## Intro [(00:00:00)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=0s) - Creating content was previously a struggle due to a belief that creativity is a genetic trait, but a simple framework made it easy and effortless to create consistently [(00:00:00)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=0s). - The framework had a significant impact, as it unlocked creativity and enabled the creation of various content, including a YouTube channel, three podcasts, and a newsletter [(00:00:08)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=8s). - The purpose of the video is to share this framework and demonstrate how to use it to eliminate the bottleneck in a Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) system that hinders creativity [(00:00:23)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=23s). - The video aims to help viewers apply the framework to their own PKM system, making creating easy and effortless, and thereby enhancing their overall creativity [(00:00:29)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=29s). ## Creativity is a System [(00:00:39)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=39s) - Creativity is often perceived as an innate ability, but it can be developed by understanding that nothing is completely original and that creating something new involves connecting dots in new and interesting ways, a concept introduced in Austin Cleon's book "[[Steal Like an Artist]]" [(00:01:31)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=91s). - The creative process can be broken down into a system with three parts: inputs, which are the ideas and information fed into the system, the process, which is the way of working with those inputs, and the output, which is the resulting creation [(00:02:13)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=133s). - Everything is a remix, and the act of combining existing ideas into something new is a creative act, as seen in examples such as DJs, musicians using loops, and writers using templates [(00:02:32)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=152s). - Focusing on collecting better inputs, or "dots," can make creating easier, as it allows the brain to connect them in new and interesting ways, and this can be achieved by reading books, exploring curiosities, and attempting to solve problems [(00:03:30)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=210s). - The creative process can be further developed by understanding the five distinct steps of the "creativity flywheel" framework, which will be explored in more detail to help make the most of notes and ideas in a personal knowledge management (PKM) system [(00:04:23)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=263s). - By adopting this mindset shift and understanding the creative system, individuals can overcome self-doubt and judgment of their output, and instead focus on consistently producing and improving their creative work [(00:03:50)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=230s). ## Laws of Flywheel [(00:04:33)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=273s) - The concept of flywheels is being considered as a model for a creative system, where once it starts spinning, it tends to continue spinning, with Kit CEO Nathan Barry discussing the three laws of flywheels that can help solidify the role of this framework [(00:04:33)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=273s). - The first law of flywheels states that activities must flow smoothly from one stage into the next, which is a fundamental principle for any personal knowledge management (PKM) stack, allowing information to flow freely into and out of the system [(00:04:57)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=297s). - The second law of flywheels states that each rotation is easier than the previous rotation, with the hardest part being getting it started, but once it's going, it becomes easier to keep it going, as long as there is an output, such as creating something new from collected component pieces [(00:05:25)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=325s). - The second law is often broken when people fail to have an output, instead just consuming without creating, which prevents the flywheel from turning, but creating, even if not published publicly, feeds back into the first step of the creativity flywheel and makes it easier to keep spinning [(00:05:31)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=331s). - The third law of flywheels states that each rotation produces more than the previous rotation, with the compound effect kicking in over time, making the act of creating much easier, and the more you work with your notes and ideas inside your PKM system, the more value you get from those notes and ideas [(00:06:01)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=361s). - Consistently keeping the flywheel spinning, using the creativity flywheel framework, allows for the production of more value from your notes and ideas, with Nathan Barry's laws of flywheels providing a foundation for understanding how to make this work [(00:06:08)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=368s). ## What is an Idea? [(00:06:30)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=390s) - An idea is defined as a thought or suggestion as to a possible course of action, and it has the potential to be something useful, but it needs to be developed first, according to the dictionary definition [(00:06:49)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=409s). - The value of an idea lies in its use, as stated by Thomas Edison, who said, "The value of an idea lies in the using of it," emphasizing the importance of developing and utilizing ideas [(00:07:18)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=438s). - At the ideas level of the PKM stack, the goal is to determine what one really has and decide on the right course of action to take, which is a crucial step in refining inputs into something useful [(00:07:24)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=444s). - A framework called the creativity flywheel framework will be used to help get maximum value from notes and ideas, and there is another resource available that unpacks the four levels of the PKM stack in detail [(00:07:29)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=449s). - Many people experience a bottleneck in their PKM systems because they have no trouble coming up with ideas, but they struggle to refine those inputs into something useful due to a lack of a reliable system [(00:06:35)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=395s). ## The Creativity Flywheel [(00:07:41)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=461s) - The creativity flywheel framework consists of five steps that are interconnected, allowing the flywheel to spin continuously when understood and applied correctly [(00:07:41)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=461s). - The different parts of the creativity flywheel are designed to work together, and understanding how they connect is crucial for maintaining the flywheel's momentum [(00:07:46)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=466s). - The framework is composed of distinct components, and each part plays a role in the overall functionality of the creativity flywheel, with the first step being the initial component to be considered [(00:07:52)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=472s). ## Step 1 [(00:07:56)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=476s) - The first step in the creativity flywheel is to capture what resonates, which is similar to the first step in GTD, or Getting Things Done, and it is essential to capture things that will be useful in making something new, not just because they have attention [(00:07:56)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=476s). - The most useful things to capture are those that resonate, and this resonance can be compared to the feeling of playing the violin, where the reverberation of the sound through the instrument is similar to the feeling of coming across a potentially useful idea [(00:08:16)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=496s). - When capturing ideas, it is crucial to focus on things that pique curiosity in the present moment, rather than something that might be needed someday, and these ideas should be captured because they cause a reverberation in one's soul [(00:08:35)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=515s). - Ideas can be captured using various tools, such as drafts on an iPhone or dictation via an Apple Watch, and it is essential to have an inbox for ideas that lives outside of [[Obsidian (software) | Obsidian]], where ideas can sit for a while before being evaluated [(00:08:55)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=535s). - Letting ideas sit in a drafts inbox for a little while allows for a more objective evaluation of their potential, as it is often difficult to determine if an idea is good the moment it is conceived [(00:09:08)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=548s). ## Step 2 [(00:09:16)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=556s) - The second step of the creativity flywheel is to curate what's useful, which involves avoiding the common mistake of setting up automated ways to dump everything captured into a connected note-taking app, as this can lead to low-quality output [(00:09:16)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=556s). - Collecting quality ideas can be tricky because it's difficult to judge the quality of an idea the moment it's had, and ideas often feel amazing at first but may later be realized as not worthwhile, which is why inserting space between capturing and adding ideas to a connected notes app can help [(00:09:43)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=583s). - It's essential to think of oneself as the curator for the museum of their mind, where what's not included can increase the value of what is, and to regularly review captured ideas, such as once a week, to determine what's worth keeping and what should be deleted [(00:10:13)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=613s). - The process of reviewing and curating ideas involves leveraging intentional friction by adding time and an additional step to ensure only the best ideas make the cut, which can result in discarding around 90% of captured ideas and only bringing over about 10% into the notes app [(00:10:44)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=644s). - The curation process can be made easier with tools like drafts export actions in [[Obsidian (software) | Obsidian]], which allow for efficient review and organization of ideas, and trusting that important ideas will come back if they are truly significant [(00:10:39)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=639s). ## Step 3 [(00:11:08)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=668s) - The third step in the creativity flywheel is to cultivate ideas by providing them with the right environment to grow, much like a seed needs essential ingredients to develop, such as sunlight, water, and time, and this process can be facilitated by a Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) system [(00:11:08)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=668s). - A PKM system can be thought of as a greenhouse for ideas, where they can be planted and allowed to mature before being used, and trying to force an idea before it's ready can be detrimental to its development [(00:11:20)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=680s). - The inbox folder in Obsidian serves as an idea greenhouse, where ideas are stored until they are ready to be worked on, and notes in this folder are often left blank until they are needed, at which point they can be developed further [(00:11:57)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=717s). - When it's time to find an idea to write about, the inbox