As I wrote about recently in “A Work in Progress,” I have been creating my own implementation of a “second brain.”
A year or so ago, I had a pretty robust system set up that included one component I didn’t mention in that blog post: Evernote. After years of price increases and questionable software “improvements,” I became disillusioned with the tool, the direction it was going in, and so I exported all of my content and cancelled my account.
So that experience led me to develop my next iteration of a second brain.
What Is a “Second Brain?”
The “second brain” is a digital extension of your memory — an external system where you capture, organize, and revisit the things that matter most. Instead of relying on your overworked biological brain to remember everything, you let your second brain handle it.
As productivity expert Tiago Forte explains in his Building a Second Brain methodology, the goal is to free your first brain to create and think while your second brain manages storage and retrieval.
On a recent episode of the Undo.fm podcast, Forte puts it simply: “Your brain is great at having ideas, not so great at keeping them.” Instead of juggling sticky notes in your head, you build a system that remembers for you.
Why Build a Second Brain?
There are several reasons you might consider making your own second brain.
1. To Beat Information Overload
We live in a constant flood of content — books, podcasts, meetings, tweets, and tutorials. A second brain acts as a digital filing cabinet where you can offload what you learn, so your real brain isn’t drowning in details. Forte calls it “a centralized, digital repository for your ideas and resources.”
2. To Spark Creativity
When your knowledge is scattered, it’s hard to make new connections. A second brain helps you link ideas from different areas, revealing patterns you might not have seen otherwise. It becomes your creative companion—a searchable map of everything you’ve thought, read, and learned.
3. To Relieve Mental Clutter
Once you trust that your ideas are safely stored, your brain relaxes. You stop worrying about forgetting things and start focusing on thinking clearly and deeply. It’s like decluttering your mental desktop.
So How Does It Work?
As you’ve probably figured out from my earlier post, there’s no single app or tool for building a second brain—it’s more about the workflow. Forte suggests two key frameworks:
- CODE: Capture, Organize, Distill, Express—a loop that turns raw notes into useful output.
- PARA: Projects, Areas, Resources, Archives—a simple way to keep your digital world structured.
Whether you use Notion, Obsidian, or a set of files and folders, the key is consistency. The goal is not to build a perfect system; it’s to create one you’ll actually use.
Should You Capture Everything?
In the essay “If Memory Is Precious to You Then Go Ahead and Record Everything on Aeon, writer Yannic Kappes argues that our memories define who we are—yet they’re fragile. He suggests that modern tools like photos, voice logs, and digital journals can build upon our memories rather than replace them.
Some may worry about privacy or overload. But Kappes sees lifelogging as a way to better understand ourselves through a kind of “memory prosthetic” that preserves the richness of daily experience. The idea pairs beautifully with the second-brain philosophy: capture your ideas, review them, and learn from your own digital trail.
What to Watch Out For
- Over-complicating things: Spending more time tweaking tools than using them.
- Digital hoarding: Capturing everything but reviewing nothing.
- Privacy risks: Storing personal data without safeguards.
The trick is balance—your second brain should serve you, not overwhelm you.
Where to Start
With so many possibilities, how do you find a place to start? Try these tips.
- Start small: Choose one area—maybe work ideas or reading notes—and build from there.
- Pick simple tools: Even a notes app works if you use it consistently.
- Review weekly: Examine what you’ve captured and decide what’s worth keeping.
- Iterate: Adjust as you go; your system will evolve with your habits.
PHOTO CREDIT: Patrick J. Lynch, medical illustrator, CC BY 2.5 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5>, via Wikimedia Commons)
