Master divergent and convergent thinking | Tiago Forte

[@bigthink]

Our full 90-minute interview with Tiago Forte: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y5LWgHRnhrJ6qsk Highlights: This productivity hack comes with an asterisk: kzbin.info/www/bejne/naLboZxqgL51pa8 How to double your brain power: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z4nMZZmDm9ymh8k Master divergent and convergent thinking: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i6TGlKmNq62ar7M

[@ENDESGA]

Many people don't consider these concepts enough. As someone who has ADHD, these methods greatly help productivity. Especially doing multiple things, and learning how to pause them to allow full focus in another thing, and breaking that down to divergent/convergent thinking. Thank you, this video is perfect for me.

[@timelyseeker]

I have ASD and ADHD - I use these techniques every day and do 10-30k "small tasks" a week. Like achieving certain metrics of view retention, notes, words, hours, and other consumption of time while also getting outside. I have 0 total hours of videogames this week + weekend, and did financial calculations for 5 of the 6 days of this week. Also writing code to prevent CRLF injection, as well as writing code that finds vulnerabilities in CRLF injection to servers.

[@hieumain3212]

@@timelyseeker 10K? Are you a machine? Even if you using 5-min time-blocking (this's already inhuman, lol), it still wouldn't be possible.

[@timelyseeker]

@@hieumain3212 I'm talking about every small thing I achieved, including views which are not necessarily think this that you're doing but things you are achieving within a week time. So on top of everything else, there are a bunch of minor tasks I have done like the number of words I achieve or the number of things that I've been able to do such as words or hours consumed so the parameter is set with those

[@ericvanoppens3179]

Not so many people have ADHD - ADHD is caused by brain deformation. A lot of young people's behaviour is diagnosed as ADHD, but this is not the case at all. When you look neurologically it is known that sleep deprivation is leading to depression and burn-out in adults but to hyper-dynamic behaviour in children as their brain formation is under stress due to sleep deprivation. We have to realise that we live in a sleep-deprived society that kills all productivity. We are searching for more productivity and don't realise that reaching it, is simple: start by just sleeping well and enough. For children, this is even more crucial.

[@timelyseeker]

@@ericvanoppens3179 agreed, ignorance is thinking commonality is causality in the DSM-5, my mom said that everybody has ADHD and plays it off like it's no big deal that my life is so complicated and hard, and b****** about tasks and performances like I can just handle myself as easy as 1 2 3

[@adrianmoore2149]

Apparently I've been doing this for years and just worked it out on my own. Probably a result of having so many balls in the air at once, it was the only solution to cope with them. I'm lucky. I will say however, be careful about getting stuck on too many projects. Always leave something on the table where the next effort is obvious and satisfying. When too many things are stuck, learn something new or listen to other peoples approaches to completely unrelated problems. KZbin is a great resource for this.

[@alleysouza7200]

Now, a second video on actual ways to have an ‘effective’ second brain would be great, because we often drawn ourselves in tabs, links, save to watch later, etc; it’s kinda pointless storing the information outside our brains if we don’t have an efficient and organised way to retrieve this.

[@slim_cognito222]

I’ve narrowed it all down to a single journal with dozens of systems to collect and store whatever is going on in my brain. Handwriting is good to keep alive, if feels intimate

[@aviiaan]

There are a variety of tools that can help gather/organize this information. Some examples include Notion, Obsidian, Evernote, and many more.

[@natbarmore]

@@aviiaan yes, but (1) it’s _really_ hard to compare them-you kinda have to use one for a couple months, at least, maybe a couple years, to figure out if it’s right for you and what the subtle differences are in their capabilities , and (2) you still need a methodology for actually using them. Simply providing a list of software is only _slightly_ more useful than telling someone who wants to write a book that “there’s lots of software-MSWord, Pages, Scrivener, Ulysses, LibreOffice”. (It’s only more useful at all because there are more people who don’t know about that category of software than who don’t know about word processors.)

[@18_rabbit]

@@natbarmoreyep. This is what those of us around 50-60 yrs old have been long expecting a co like maybe MS to create, but maybe only Apple has gotten closer? dunno since i don't use apple

[@thesoccersensei]

You need the Slip box method (Zettelkasten) for knowledge management. Search for a summary of How to Take Smart Notes by Sönke Ahrens

[@itsiwhatitsi]

We must learn to be brave. Kids know it because they were truly themselves, but than society,school,workplaces can confuse us and we forget who we really are. “Courage” in Italian “Coraggio” from the latin “Cor” “Agere” that means “do with the heart”. The way to do something meaningful for yourself is to find who you are and viceversa, but you can’t do it if you are not brave.

