Stop Consuming Mindlessly: How to Truly Absorb What You Learn

?? Hey friends,

Welcome back to The Friendzone! Today, I want to talk about something that's been on my mind lately - the art of learning and knowledge management. You know that feeling when you read something fascinating, but a week later, you can barely remember what it was about? Yeah, we've all been there.

I've been thinking about how we interact with information in our daily lives. We're constantly bombarded with content - articles, podcasts, videos, social media posts - but how much of it actually sticks? More importantly, how much of it transforms into genuine understanding and practical wisdom?

This led me to explore Tiago Forte 's CODE framework: Capture, Organize, Distill, and Express. Let me break it down:

Capture: This is about catching those valuable insights when they appear. Whether it's a quick note on your phone, a highlight in your Kindle, a voice memo or even a valuable insight from a YouTube video - the key is to trap those thoughts before they slip away.

Organize: Raw information is like unsorted Lego pieces - potentially valuable but chaotic. We need to categorize and connect our notes in a way that makes sense to our future selves.

Distill: This is where the magic happens. It's about taking complex ideas and breaking them down into their essential elements. Think of it as creating your own ‘Lego blocks’ for understanding.

Express: Finally, the best way to truly understand something is to explain it to others. Whether through writing, teaching, or discussion, expression helps cement our understanding and reveals gaps in our knowledge.

But here's the thing that's been bothering me lately - many of us skip the reflection part. We consume information like we scroll through social media - rapidly, mindlessly, without pause. We don't give our brains the time to process, connect, and truly understand what we're learning.

Not reflecting on what we learn is like eating without digesting. Sure, you're consuming, but are you really getting the nutrients? This passive consumption creates an illusion of learning while actually leading to what I call "knowledge leakage" - where information flows through our minds without leaving any lasting impact.

I've started keeping quick notes throughout the day in Notion, whenever I learn something interesting. Whether it's from a conversation, article, or random thought, I just jot it down right away. Looking back at these scattered insights has been fascinating - they naturally start connecting and forming patterns in my mind. During conversations, I find myself pulling from these notes more naturally, sharing actual insights instead of those vague "I read somewhere that..." moments.

I'm curious about your learning habits. Do you have a system for managing knowledge? How do you ensure that what you learn actually sticks? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!

?? Things That Resonated with Me This Week

?? Book: I'm currently revisiting "Building a Second Brain" by Tiago Forte to rebuild my CODE system to support my current workflows. It's amazing how much new insight you can get from a second read, especially when you have some experience under your belt.

?? Music: This week, I've been listening to Shawn.

? Quote of the Week:

"We are drowning in information while starving for wisdom." — E.O. Wilson

Thank you for being part of this journey of continuous learning and growth. Let's make our knowledge count!

Best,

Harshit