Cultivating Creativity
Writing enhances thinking; it’s not the other way around. New knowledge emerges from the process of writing. PARA, a universal organization system, works in the digital world. In the arts, paintings, dances, songs, and poems represent different projects. Keep notes, thoughts, and ideas organized and relevant to each aspect of life.
PARA is a production system that changes with life. Ask yourself, in which project or area is this note most helpful? If not, where does it belong? If nowhere, store it in the archives. Identify projects that have yet to be acknowledged and what needs consistent progress. Follow up on past events and plan for future ones. As a notetaker, preserve your discoveries for the future to maintain enthusiasm for knowledge. A management system is vital, not dividing tasks into smaller parts. Forgetting unnecessary details is the best method for effective communication.
You boost your creativity by capturing, processing, reworking, and refining your ideas over time. Ideas improve by writing about them, not by thinking about them, as Writing is thinking, more tangible. Humans are the only species that create. Of all the species in the world, we’re the only ones to make art, cook food, and build technology. Creation makes us human, as we will do everything we can to improve how we create things — and the thinking that goes into the things we make.
Fear of memory failure? Unnecessary. Organize notes, and categorize them by active projects. Always ask, “How can this message benefit my future self?” Information becomes practical knowledge when put into practice. It’s not a luxury but essential for survival. Innovation and impact need a creative process, not a coincidence. Homework should be effortless and enjoyable, saving only the most exciting parts of websites. Capture knowledge from daily life and reading, selecting only essential passages. A collection of inspiring quotes, photos, ideas, and stories can stir inspiration. Unfamiliar data that surprises us can challenge and change our understanding.
Sharing ideas helps identify valuable expertise. Our success depends on using data and thinking. Knowledge is meant to be shared; there’s no point in hoarding it like gold coins.