[@frun]

Elon is teaching how to change an image.

[@outdoorstl8518]

but he speak more fluent than elon

[@frun]

@@outdoorstl8518 No, it's just Elon is using his second brain 🧠

[@outdoorstl8518]

@@frun yeah, you are right sir...

[@frun]

@@outdoorstl8518 Thank you, mister 🙏

[@JaTjr32]

Each Elon brain is looking for the other. They throw out words at the same time, while looking. This new model of Elon is so focused. He should run Twitter.

[@arunkarthik5820]

Thanks

[@bigthink]

Thank you very much! We'd be happy to send you some stickers if you'd like - just fill out our Google form at docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdZdQb0Rb-_UO4txWxjVQD5bISKMFGt90CFeyeFvPw-92McBg/viewform?usp=sf_link

[@kaisfp]

Anytime I have to stop working on a long-term project (where it's not possible to finish in 1 day), I write a short note as a kind of "mini to-do list bookmark" because it will allow me to forget the exact specific steps that I have to do to continue working on that project again whenever (probably the next day) I have time to continue working on it. This way I can use my memory for other stuff without worrying about forgetting some important "next-time-to-do things" about my project.

[@Saeder]

There’s no way this guy can go a single day without being confused by others with Elon Musk 😂

[@bongothecat3233]

That's what I was thinking

[@vietngyn6078]

Maybe is a Elon Musk AI robot and we just do not know

[@SL-hz5tx]

Even his name has the same eccentric vibe

[@turokII]

This guy is a clone haha

[@particle_wave7614]

It's Elon Musk without the 20 years of extreme stress levels lol

[@mikegrant8490]

This goes back to the individual creating a baseline of critical thinking skills adapted for their own needs. It takes a lifetime. This was a good reminder for my aging brain that at the very least, I'm on the right track. Thanks for the lesson.

[@blank8479]

Ngl it doesnt take a lifetime. Im 19 and the digital era has really boosted intelligence, at least for the few who use it properly.

[@Metchta]

Andrew Huberman spoke about it in his recent podcast on creativity. He explains it more in depth.

[@kikeherrera6487]

Thanks for the advise. Finally some body put into words what I've been feeling and doing unconsciously since a really long time.

[@americase7en]

I cannot think of something more insight and meaningful for the type of work I am doing now as this video. Thank you Tiago Forte

[@alandraalexandria6526]

I've tried this method. Then I've found THE KEY to be success switching your brain between the second brain (pause or continue certain activities) and the first brain (focus on one work). That is eliminate things that can create addiction in yourself. For example, you're addicted to socmed scrolling. Your second brain can barely activated because it has already taken by the addictness. You're gonna struggle switching between activities, you're gonna have hard moments to change your focusness. Trust me.

[@arjannoordermeer9666]

This is literally what ‘lateral thinking’ is about. Generating different methods/paths, then choose the/your best option.

[@nikmil6804]

Big thanks to those that make this channel possible 🙌

[@forvainee]

He made it! Long time Big think watcher, just started with my second brain two weeks ago.

[@useraccount5414]

I don't like how he portrayed this concept, convergent as vertical(linear) and divergent as horizontal(distributed) seem way more approachable to me.

[@slabster]

Woah! I always make a joke when someone asks me how I can do so many things at work but still be able to watch Netflix play video games, ride the bicycle after work, "I have two brains the left and the right." This video perfectly explains it!

[@Justineyedia]

This is when my dysfunctional disorders take over. My divided attention is never good. I cannot keep 2 things separate. It's not fair to either one. I will be thinking about one while doing the other. I really am trying to stay present though and journaling has helped tremendously. The subconscious mind always wins.

[@ericcomp7032]

Starting a KZbin channel is like this. Editing/ filming/ editing/ filming

[@zetr0-boy546]

please make more vedios about this topic, I want to know more about divergent and convergent thinking

[@ezshooter4180]

I wish i could give this Big Think episode 5 thumbs up.

[@chloe_steward]

Thus video is going in my second brain. So much goodness!

[@courtneyreid4757]

So much sense!!!! This channel post so much helpful content🙌🏽

[@MrSuvidh]

Divergence is like the first 30 minutes of searching porn, convergence is the last 10 seconds.

