Supercharge your research with intentional (and connected) note-taking

Have you ever had a sudden burst of inspiration that led you to a new solution to a problem? Or have you ever marveled at seemingly impossible modern inventions like the internet? If so, you may wonder how individuals are able to come up with such incredible innovations and how they develop them over time. In Where Good Ideas Come From, best-selling author and theorist Steven Johnson explains how good ideas grow from minor inklings to groundbreaking inventions, and how you can use this knowledge to come up with the best ideas possible.

In our guide, we’ll explore how good ideas grow from previous knowledge and networks. We’ll also look at how hunches lead to full-fledged ideas, often as a result of sudden insights, and how mistakes and the repurposing of other ideas can lead to new ones. Finally, we’ll compare Johnson’s ideas with ideas from other authors, contextualize them in other fields, and add tips for putting Johnson’s recommendations into practice.

Whether you're studying for exams, seeking to retain more general knowledge, or aiming to boost workplace productivity, a sharper memory is key to your success.

In this Master Guide, we’ll explore how to supercharge your memory. Our guide compiles memory-retention methods from a diverse group of experts, ranging from seasoned educators and cognitive scientists to a magician and a former winner of the US Memory Championships. These methods cover how to:

• Leverage your brain’s natural affinity for association by linking new information to familiar concepts or experiences.
• Apply active learning strategies to deepen comprehension and fortify memory retention and recall.

You'll come away with proven techniques and a newfound confidence in your ability to capture, retain, and recall information effectively.

In today’s modern age, we get overwhelmed and frustrated because we have access to more information than our brains can possibly store. Consequently, we feel like we’re failing to reach our full potential—we forget important information, waste time trying to recall old knowledge, or record important notes but lose track of their location. In Building a Second Brain, Tiago Forte presents a solution to these problems—a straightforward method of recording, organizing, and utilizing valuable information so you can easily recall it and accomplish goals to the best of your ability.

Forte recommends storing valuable information in a digital storage center that he calls a “Second Brain.” This guide will discuss the benefits of using a Second Brain, how to build one, and how to use one to maximize your productive and creative potential. Throughout the guide, we’ll discuss alternative note-taking methods, organizational systems, and techniques that can improve your productivity, citing books like The Effective Executive by Peter Drucker and Getting Things Done by David Allen.