A “second brain” refers to a system or methodology of organizing and storing information externally. Simply put, a second brain means creating a digital repository to capture ideas, notes, effectively extending your own mental capacity beyond your biological brain, allowing you to easily access and recall information whenever needed.
Characteristics of Second Brain
- External storage: Unlike your actual brain, a “second brain” is not located inside your head, but rather exists digitally using tools like note-taking apps like Obsidian.
- Organization system: The key is to structure the information in a way that allows for easy retrieval and connection between different ideas. In Obsidian, Bi-directional links is used to connect between ideas.
- Capturing knowledge: This system aims to capture all valuable information you encounter, including thoughts, ideas, research findings, and important details from your daily life.
- Productivity boost: By offloading information to a “second brain,” you can free up mental space to focus on creative thinking and problem-solving.
The concept of a “second brain” is most commonly associated with Tiago Forte, a productivity expert who developed a methodology for building and utilizing such a system called PARA Method.