folder provides a selection of pre-screened candidates to choose from, and mind mapping can be used to further develop an idea, helping to flush it out and save time in the writing process [(00:12:09)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=729s). - Mind mapping is estimated to save around 2 hours of writing time for every hour spent on it, and if an idea is not coming together, it can be put aside and another one can be chosen, allowing for a more effortless and efficient creative process [(00:12:25)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=745s). ## Step 4 [(00:12:37)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=757s) - The fourth step in the creativity flywheel involves connecting ideas and giving them context, which can be achieved by considering the four levels of reading discussed by [[Mortimer J. Adler | Mortimer Adler]] in his book "How to Read a Book", including elementary, inspectional, analytical, and synopical reading [(00:12:37)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=757s). - The four levels of reading are defined as follows: elementary reading focuses on understanding a specific sentence, inspectional reading considers the overall content of a book, analytical reading involves asking questions to understand the author's arguments, and synopical reading evaluates the author's arguments in the context of other books [(00:12:43)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=763s). - Ideas and notes gain more value when they are connected and given a broader context, and [[Obsidian (software) | Obsidian]] is a useful tool for achieving this through features such as tags, folders, and internal links [(00:13:17)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=797s). - Various methods can be used to connect ideas in Obsidian, including linking notes together using internal links, grouping related notes together using folders, and categorizing notes by topic using tags, which can be accessed through the tag pane in the right sidebar [(00:13:30)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=810s). - The local graph, which displays links between notes, can be used to visualize the relationships between ideas and deepen understanding of a topic, and can be kept in the right sidebar for easy reference [(00:14:05)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=845s). - To further deepen understanding of a topic, it is necessary to write about it, which leads to the final step of the creativity flywheel, creating something new from the connected ideas and notes [(00:14:20)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=860s). ## Step 5 [(00:14:29)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=869s) - Ideas are considered as individual mental Lego blocks, and when combined, they create something new and original, with the key to success being good inputs to work with [(00:14:29)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=869s). - Having a collection of ideas is not enough, as people often make the mistake of not creating anything new out of them, leading to feelings of overwhelm due to clutter in their Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) system [(00:14:55)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=895s). - The mind works like a water wheel, requiring both an inflow of information, or the capture phase, and an outflow, or the create phase, to maintain the creativity flywheel and prevent it from stopping [(00:15:08)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=908s). - Writing is used to manage projects, but not all output is intended for public consumption, and sometimes writing is triggered by the need to understand a topic, with the act of typing helping to clarify thoughts and synthesize thinking [(00:15:28)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=928s). - The process of codifying thoughts through writing, or "clicky keyboards," helps to distill consumed information, capture useful ideas, and make sense of things, ultimately contributing to the creativity flywheel framework [(00:15:45)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=945s). - The creativity flywheel is maintained by opening up loops in the mind, piquing curiosity, and using writing as a means to synthesize thinking and make creating easy and effortless [(00:15:57)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=957s). ## Conclusion [(00:16:09)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=969s) - Creating a working system with [[Obsidian (software) | Obsidian]] makes it easy to generate ideas and take consistent action on them, as long as there is an output, because without an output, the idea remains imaginary [(00:16:09)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=969s). - To get more practical Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) tips, a free email newsletter is available, which includes an original PKM essay, a link to a new plugin or Obsidian-related resource, and mindmap book notes from a recently read book [(00:16:15)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=975s). - The newsletter is sent out every Monday morning and can be subscribed to for free by visiting the website practicalpkm.com, providing a valuable resource for those looking to improve their PKM system [(00:16:28)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=988s). - The newsletter's content is designed to help users get more out of their notes and ideas, by sharing frameworks, workflows, and tips, making it a useful tool for those using Obsidian or other PKM systems [(00:16:33)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=993s). - The website practicalpkm.com is the place to sign up for the free newsletter, and it is mentioned as a way to stay updated on new resources and tips for improving one's PKM system [(00:16:45)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4&t=1005s). ## Sources - [website](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUEugXo0bd4?si=E-NQxTLqmbxw1GU_)