[@swapnilkumar6008]

🤣😂

[@derickndossy]

Lol..that actually a legit way to understand this in simpler terms

[@LongHoang-cg2uz]

Bro u 🔥

[@muhammadaghisasyakandari1706]

Now i understand sir

[@milefiori7694]

If I'm 8 years younger I'd probably disagree quite hardly on the idea of divergence and having multiple things going on in your life; since I'm always been taught that you should always learn from the best or the one known for its success, and two you should always focus on one thing until it finished. As I grew up I realize how impractical that principles were, one prominent example that I learned the hard way probably when starting a project and it goes into the state of infinite plateau of progress, I just kinda stick with it for like years and even procrastinate instead of taking a step back and doing or learn something else until I got that piece of knowledge I'm lacking at. Sheesh, if only I wasn't that stubborn, I'm not gonna waste that much time.

[@dama9150]

The reason we are 'getting worse' at managing this is the same reason we are all still struggling to manage our use of social media, it is because the programs/apps/software we use are not designed to help us be more efficient but to keep us dependent on and hooked into their system. Blaming the individual for systemic issues is not going to solve this.

[@chaz-e]

This just sounds fascinating, but how you actually get that "second brain"? Is it an app, a yoga practice or do I need to grow it via stem cells... We need more clarity.

[@chandreshkhetariya9820]

😂😂

[@majormononoke8958]

Dude he literally said it have it organize it in such a matter that you can go back to it any time ... Just like a videogame you are playing ... You load the save file and continoue from the point where you left ... Notes, a page holder,etc.

[@Cruzaflo]

the point of art is to study "self" and "environment" and how the "self" impacts "environment" impacts "self" impacts "environment" creativity is is learning how to make better constructs in real-time a second "brain" is a good idea for someone who wants to "extend their ego boundairies" to include two brains.

[@joshuadavis6026]

So glad to hear this! I have notes everywhere.

[@thy_apostle]

Hey Big Think, could you turn the music down a bit in the video? It drowns out the talking. That would be lovely 🙏🏽

[@lateatlife999]

An example would have been great on eliminating ideas in convergent.

[@inmyexpression19]

Intuition vs sensing

[@MostafaPeace]

i guess thats what having different profiles on our phones/computers is. But guiding our emotions to let go of one and emerge into another is a bit difficult

[@martini.1999]

For deciding between convergence and divergence, i recommend testing your root, quotient or leibniz.

[@i1C4RU5]

I also thought it was pretty obvious that convergence is when the limit of the absolute value of the nth root of the sequence as n approaches infinity is less than one.

[@zhing836]

that is exactly what I have been doing.

[@agungh1670]

Using your fragile memory, now i will gratefull when i forgot where i put my keys :)

[@s.4155]

Interesting concept😊

[@Glorfdimple]

Thanks for sharing. ❤️

[@Slyyvie]

At first I thought the beginning was an ad for some productivity app lol

[@josemarialaguinge]

This concept works great, I have a book called working memory were I store a lot of things I need to do, organization, etc. Writing to organize your head works wonderfully.

[@RomainSimar]

i call it order vs chaos

[@raymondtendau2749]

Capture, organise, Distille, Express. C.O.D.E. A great way I found on this channel to organise my knowledge. Great channel.

[@_sahildahat_]

So I have a few questions: Please tell me how do we create this second brain? How to be in divergence mode and then in convergence and even shut them down or start them back up?

[@KootFloris]

This video lacks depth. You need more than a simple trick. Organised creatives are often like bookkeepers, doing the 'right' steps, but lack soul. Real divergents have: play, wisdom, wonder, love, bravery and soul. 1. Wonder is asking deeper and crazier questions out of the box to really enter new territory. 2. Love keeps it human. Love helps to give and find meaning and connect it to others. 3. Playing is divergence, and also cross pollination between random elements and lateral thinking, and experiencing. 4. Wisdom means you look an impact on the whole living systems of your choices. We all know being smarter at getting richer by destroying the planet is kind of stupid. 5. Bravery. Dare to stand out with something others might consider stupid, dangerous, heresy. Be one of the crazy ones. 6. Soul is when your ideas start to burn within you. You feel alive because of a new idea. How do I know this? I have been a born creative divergent my whole life, and met loads of bookkeepers following creative steps and still rarely have really new ideas, for often they lack one or more of the six aspects above.

[@_sahildahat_]

@@KootFloris Thank you very much. Your comment really gave me a brief insight.

[@dodgerea8639]

@@_sahildahat_. Check This guy (Tiago Forte) out. His whole career of courses video and now book(s) answers the question about Building a Second Brain. Good stuff.

[@brittanyish]

But how do I organize my second brain? I can hardly manage my first 😭

[@LordBrittish]

I think part of the second brain’s job is to help organize the first brain’s knowledge.

[@factChecker01]

Something that especially a person with ADHD would have a lot of trouble with.

