7 published lessons with this tag.
Capture and organization are separate cognitive operations. Merging them creates friction that kills both: you lose the thought while searching for where to put it.
A rough note you actually make is infinitely more valuable than a polished note you do not.
A note that captures exactly one idea can be understood without its original context, linked to any argument, and recombined indefinitely — a note that captures two ideas can do none of these things reliably.
Record why an idea matters and what triggered it not just the idea itself.
Choose capture tools based on what you will actually use, not what seems most sophisticated.
Reviewing your captured notes over time reveals patterns you did not see in the moment.
Your externalized thoughts are the raw material for a knowledge graph.