How to build a second brain

Our minds are miraculous. Even though they only hold a finite amount of information, we can still remember things that happened decades ago and recall them in vivid detail. We can pack away information into our short-term memory so readily that it's almost like an endless filing cabinet. Our brains are truly remarkable machines, but there's one problem: they're not infinite. Your brain can only hold so much information, and sooner or later you're going to run out of space for new ideas and experiences. Luckily, there's a way around this—and it involves building your very own second brain!

Your second brain represents everything you know and will help you learn even more!

Your second brain is the place where you store all your knowledge. It's a place where you can find anything and everything, from recipes to sales pitches to directions and the names of stars. It represents everything that has ever come into your head or across your eyes—it's the sum total of all the information, ideas and opinions floating around in there right now. Your second brain is what will allow you to learn new things at an astounding rate as time passes; it works like a sponge, constantly absorbing new information and storing it for future use.

What are the qualities of a second brain & what should you put in it?

The key qualities of a second brain are that it:

• is a repository of knowledge. This can be information you have or you want to know. It doesn't have to be organised in any way other than how you want to organise it. It can be made up of your own writings, pictures and videos as well as articles, music and general knowledge you come across throughout your life.
• is stored in a digital format; this means that the information will never go away. You don't need to worry about losing it or insects eating through your books; everything will be safe from water damage; and no one can walk off with it without asking for permission first!
• is accessible at all times. Provided that you're connected to the internet, you should always be able to bring up your second brain from anywhere on earth.

The best way to start building your second brain is by putting all of the information you have learned into it. The more you add, the more it will grow; as your knowledge and skills expand, so will the size of your second brain.

You can also add links and other types of content that contain information on topics that interest you and want to learn more about later. Saving these resources will provide quick access when you need it; think of it like an ever expanding 'reading list' with all types of content or your own personal "google search".

Choose the right tools

The next step is to choose the right tools. There are many possibilities here, but the key defining features are that it must be easy to use and easily accessible. Some popular tools people use for building their second brains are:

• Evernote
• Notion
• Microsoft OneNote

All these tools are cloud-based and come with mobile apps + browser extensions, which make it really easy to quickly write, update and save content in pretty much any format. I personally love Notion , because it allows me to not only categorise content, but reshape how I view and utilise that content.

It's important that the tools you use fit into your routine and are easy enough to use without taking up too much time in themselves. If a tool takes more than a few minutes a day or requires too much extra work before using it (for instance by having an annoying set-up process), then it won't be worth using at all!

Start importing a few ideas each day

The final step is to start importing a few ideas a day into your second brain. At first it's like watching the clouds, really—you can only take so much of it before your brain melts into a puddle. But slowly, over time, the clouds will begin to form more recognisable shapes and patterns in your mind's eye (or however you think).

When we build an idea repository for ourselves, we become more aware of what we already know. We start recognising our own experiences as valuable sources of inspiration for new ideas and applications. And we begin seeing connections between things that were previously unrelated.

Create a second brain and you will have boundless knowledge

Your second brain will be your backup brain, so you won’t have to worry about losing your knowledge or forgetting anything important. We all know how it feels when we lose our phone or forget something really important on the train home from work—but if you have a backup of all your knowledge in another place, then those feelings can be avoided.

You can put important information in this secondary location that's accessible from anywhere—in case you're stuck on a desert island and need to remember how to start a fire! Or if someone asks what their star sign means.

I hope I've convinced you to begin building your own second brain. It’s not as hard as it might seem, and the benefits are enormous. A second brain is a great way to keep your mind engaged, develop new ideas and explore new ways of thinking. You can use it as a library for inspiration or an aid in creative problem-solving—the possibilities are endless!