## my 2-part system [(00:00:00)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=0s) - [[Obsidian (software) | Obsidian]] is used for taking notes on new things being learned and capturing cool things found on the internet [(00:00:00)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=0s). - The Obsidian app is completely free with no ads or tracking, and users own all their data locally, which is not uploaded to their servers [(00:00:05)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=5s). - Obsidian is considered the most powerful notetaking system found, and it will be used to demonstrate a two-part system for a digital second brain [(00:00:12)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=12s). - The two-part system consists of using Obsidian and a specific format to take digital notes, and a method to ensure that learned things are not forgotten [(00:00:15)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=15s). - The video will cover both parts of the system, including the format for taking digital notes and the method for retaining learned information [(00:00:20)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=20s). - Even if viewers already know what Obsidian is or have a second brain system, the second part of the video may still be relevant for them [(00:00:26)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=26s). ## what is a second brain? [(00:00:30)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=30s) - A "second brain" is a database of notes and information on various topics, serving as a centralized repository for knowledge and personal experiences [(00:00:30)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=30s). - This concept involves storing notes on different subjects, such as things learned from books, [[YouTube]] videos, and personal concepts, as well as notes on personal life, like restaurants visited and standard procedures [(00:00:41)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=41s). - Having a second brain allows for easy access to consolidated notes, enabling users to see connections between different pieces of information in a knowledge graph [(00:00:56)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=56s). - Storing notes locally makes it simple to look them up when needed [(00:01:02)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=62s). ## the difference between analog and digital notes [(00:01:05)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=65s) - Analog systems are preferred for certain tasks, such as tracking goals in a journal, but they fall short when it comes to taking extensive notes on various topics due to difficulties in organization and lookup. [(00:01:13)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=73s) - Physical notes are hard to organize and look up, making a digital database useful for storing information on different subjects being learned. [(00:01:19)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=79s) - A digital database is used to keep notes separate from an analog journal, which is reserved for reflections, goal tracking, and as a creative outlet. [(00:01:26)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=86s) - [[Obsidian (software) | Obsidian]] is a tool used for digital note-taking, with key features that differentiate it from other note-taking apps. [(00:01:40)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=100s) ## why obsidian over other apps? [(00:01:40)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=100s) - Obsidian is a notetaking app designed from the ground up to be a Knowledge Management System [(00:01:40)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=100s). - The app allows for customization of themes and fonts, enabling users to personalize their experience [(00:01:54)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=114s). - Obsidian features a graph view that displays a knowledge graph of all taken notes and their connections [(00:02:03)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=123s). - Making a note in [[Obsidian (software) | Obsidian]] is straightforward, and users can easily type and save information [(00:02:10)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=130s). - The core feature of Obsidian is its backlinks, which allow users to link to existing or non-existent notes using double brackets [(00:02:16)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=136s). - Backlinks enable two-way connections between notes, allowing users to see every note that contains a specific concept [(00:02:38)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=158s). - Users can also categorize notes using tags, making it easy to search and find related information [(00:02:50)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=170s). - Notes are saved locally on the computer and can be synced across devices using [[ICloud | iCloud]], [[Google Drive]], or [[Git]] without any subscriptions [(00:03:00)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=180s). - Obsidian features [[Vim (text editor) | Vim]] shortcuts, enabling users to navigate and jump across notes and lines without using the mouse [(00:03:10)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=190s). - While the Vim shortcuts take time to learn, they can significantly enhance the user experience and make it difficult to switch to other note-taking programs [(00:03:20)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=200s). ## the format I use to take digital notes for learning [(00:03:25)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=205s) - A daily note is created in [[Obsidian (software) | Obsidian]] with today's date as the title, serving as an unorganized space to capture various things, concepts, and meeting notes, and hashtags are used for easy searching and organization [(00:03:32)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=212s). - A double hashtag is used to create a link to a new note for a specific concept, video, or book, and this link is used to create a new note when opened [(00:04:09)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=249s). - The fan technique is used to take notes on new concepts, which involves explaining the concept in simple terms as if to a child, and this technique is used to summarize complex topics and test understanding [(00:04:30)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=270s). - Unorganized notes are taken first, and then a summary is created at the top of the note using the fan technique, and a callout feature in Obsidian is used to highlight key points [(00:04:48)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=288s). - The same note-taking technique is applied to books and [[YouTube]] videos, with a summary of core concepts at the top of the note [(00:05:10)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=310s). - Tags are used to organize notes, and a plugin is used to organize notes into different folders based on these tags, allowing for easy access to notes across different categories [(00:05:20)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=320s). - A browser extension is used to immediately turn any webpage into a new note in [[Obsidian (software) | Obsidian]], making it easy to capture new information [(00:05:41)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=341s). - The note-taking system is not complete without a way to easily recall concepts, which leads to the second part of the system [(00:05:53)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=353s). ## how I remember the things you learn [(00:06:06)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=366s) - Understanding a concept and using the Feynman Technique can help remember it forever, but for certain things, deliberately trying to memorize them as if studying for a test can be helpful [(00:06:06)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=366s). - [[Anki (software) | Anki]], a flashcard app, is used to memorize things in personal life and concepts for the second brain, guaranteeing that nothing will be forgotten as long as flashcards are reviewed [(00:06:21)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=381s). - Creating a flashcard in Anki and inputting information ensures that it will not be forgotten, with daily review sessions taking only 15-20 minutes [(00:06:42)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=402s). - The cost-to-benefit ratio of using Anki has been massive, allowing for the retention of an entire language and learning new things and concepts [(00:06:49)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=409s). - When learning new information, a simple flashcard is created in Anki as a cue, and when the flashcard comes up, the concept can be looked up in [[Obsidian (software) | Obsidian]] to refresh memory [(00:07:02)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=422s). - A chill or minimalistic approach to using Anki and taking notes is essential for sustainability, and having a simple system makes it easy to continue learning new things [(00:07:25)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=445s). - The two-part system consists of using Obsidian to take notes and learn concepts, and Anki to remember them, and it is recommended to try out the system and see what works and what doesn't [(00:07:47)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&t=467s). ## Sources - [website](https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ax96QUE3NhM&si=cCSt8cItF6QjjScQ)