212 lines
5.2 KiB
Markdown
212 lines
5.2 KiB
Markdown
# YouTube Research Insights
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> Compiled from video transcripts on PARA, Second Brain, and Obsidian workflows
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## Table of Contents
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- [John Mavrick: PARA Beginner to Pro](#john-mavrick-para-beginner-to-pro)
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- [John Mavrick: Second Brain in Obsidian](#john-mavrick-second-brain-in-obsidian)
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- [Paul: YAML Properties Mastery in Obsidian](#paul-yaml-properties-mastery-in-obsidian)
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- [Benjamin Ashton: PARA Game-Changer](#benjamin-ashton-para-game-changer)
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- [File Organizer 2000: AI Automation](#file-organizer-2000-ai-automation)
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- [Common Themes Across All Videos](#common-themes-across-all-videos)
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- [Practical Takeaways](#practical-takeaways)
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---
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## John Mavrick: PARA Beginner to Pro
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### Key Insights
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**The Paradox of Organization**
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- People think more folders = more organization
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- Reality: Complexity slows you down
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- PARA's power is in its simplicity
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**Project Definition Clarity**
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- A project MUST have:
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1. A clear outcome
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2. A deadline (even self-imposed)
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- "Get healthy" = Area
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- "Lose 10 lbs by March" = Project
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**The 3-Project Rule**
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- Most people can only actively manage 3-5 projects
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- If you have 15 "active" projects, most are actually on hold
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- Be honest about what's really active
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**Resource Organization**
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- Don't pre-create resource folders
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- Let categories emerge from what you actually save
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- "Topic appears 3+ times? Then make a folder"
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---
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## John Mavrick: Second Brain in Obsidian
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### Key Insights
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**Linking Over Filing**
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- Obsidian's power is in connections
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- Every note should link to something
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- Let backlinks reveal relationships
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**The MOC Approach**
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- Maps of Content for major topics
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- MOC = Index page for a subject
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- Link MOCs to each other for navigation
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**Daily Notes as Inbox**
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- Use daily notes for quick capture
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- Process daily notes weekly
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- Move permanent content to proper PARA location
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**Template Automation**
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- Create templates for each note type
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- Reduces friction in capture
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- Ensures consistent frontmatter
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---
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## Paul: YAML Properties Mastery in Obsidian
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### Key Insights
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**Essential Properties**
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```yaml
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---
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title: Note Title
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created: 2025-01-15
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type: project|area|resource|capture
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status: active|completed|archived
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tags: []
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---
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```
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**Property Naming Conventions**
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- Use snake_case for multi-word properties
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- Keep names short but descriptive
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- Be consistent across all notes
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**Dataview Integration**
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- Properties enable powerful queries
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- Plan your properties with queries in mind
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- Example: `status: active` enables "show all active projects"
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**Property Types**
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- Text: `title: "My Note"`
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- Date: `created: 2025-01-15`
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- List: `tags: [one, two, three]`
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- Link: `area: "[[Work]]"`
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**Inline Fields**
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- Use `key:: value` for inline properties
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- Useful for dynamic content
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- Example: `due:: 2025-02-01` in body text
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---
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## Benjamin Ashton: PARA Game-Changer
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### Key Insights
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**The Actionability Spectrum**
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```
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Most Actionable → Least Actionable
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Projects → Areas → Resources → Archives
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```
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**Weekly Review is Non-Negotiable**
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- Without review, any system fails
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- 30-60 minutes per week
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- Review all active projects
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- Process inbox to zero
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**Archive Without Guilt**
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- Archiving isn't deleting
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- Completed projects are WINS
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- Archive liberally, retrieve easily
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**The "Hot" Project Folder**
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- Keep most active project materials close
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- Don't bury current work in deep folders
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- Quick access = less friction
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---
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## File Organizer 2000: AI Automation
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### Key Insights
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**AI-Assisted Classification**
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- AI can suggest PARA category
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- Human makes final decision
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- Reduces decision fatigue
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**Automatic Tagging**
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- AI can extract topics from content
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- Consistent tagging across notes
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- Enables better search
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**Smart Capture**
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- AI formats raw captures
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- Extracts key points automatically
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- Maintains original source
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**Limitations**
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- AI suggestions need review
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- Don't automate everything
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- Human judgment for important decisions
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---
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## Common Themes Across All Videos
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### 1. Simplicity Wins
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Every creator emphasized keeping the system simple. More folders ≠ better organization.
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### 2. Projects Have Deadlines
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The clearest differentiator between Projects and Areas is the presence of a deadline.
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### 3. Weekly Review is Essential
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Without regular review, any productivity system degrades.
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### 4. Capture First, Organize Later
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Don't let organization prevent capture. Get it down, process later.
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### 5. Let Structure Emerge
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Don't pre-create elaborate folder structures. Let your actual content dictate organization.
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### 6. Link Everything
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In tools like Obsidian, connections between notes are more valuable than folder location.
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### 7. Archive Liberally
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Completed work and outdated content should move to archive. It's still accessible but out of the way.
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---
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## Practical Takeaways
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### For Daily Use
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- Capture to inbox immediately
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- Don't organize during capture
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- Process inbox every 1-2 days
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### For Weekly Review
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- Review all active projects
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- Check areas for neglected responsibilities
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- Move completed items to archive
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### For Note Creation
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- Use templates consistently
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- Include essential frontmatter
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- Link to related notes
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### For Search & Retrieval
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- Use consistent tagging
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- Leverage Dataview queries
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- Trust the search function
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---
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*Insights compiled from YouTube research on PARA and Second Brain methodologies.*
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