Title reference items with the words your future self…
For any reference item you store, write the title using the words your future self will search for when they need it, not the words that categorize what it is.
When This Fires
- When saving any reference item (document, note, bookmark, file) for future retrieval
- When you can't find something you know you saved because you can't remember what you named it
- When building or organizing a reference system (PKM, file system, notes app)
- Complements Separate reference material (static lookup) from working… (separate reference from working notes) with the naming strategy for the reference side
Common Failure Mode
Category-based naming: "Finance — Tax — 2025 Documents." This is an organizational hierarchy, not a retrieval aid. When you need your 2025 tax documents, you'll search for "W-2" or "1099" or "deduction receipts," not "Finance Tax 2025." The hierarchy makes the file system look organized but doesn't help you find what you need.
The Protocol
(1) When naming a reference item, simulate retrieval: "Six months from now, when I need this, what will I type into the search bar?" (2) Use those search words as the title. Include the specific nouns, numbers, and keywords you'd search for. (3) Front-load the most searchable words: "Marketing budget $50K approved — Q3 planning meeting" not "Q3 planning meeting notes including marketing budget." (4) Include disambiguation where needed: dates, project names, specific numbers, and key decision points that make this item findable among similar items. (5) Test: could you find this item by searching for two natural words? If the title doesn't contain any plausible search terms, rewrite it.