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💡 The Key to Getting More Out of Your Notes: Take Action!

In the world of personal knowledge management (PKM), understanding the three different levels of knowledge can help you get more out of your notes and ideas.

In this newsletter, we’ll explore all three levels and show you how to get more out of your notes & ideas by going from information to application.

The 3 Levels of Knowledge

Not all knowledge is created equal.

In my experience, there are three distinct levels of knowledge:

• Level 1: Information
• Level 2: Revelation
• Level 3: Application

The higher you go, the more value you get. In this newsletter, we’ll look at some specific ways you can refine & enrich the knowledge you are managing in your PKM system. But first, let's examine each of the three levels in more detail.

Level 1: Information

The first level of knowledge is Information. This is the most basic level of knowledge, where you have something. A lot of our digital information falls into this category. With information, you have the ability to go find what you’re looking for when you need it, but you have to first think about it before you can locate it Think of this as the stuff you have in “cold storage” — things that you can search for and find, but don’t do any good until you go dig it up. The problem? Information is often dormant. It sits in your digital archive, waiting for the moment that you need it. Until then, it’s essentially useless.

For example, let’s say you’ve read a book on productivity and taken detailed notes. Those notes are potentially valuable, but can’t possibly help you until you remember they exist and know where to find them. Without active engagement, the information remains static, like a book on a shelf you’ve never even opened.

Level 2: Revelation

The second level of knowledge is Revelation. This is where you know something - not just where to find it, but the actual content itself. At this level, you are able to recall the information without having to search for it. This is where knowledge starts to take shape, as you can recall key concepts, quotes, or processes without having to dig through your notes. It’s the difference between having a recipe book and knowing how to make your favorite dish by heart.

Revelation is powerful because it allows you to engage with knowledge in real-time. You can discuss ideas intelligently, reference key points in conversations, and even teach others. But, there’s a catch: Revelation doesn’t automatically translate to action. And if you don’t do anything with the information you collect in your PKM system, you aren’t getting the full value out of your notes & ideas. For example, you might understand the principles of time management, but if you’re not applying them, your knowledge remains theoretical.

Level 3: Application

The third level of knowledge is Application. This is where you do something with what you know. This is where information and revelation come together to create real-world impact. Application is about taking what you know and putting it into practice. It’s the difference between reading about productivity and actually being productive (which I would define as “following through on your intentions”).

For instance, let’s say you’ve read James Clear’s Atomic Habits. At the information level, you’ve taken notes and can go find them and review them. At the revelation level, you understand the concepts and can talk about them with others. But at the application level, you’re implementing those concepts—creating the systems, tracking your progress, and seeing tangible results from actually forming positive habits.

This is where the magic happens. Application transforms knowledge into action, and action is necessary for growth.

Why This Matters

The key is to refine your notes & ideas to get more out of what you already have. A lack of productivity or creativity is often not due to a lack of Information. It’s due to a lack of Revelation, and, ultimately, Application.

The goal of understanding the three levels of knowledge is to go from information to application.

At each level, there is a specific mindset that can help you go to the next level:

1. Level 1: Organize for Accessibility. Make sure your information is easy to find. Use tags, folders, and links to group notes together so that information is easy to find when you need it.
2. Level 2: Focus on Retention. Move beyond passive note-taking. Capture only the things that really resonate, and consider using mind mapping to codify information in your brain so it’s easier to recall.
3. Level 3: Prioritize Action. Don’t let your notes just gather dust! Identify actionable insights from your notes and create systems to implement them. Whether it’s a new habit, a workflow improvement, or a creative project, the goal is to move from knowing to doing.

Don’t get stuck over-consuming. More information doesn’t move the needle. Refine what you already have and do something with it.

😎 Something Cool: Word Frequency Plugin

I love writing in Obsidian, and I’m always watching for plugins that help make it an even better writing environment.

One that caught my eye recently is the Word Frequency plugin, which simply gives you a count of how often certain words appear in the active note.

Using this plugin can help you identify words you tend to overuse, helping you vary your writing to make it more interesting. You can configure the threshold and also blacklist certain words so that they don’t show up.

If you could use a little help improving your writing style, give this plugin a shot.

📚 Book Notes: Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before? by Dr. Julie Smith

Navigating life can be difficult. In Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before?, clinical psychologist Dr. Julie Smith gives you the tools to take charge of your emotional and mental state.

It’s a pretty fascinating book, with lots of tactical tips and techniques to help you regain your mental footing. It’s kind of like a toolkit that you can use to tune your brain and improve your mental well-being.

If you want to download my mind map book notes, click here.

— Mike

P.S. I got inspired by Sahil Bloom, and I tried recording an audio version of this newsletter as a podcast. It's embedded on the webpage here if you want to check it out 😉 If you do give it a listen, let me know how you like it!