.

The Building a Second Brain Ebook for Only $3.99 This Week

My publisher just let me know they're running a major discount on the Building a Second Brain ebook. Until May 24, you can grab it for just $3.99 (normally $14.99).

If you've been curious about the Second Brain methodology but haven't taken the plunge yet, this is an easy entry point.

And if you've already read it, this is a great chance to gift it to a friend or colleague who could use a better system for managing their ideas.