Conversations #3 - Tiago Forte

Oct 11, 2019

Tiago Forte is a coach, entrepreneur, and writer known for creating BuildingASecondBrain.com and founding Forte Labs. In this engaging discussion, Tiago shares his journey of personal growth and the importance of embracing uncertainty. He introduces the concept of a 'second brain' for structured creativity and productivity, advocating for principles over quick-fix strategies. The conversation also explores how pressure can drive motivation, the psychological impacts of trauma on work, and the transformative power of curiosity and environment on creativity.

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ANECDOTE

Childhood Dream

Tiago Forte's childhood dream was to be an inventor, dressing up as one for multiple Halloweens.
He was drawn to the adventure of discovering knowledge and uncovering deeper layers of reality.

INSIGHT

Multicultural Influences

Growing up in a multicultural household with diverse influences shaped Tiago's worldview.
This upbringing fostered an appreciation for different perspectives and the ability to see events through various cultural lenses.

ANECDOTE

Early Reading Habits

Tiago's father incentivized reading by paying him one cent per page, but only for "real" books.
Historical fiction and science fiction became his favorite genres, particularly the works of James Michener.

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Hello Eclectic Spacewalkers,

Last month, I sat down with coach, entrepreneur, and writer Tiago Forte. He is the creator of BuildingASecondBrain.com, which is: “on a mission to radically improve the effectiveness of human beings while making work a vehicle for personal growth.”

Tiago is also the Founder of Forte Labs & Writer of the Praxis newsletter. His goal is to help people not just survive, but thrive, while working in modern times. “Together, we’ll expand the definition of modern knowledge work, experiment with new ways of doing more with less, and explore what it means to fulfill our human potential.”

Along with talking about his personal journey, our conversation mainly revolved around his central thesis approach of “principles, not prescriptions.” Instead of doling out a stale list of productivity “tips and tricks” that ignore each person’s unique situation, Tiago teaches principles that anyone can adapt for themselves.

This approach comes from Tiago’s extensive study of diverse fields – including design thinking, behavioral science, user experience design, information science, and active learning – to identify both the latest research and the timeless principles that underpin human performance.

We spoke to his personal goal of synthesizing everything he learns into practical methods that allows people to harness the power of technology. “Technology is central to every company in every industry, we need new ways of managing our attention and focusing it where it matters most, instead of reacting to every interruption. Instead of being a constant source of distraction, I believe we can transform technology into a dependable source of learning, growth, and self-fulfillment.”

Enjoy the conversation & until next time - Ad Astra!

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Timestamps

• How growing up in a diverse cultural household shaped his worldview. (03:48) 

• Reading and books were always a huge influence on Tiago (05:23) 

• Especially the works of James Michener (06:59) 

• Studying abroad in Brazil, working in microfinance in Colombia, and serving in the Peace Corps in Ukraine (09:56) 

• Leaving the Peace Corps and coming back to the US (17:19) 

BEGINNING OF PART TWO (25:15)

• The principle of doing more with less (Ephemeralization) and the beginning of Forte Labs (25:02) 

• “Think of your brain as a pipeline of ideas.” (28:46) 

• “My recommendation is to focus on the system for generating insights rather than any one particular insight. This comes back to the principles not prescriptions.” (33:44) 

• Creative principles to try and help minimize the incessant grabbing of your attention (39:17) 

• 10 principles of building a second brain (42:03) 

BEGINNING OF PART THREE (53:16)

• Writing influences & history (53:57) 

• A Manifesto on Human Centered Work (57:17) 

• Personal growth is a privilege (01:00:52) 

• Personal growth is REAL work that isn’t just going to happen (01:07:55) 

• Imagination is crucially important for the future of work (01:11:54) 

• The experience of moving from San Fransisco to Mexico City (01:16:49) 

• What would you say to the entire world if everyone on Earth was looking back at you? (01:19:41) 

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More on Tiago Forte:

Website

Twitter

Purchase Tiago’s books