I used to feel behind.
My note vault was full, but untouched.
Highlights. Half-finished thoughts.
Just sitting there.
I kept thinking:
“If these ideas mattered, I would've used them by now.”
But then something started happening.
While writing, I’d remember a line I saved months ago.
While building a product, a quote I once skipped over suddenly clicked.
That’s when I stopped treating my notes like produce…
And started treating them like compost.
Problem: Most Notes Are Too Fresh
I used to think every note had to be useful right away.
But most ideas need time.
Fresh ideas are raw.
They’re not ready to teach, lead or guide.
They need to sit, mix, break down, and grow stronger.
Instead, I kept capturing new ones.
And ignored the ones I already had.
Solution: Let Notes Sit. Then Revisit Them.
Once I changed how I saw my vault, my creative work changed too.
Here’s what helped:
Stop forcing usefulness.
Some notes need time before they make sense.Review old notes weekly.
I bring back a few each week—just to see what’s changed.
Sometimes I sort by last modified in Notion.
Other times I just pick 3 notes at random from my “Ideas” folder.
I don’t overthink it. The goal is to bump into something forgotten.Make unexpected connections.
Notes from a year ago often finish thoughts I’m working on today.
Letting things mature beats just storing more.
📘 From My Vault
One of my oldest notes reads:
“Writing is not the result of thinking. Writing is thinking.”
— How to Take Smart Notes
When I first saved it, it felt too abstract.
But later, while building my writing system, that line hit me hard.
I realized I was overthinking instead of writing.
Now that note is one of my anchors.
It helped me build my “write before you’re ready” rule.
Final Thought
Your best insights aren’t the newest.
They’re the ones you let sit.
Capture freely. But don’t rush.
The magic happens after the note is written.
Trust your compost.
How do you bring old notes back to life?
Reply and tell me—I read every one.
🧠 Creator Study: How Haruki Murakami Worked
This week’s Deep Dive featured Haruki Murakami, who went from jazz bar owner to world-class novelist—powered by an analog system built on rhythm.
One thing stood out:
→ He created a daily routine so stable, it became creative fuel.
Wake at 4am.
Write for 5–6 hours.
Run. Swim. Read. Repeat.
No apps. No second brain. Just structure, stamina, and reflection.
He didn’t push with discipline. He cleared the path so writing felt inevitable.
👉 Full Deep Dive on Threads: Read the Murakami deep dive
👀 Coming Friday: Eliud Kipchoge’s note-taking, mindset, and high-performance routine
What I’m Building
I’ve been quietly building a new Notion template called Thinking Brain.
Designed for daily use—real conditions, not ideal ones.
A system that helps you:
Think clearly when overwhelmed
Turn scattered notes into creative fuel
Link Zettelkasten and PARA into a flow you’ll actually use
Still polishing the structure, but it’s nearly ready.
If you’re curious, reply to this email and I’ll add you to the early access crew.
You’ll get first access before launch - at a discounted early supporter price.
🔜 Next Week: Beyond Quotes
We’ll dive into a big question I’ve wrestled with for years:
How do you actually use what you read—beyond just collecting quotes?
If your reading pile is growing but your writing isn’t,
next week’s issue will help you close that gap.
