2021 will come | Action creates motivation | The right (for you) note-taking app
Every week we curate 3 ultra-focused ideas to reduce life complexity. On Saturday we share them with you via email.
Let’s start!
2021 is still going to happen, I promise
The other day, someone asked me what I was thinking about and I said, “Christmas.” | Jon Acuff
This week has been a bad one in Bali (I've been here since February). Due to Covid-19, Indonesia closed the borders to foreign tourists for the last 5 months.
The latest announcement is that this limitation will probably remain active for all 2020. This is one more concern for those in Bali whose livelihood depends on international tourism.
This year is like a never-ending sequence of bad news. Life sometimes is like that. And when it happens, we will feel lost and helpless.
It's normal: you just don't stop. If you put one foot forward every day, "2021" will come, for sure.
It doesn't make the current situation less challenging. But remember: the future always has plenty of new opportunities in front of you.
Action creates motivation
It was only once I stopped thinking about the problem and started taking action that things got better. | Get Rich Slowly
Knowledge is never enough. The ability to reason is the distinctive element of human beings. But every thought needs action to impact reality.
But how you get the motivation to do something? More staring at the wall won't help.
You don't start with motivation. You'll get it as a consequence. Action motivates more action
And the opposite is also true. The less you do and the less motivated you'll feel.
Train your brain to put nothing between decision and action. Overthinking never gives you valuable feedback. Only action shows you what will really work in your situation.
That will push you in the right direction. And this in turn will keep the motivation wheel turning.
How to choose the right note-taking app
The note-taking apps market gives you almost infinite options. They help you keep track of pretty much anything relevant for your life. And this is very helpful in the decision making process. But the huge number of options opens the door to 2 risks:
The shiny object syndrome. You continue to try the new one, and never benefit from anyone.
Discarding note-taking apps altogether. You try your first one and it doesn't work immediately. Disappointed, you go back to the worst note-taking app: your mind.
Instead, you can start from your use case. Choose an app good enough for it (there's never a perfect one). And then stick to it.
There are 3 main kinds of approaches to note-taking.
The architect. They enjoy planning, designing processes and frameworks, and need a note-taking tool that allows them to easily structure their ideas.
The gardener. They enjoy exploring, connecting various thoughts together, and need a note-taking tool that allows them to easily grow their ideas.
The librarian. They enjoy collecting, building a catalogue of resources, and need a note-taking tool that allows them to easily retrieve their ideas. | Ness Labs
There's not a right or wrong. I'm more in the librarian group. So I love to use Bear. You may be an architect or a gardener. The important is to find the use case that best suits you. Choose an app that matches it, from the list here. And stick to it. This way you will learn how to get the most out of it.
Thank you for reading this newsletter.
Now, I’m curious about you.
What decisions are challenging you at the moment? What are the mental strategies that you find more helpful?
Write me back and let me know!
And don’t forget to share We Who Think with your smartest friends. Thank you!
Until next week,
Samuele
PS Did someone forward this issue of the We Who Think newsletter to you? Join us by signing up here.
This newsletter is free. But you can still support our work.
Finding the right content and extracting the best insights from them, takes time. Do you like what you read here on WWT?
Then consider to support us with a paid subscription.