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+# Progressive Summarization Reference
+
+> Source: Tiago Forte - Building a Second Brain
+
+## Table of Contents
+- [What is Progressive Summarization?](#what-is-progressive-summarization)
+- [The Core Insight](#the-core-insight)
+- [The Five Layers](#the-five-layers)
+- [When to Summarize](#when-to-summarize)
+- [The Just-in-Time Principle](#the-just-in-time-principle)
+- [Visual Guide](#visual-guide)
+- [Practical Tips](#practical-tips)
+- [Common Mistakes](#common-mistakes)
+- [Integration with Note Types](#integration-with-note-types)
+
+---
+
+## What is Progressive Summarization?
+
+A technique for distilling notes in layers over time, making them increasingly useful for your future self without requiring upfront effort.
+
+## The Core Insight
+
+**Problem**: We either:
+- Spend too much time organizing notes we never use, OR
+- Save everything raw and can't find anything useful later
+
+**Solution**: Add value to notes incrementally, only when you actually need them.
+
+## The Five Layers
+
+### Layer 0: Raw Source
+The original content in its full form.
+- Complete article
+- Full book chapter
+- Entire video transcript
+
+*You rarely need to save this.*
+
+### Layer 1: Captured Notes
+Your initial excerpts and highlights.
+
+```markdown
+The key to productivity is not doing more things, but doing the
+right things. Most people spend their time on urgent but
+unimportant tasks, while neglecting important but not urgent
+work. The solution is to identify your highest-leverage
+activities and protect time for them.
+```
+
+*This is what goes in your Second Brain.*
+
+### Layer 2: Bold Passages
+**Bold** the most important 10-20%.
+
+```markdown
+The key to productivity is not doing more things, but **doing the
+right things**. Most people spend their time on urgent but
+unimportant tasks, while **neglecting important but not urgent
+work**. The solution is to **identify your highest-leverage
+activities** and protect time for them.
+```
+
+*Do this when you revisit a note and want to find key points faster.*
+
+### Layer 3: Highlighted Core
+==Highlight== the top 10% of bold passages.
+
+```markdown
+The key to productivity is not doing more things, but **doing the
+right things**. Most people spend their time on urgent but
+unimportant tasks, while **neglecting important but not urgent
+work**. The solution is to ==**identify your highest-leverage
+activities**== and protect time for them.
+```
+
+*Do this when the note is proving especially valuable.*
+
+### Layer 4: Executive Summary
+Write a brief summary in your own words at the top.
+
+```markdown
+## Summary
+Focus on high-leverage activities, not urgent busywork.
+Protect time for important-but-not-urgent work.
+
+---
+
+The key to productivity is not doing more things, but **doing the
+right things**. Most people spend their time on urgent but
+unimportant tasks, while **neglecting important but not urgent
+work**. The solution is to ==**identify your highest-leverage
+activities**== and protect time for them.
+```
+
+*Do this for your most valuable notes - the ones you return to repeatedly.*
+
+### Layer 5: Remix
+Transform into your own original content.
+- Blog post
+- Presentation slide
+- Decision document
+- Creative work
+
+*This is the ultimate expression of the note's value.*
+
+## When to Summarize
+
+### Don't
+- Summarize everything upfront
+- Spend hours organizing new captures
+- Over-process notes you may never use
+
+### Do
+- Add a layer when you naturally encounter a note
+- Summarize when you need to use the information
+- Let importance emerge through repeated access
+
+## The Just-in-Time Principle
+
+```
+First encounter:  Save it (Layer 1)
+Second encounter: Bold key points (Layer 2)
+Third encounter:  Highlight the best (Layer 3)
+Fourth encounter: Write summary (Layer 4)
+Active use:       Remix into output (Layer 5)
+```
+
+If you never encounter it again, you saved time by not processing it.
+
+## Visual Guide
+
+```
+Layer 0: ████████████████████████████████████████ (100%)
+Layer 1: ██████████████████████████              (65%)
+Layer 2: ██████████████                          (35%)
+Layer 3: ███████                                 (17%)
+Layer 4: ███                                     (8%)
+Layer 5: █                                       (Original creation)
+```
+
+## Practical Tips
+
+### Formatting Conventions
+- **Bold**: Important points (Cmd/Ctrl + B)
+- ==Highlight==: Key insights (varies by app)
+- Headers: Section breaks
+- Bullet points: Lists of items
+
+### How Much to Bold?
+- Aim for 10-20% of the text
+- If everything seems important, you're probably:
+  - Reading too passively
+  - Not being selective enough
+  - Need to re-read with a specific question
+
+### How Much to Highlight?
+- Aim for 10% of the bold text
+- These should be "golden sentences"
+- The parts you'd quote to someone
+
+### Writing Summaries
+- 2-3 sentences maximum
+- Use your own words
+- Answer: "What is this note about and why does it matter?"
+- Place at the top of the note
+
+## Common Mistakes
+
+### 1. Highlighting Everything
+If 50%+ is highlighted, nothing stands out.
+
+### 2. Summarizing Too Early
+Don't write summaries for notes you've only read once.
+
+### 3. Using Only One Layer
+Layers work together - bold alone isn't enough.
+
+### 4. Perfectionism
+Progressive summarization is meant to be "good enough," not perfect.
+
+### 5. Forgetting the Goal
+The goal is future usefulness, not thoroughness.
+
+## Integration with Note Types
+
+### Resources
+Most benefit from progressive summarization - these are reference notes you'll return to.
+
+### Projects
+Light summarization - these notes are more action-oriented.
+
+### Areas
+Moderate summarization - maintain key standards and practices.
+
+### Captures/Inbox
+No summarization yet - these need to be processed first.
+
+---
+
+## The Underlying Philosophy
+
+> "Your notes are not a museum of your past reading. They are a workshop for your future creations."
+
+Progressive summarization turns passive consumption into active building blocks for creation.
+
+---
+
+*Reference compiled from Tiago Forte's Progressive Summarization methodology.*