learn to let go

Zettelkasten and Evergreen notes

Zettelkasten as a system is an over-arching system that can completely solve the problem of effective note taking. This will only work if done completely, and not struggling against the system, by trying to bring arbitrary order to it.

Trusting the system is necessary for flow. Like standing on a skateboard, it won’t work if you (literally) hang back.

Such trust is freeing and will improve productivity. No more time is spend on worrying about my system (less fiddling, more writing!) Trust also means being flexible and not letting our preconceived notions dictate a certain order in our writing and linking. Avoid creating boxes and categories. There are no privileged positions, any position is as good as any other.

See also mind like water from GTD.

The opposite of this is Fear of missing out. I often notice I don’t think about full understanding but just the fear of something out there I should have read.

Literature notes

Transclude of the-fabrication-of-serendipity#^position

Transclude of ahrens_2022#^sndeflect

- HTSN 1.2 The slipbox

If we work in an environment that is flexible enough to accommodate our work rhythm, we don’t need to struggle with resistance.

Transclude of ahrens_2022#^snwater

Work like water (gtd)

• Writing cannot be fully controlled, so trying it is futile and frustrating
• Effortless work is only possible if we don’t stubbornly try to force our work in a certain direction.
• We should be flexible in our approach to our work and material

Fleeting notes

Learn to trust the system and anticipate change will make work a joy

• small and constant adjustments can either be incredibly annoying, or absolutely fantastic
  • bad changes is when we don’t want change
    • when it interferes
      • better to calculate for change
        • actively hope for change
          • plan for change
            • anticipated change is good
• the feeling of keeping control is loosing control → keep options open
  • too strict control might be ok for a while but won’t work well in the long run
    • why then? fear
      • solution: trusting the system.
        • trust erodes fear
          • trust needs experience
            • keep doing it and see good results → trust