The Compass of Zettelkasten Thinking¶
- North: The Source. Where did it originate.
- West: What is similar.
- East: What is opposite.
- South: Where does this lead? (product, book, blog, YT video, call to action)
How To Take Smart Notes (3 methods no one's talking about) - YouTube
NORTH: UPSTREAM
- where does X come from? themes, "zettel questions"
- what are its origin?
- what belief does X support?
- what domain exists an order of magnitude higher? zoom out.
- what gave birth to X?
- what causes X?
WEST: REINFORCING
- what is similar to X?
- what other disciplines could X already exist in?
- what other disciplines could benefit from X?
- what are other ways to say/do X?
SOUTH: DOWNSTREAM
- where can X lead to?
- what does X contribute to?
- what group/category could X be the headline of?
- what domain exists an order of magnitude lower? zoom in.
- what does X nurture?
EAST: TRANSFORMATIVE
- What competes with X?
- what is the opposite of X?
- what is X missing?
- what is a disadvantage with X?
- what could supercharge X?
Compass Points_0.pdf (harvard.edu)
- E = Excited
What excites you about this idea or propositions? What’s the upside? - W = Worrisome
What do you find worrisome about this idea or proposition? What’s the downside? - N = Need to Know
What else do you need to know or find out about this idea or proposition? What additional information would help you to evaluate things? - S = Stance or Suggestion for Moving Forward
What is your current stance or opinion on the idea or proposition? How might you move forward in your evaluation of this idea or proposition