The goal: Take inputs and turn them into outputs systematically. Don’t reinvent the wheel—build on what you’ve already captured.
The Cycle
Capture → Process → Connect → Output → Gather Reactions
↑ |
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘
Stage 1: Capture
Collect raw material without judgment.
| Input Type | Source | Key Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Fleeting | Your thoughts | Capture fast, judge later |
| Literature | Content you consume | One idea, your words, include source |
| Lecture | Classes, talks | Write to reinforce, not just record |
Don’t judge quality at capture. You can’t know if an idea is useful until it connects—maybe years later.
See [[Fleeting-Literature-Permanent)](The Architecture of a Second Brain/Three Note Types (Fleeting-Literature-Permanent|Three Note Types (Fleeting-Literature-Permanent)]].md).
Stage 2: Process
Transform raw captures into atomic, searchable notes.
Two goals:
- Make atomic — Break into Questions, Ideas, Supplementary Tools (see Q-I-ST Framework)
- Make searchable — Keywords in title, output-based tags, status tags
See Processing Notes for Retrieval.
Stage 3: Connect
Link ideas across contexts using the The Idea Compass:
- North: Where does this come from?
- West: What’s similar?
- East: What opposes this?
- South: Where does this lead?
This trains your brain to automatically seek connections with every new input.
Stage 4: Output
Use tags + search to pull ideas by output channel.
Formula: Old ideas (atomic) + New context = New idea
When you sit down to write, you don’t start from scratch—you have a pre-filtered queue of ideas tagged for that output.
Picasso example: Same core concept (portrait) applied to different contexts (blue period, African influence, cubism) = innovation.
Stage 5: Gather Reactions
After publishing, capture conversations that emerge. Comments, replies, discussions become new fleeting notes. The cycle continues.
The Key Insight
Most people stop at Stage 1 (capture) or Stage 2 (process). The magic happens in Stage 3 (connect)—and it requires time. Ideas need to marinate. The system gives you a space to return to after your unconscious has processed.
North: Where does this comes from?
- Zettelkasten Method (parent system)
- [[Getting Things Done)](GTD (Getting Things Done|GTD (Getting Things Done)]]) (influenced workflow thinking)
East: What opposes this?
- Capture-Only Systems (collect but never process)
- Write-From-Scratch (ignore accumulated knowledge)
South: Where this leads?
West: What is similar?
- BASB CODE Method (Capture, Organize, Distill, Express)
- Design Thinking Process (also iterative with feedback loops)