Prefer to read (or listen) to this newsletter in your browser? Click here. š” 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, weāll 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 KnowledgeNot all knowledge is created equal. In my experience, there are three distinct levels of knowledge:
The higher you go, the more value you get. In this newsletter, weāll 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: InformationThe 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 youāre 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 ācold storageā ā things that you can search for and find, but donāt 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, itās essentially useless. For example, letās say youāve read a book on productivity and taken detailed notes. Those notes are potentially valuable, but canāt 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 youāve never even opened. Level 2: RevelationThe 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. Itās 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, thereās a catch: Revelation doesnāt automatically translate to action. And if you donāt do anything with the information you collect in your PKM system, you arenāt getting the full value out of your notes & ideas. For example, you might understand the principles of time management, but if youāre not applying them, your knowledge remains theoretical. Level 3: ApplicationThe 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. Itās the difference between reading about productivity and actually being productive (which I would define as āfollowing through on your intentionsā). For instance, letās say youāve read James Clearās Atomic Habits. At the information level, youāve 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, youāre implementing those conceptsācreating 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 MattersThe 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. Itās 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:
Donāt get stuck over-consuming. More information doesnāt move the needle. Refine what you already have and do something with it. š Something Cool: Word Frequency PluginI love writing in Obsidian, and Iām 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 donāt show up. If you could use a little help improving your writing style, give this plugin a shot. š Book Notes: Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before? by Dr. Julie SmithNavigating 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. Itās a pretty fascinating book, with lots of tactical tips and techniques to help you regain your mental footing. Itās 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. ā 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 š If you do give it a listen, let me know how you like it! |
A weekly newsletter where I help people apply values-based productivity principles and systems for personal growth, primarily using Obsidian. Subscribe if you want to make more of your notes and ideas.
In this edition of Practical PKM: š” The Big Idea: The critical role of desire paths in PKM š Something Cool: Inline callouts in Obsidian š My book notes from Put Your Dream to the Test by John Maxwell If you prefer to read (or listen to) this newsletter in your browser, click here. š” The Big Idea: Ditch the prescribed organizational structure & follow the desire paths. A desire path is "an unplanned route or path (such as one worn into a grassy surface by repeated foot traffic) that is used...
In this edition of Practical PKM: š” The Big Idea: How to use AI & PKM together effectively š Something Cool: I built a PKM AI agent š My book notes from Wild Courage by Jenny Wood If you prefer to read/listen to this newsletter in your browser, click here. š” The Big Idea: Small Language Models are the Key to Using AI in Your PKM System. AI is all the rage lately, and with good reason: itās the most disruptive technology most of us have ever seen. Itās rapidly changing the way we work, and...
In this edition of Practical PKM: š” The Big Idea: How I manage my writing projects in Obsidian š Something Cool: A plugin that makes it easy to publish to Ghost from Obsidian š My book notes from The 5 Types of Wealth by Sahil Bloom If you prefer to read this newsletter in your browser, click here. š” The Big Idea: My Content Creation Workflow in Obsidian In my opinion, Obsidian is vastly underrated as a writing app. But getting words on the page is only part of the process. And it turns out,...