Forever a consumer of potentially useful self-help books, I was drawn to ”Building a Second Brain: A Proven Method to Organise Your Digital Life and Unlock Your Creative Potential out of a fascination with how to source and use data. I also opened the book with skepticism, for this is not a topic known for new ideas. Yet Tiago Forte, an analyst, has developed and honed a “system” with tangible chops. In essence (and here I simplify to the point of possible distortion), the author recommends coping with the modern world’s overloaded data flows by taking digital notes on everything, curating and distilling them as you go, and then harnessing digital apps and folders (and a sensible methodology) to transform raw data (both external and internal, i.e. instincts and impressions) into highly effective creative work. I use a similar process (including some of his shortlisted apps) but with markedly lower efficiency and regularity, so during my reading, i could not help but be filled with respect for the “system.” I commend Building a Second Brain to all those keen to master life for creative purposes.
Book, album, and movie reviews
I too love a self-help book, read them in hope, decide I already know most of the tips and realise my problem is a complete inability to stick with the plan.
Having said that, I recently found a 1954 golf instruction book containing one simple tip that has significantly improved my game. This is one of the few occasions a self-instruction book has made an immediate change which will be permanent.
What does this say about me and personal improvement treatises? Perhaps that I live in hope, but am not prepared to put the hard work into practice to create real change.