Lecture on Zettelkasten System and Workflow

Introduction

• Overview of setting up a Zettelkasten system in Obsidian.
• Understanding history, benefits, and philosophy behind Zettelkasten.
• Personal workflow overview: capture, organize, distill, express information.

History of Zettelkasten

• Popularized by Sönke Ahrens in "How to Take Smart Notes".
• Originated from Nicholas Luhmann's analog note-taking method:
  • Used physical slip cards (zettels) organized with unique IDs.
  • Connected notes through physical chaining or cross-references.
  • Created a network of related concepts across disciplines.

Benefits of Zettelkasten

• Top-Down and Bottom-Up Research: Flexibility in approaching research questions.
• Fights Confirmation Bias: Encourages organic connections rather than pre-defined questions.
• Fights Perfectionism: Focuses on creating notes as the fundamental research unit.
• Unique Knowledge Base: Personalizes note-taking, avoiding a "cookie-cutter" approach.

Modern Tools and Methods

• Digital tools (Obsidian, Roam Research, etc.) enhance linking and organizing of notes.
• Inspired by historical methods like commonplace books and florilegia.

Zettelkasten Workflow in Obsidian

1. Capture:
   • Use various mediums like fleeting thoughts, tasks, highlights from books, podcasts.
   • Tools: Obsidian, Todoist, Otter.ai, Notion, Google Calendar, etc.
2. Organize:
   • Use Access Folder Structure (calendar, lifestyle design, sources, etc.).
   • Nick Milo's framework for organizing notes efficiently.
3. Distill:
   • Process fleeting notes and literature notes into atomic notes (zettels).
   • Evolve into evergreen notes, permanent notes, and maps of content.
4. Express:
   • Notes form foundations for YouTube content, newsletters, and podcasts.

Types of Notes

• Fleeting Notes: Passing thoughts, short, written in daily notes.
• Literature Notes: Detailed notes from various sources.
• Atomic Notes/Zettels: Core of Zettelkasten, written in own words, decontextualized.
• Permanent/Evergreen Notes: Fleshed out and heavily connected notes.
• Maps of Content: Summaries and navigational guides for related notes.

Tagging and Linking Strategies

• Tags indicate the state of notes (e.g., seedling, fern, evergreen).
• Linking strategies enhance finding related notes through associative thinking.

Conclusion

• The Zettelkasten system fosters a deep interconnected understanding of ideas.
• Encourages continuous learning and growth, adapting through digital tools.
• Personal transformation through consistent application over time.

Recommended Resources

• Nick Milo’s video on Access Obsidian Framework.
• Various plugins for Obsidian: Excalidraw, Readwise, and more for efficient note management.