Connect the Dots with Matt Ragland

In 2020 I learned about the Smart Note system of Sonke Ahrens, inspired by the Zettelkasten system of Niklas Luhmann. Here's how it changed the way I consume and create content!

Show Notes

One of the most impactful books I read in 2020 was "How to Take Smart Notes". This type of permanent or durable note taking was a total game-changer for my reading and creative output. I set a public goal of 90 smart notes in 90 days as 2020 came to a close... and created 100 smart notes!

In this episode I explain how to take smart notes, organization strategies, how I use smart note taking to supercharge my content creation, and why I use notecards as the first note (instead of Roam or Notion). This type of note-taking is based on the Zettelkasten system of Niklas Luhmann. See the complete Note-Taking playlist on YouTube for more visual examples!

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What is Connect the Dots with Matt Ragland?

Connect the Dots is a show about how different topics converge to form a new idea. We start from the perspective of productivity or creativity and how they intersect.

But one of the things that has proven most fascinating to me over the years is how many other topics and disciplines impact creative and productive work. Like how much is productivity impacted by the improvement of physical health? How does creativity increase when you learn from new sources of inspiration? It's these questions that form the heart of Connect the Dots.