Optimizing Personal Knowledge Management Tools

Perhaps the most important lesson I learned over and over again running a business is that it’s never about the tool – it’s about the solution to a particular problem. 

So while I recruited Mike Schmitz to talk about Obsidian, what we actually talked about was much, much deeper. Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) is much more about defining your approach, and intentionality and making time for the important things in your life. All of this creates balance, and space, for you to do your best work.

Mike also shares his 5 C's of his "creativity flywheel" for capturing ideas and creating valuable output, which is fantastic. 

If you're feeling overwhelmed by information and struggling to turn your ideas into reality, this episode will give you a framework to tame the chaos. Tune in for practical tips and inspiration to upgrade your PKM and productivity!

Top Takeaways

• Obsidian is powerful but requires intentional use to get value from it. Simply dumping notes in is not enough - you need a system.
• Having a philosophy, vision, and values guides what projects and information to focus on. Start with the end in mind.
• Use apps intentionally by "hiring" them for specific jobs. Don't try to do everything in one app. Pick the best tool for each job.

Show Notes

• Mike Schmitz
• Wiki-style Offline note-taking App
• Intentional Life Chart
• PKM Stack
• 5 Cs of Creativity
• Steal Like an Artist
• What I Learned From BJ Novak
• Obsidian
• Mind Node
• Focused Podcast
• Bookworm Podcast
• Ugmonk
• Practical PKM

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