[@tanned06]

I guess the new smart kid of the block Chat GPT has mastered both the creative skills of divergence and converge when squeezing out an answer that sounds quite professional to us.

[@Cherb123456]

Thank you!

[@TheHorus471]

Who's the original artist for the thumbnail's art? I really like it and would like to buy one as a present.

[@nikhildesai7715]

I wish I learnt this a long time ago.

[@jakejakobz]

I already do this but is that not compartmentalization? Maybe i am approaching this the wrong way lol.

[@studytime667]

Elon Musk?

[@Kittie28]

Wish version

[@LordBrittish]

**smoke comes out of a man’s head** Bystander to another confused bystander: “His brains are arguing again.”

[@Miguel-go3rg]

Notion is a great tool for that

[@AlexanderNecheff]

Yes and no. If you don't control when the pivot from one project to another happens, you end up not really being able to tackle complex problems that require focus and dedication.

[@jorgebarmak]

Severance 🫠

[@uday4176]

Great explanation 👏

[@daveconrad6562]

Thanks for watching

[@Fear_Therapy]

this is interesting 🤔

[@FrankLindsey757]

he just described a day planner notebook.

[@Robinson8491]

Is this a secret add for the Evernote app?

[@disco-boi]

Finally, once i master this, I'll be the next Satoru Gojo

[@jaafcan]

This sounds like any typical design path for me.

[@prefix808]

Why do feel like the dominant convergence force at my workplace…I guess thats how those of us “get it done” operate.

[@Pabl0_88]

Isn't the music really distracting?

[@nicholascurran1734]

Hopefully the second and first brain get along

[@k00lkane]

So what is this second brain that he’s speaking of? An actual physical thing or a concept?

[@shotobaci]

My question is, how do we built a second brain? Do we use some kind of productivity tool like notion to organize and keep track of all the projects or are there some other ways of doing it?

[@catsozen]

I think that's it, you got it. If you want to get more technical maybe consider looking into note-taking methods like Zettelkasten or PARA.

[@meetseanbrown]

It's a shame they put the full interview behind a pay-wall. It's ground breaking.

[@vcente671]

Sounds like pure chaos to me

[@samrasoli]

useful thanks

[@daveconrad6562]

You're welcome

[@abdullahhabib9833]

This is basically the concept of Islam(the world is nothing but a test/illusion and never let worldy events affect you) and im so shocked after watching this video that islam is genuinely the key to success.

[@Sociologist_Bori]

Gracias

[@willsquire6292]

I didn't know that Elon Musk was invited to Big Think. Cool!

[@whenplaylists]

System 1 and system 2

[@ramblinactivist]

Yet again, challenging the oppression of the human within the corporate frame -- and in fact, arguably only middle class roles ignoring most of humanity -- rather than critically looking at why people are being overwhelmed by "knowledge work" and how to change the corporate frame to achieve that.

[@name128ewa]

Anyone unironically listen to Tiago Forte's advice? He's such a dork and his advice will help your life to the minimal. No dork, not everyone needs "second brain".

[@Eurotool]

I need a biological dual CPU as well as ASIC for math

[@adhdraw]

TIAGOOOOOO

[@KootFloris]

This video lacks depth. You need more than a simple trick. Organised creatives are often like bookkeepers, doing the 'right' steps, but lack soul. Real divergents have: play, wisdom, wonder, love, bravery and soul. 1. Wonder is asking deeper and crazier questions out of the box to really enter new territory. 2. Love keeps it human. Love helps to give and find meaning and connect it to others. 3. Playing is divergence, and also cross pollination between random elements and lateral thinking, and experiencing. 4. Wisdom means you look an impact on the whole living systems of your choices. We all know being smarter at getting richer by destroying the planet is kind of stupid. 5. Bravery. Dare to stand out with something others might consider stupid, dangerous, heresy. Be one of the crazy ones. 6. Soul is when your ideas start to burn within you. You feel alive because of a new idea. How do I know this? I have been a born creative divergent my whole life, and met loads of bookkeepers following steps and still rarely have really new ideas.

[@cyrusthe0ther795]

He is the result of Elon Musk diverging and then converging onto him

[@harpsgalore6584]

Good point

[@cyrusthe0ther795]

@@harpsgalore6584 Thank you

[@maefaemusic]

I thought the guy was Elon Musk for a second

[@jimbruttan69420]

I genuinely thought this was Elon"s twin or so

[@zot2698]

As someone that been practicing divergent and convergent thinking for years. My suggestion is, to hire other people to work for you ASAP. The easiest way to have a second brain is to actually have another one. Lol

[@catsozen]

The only correct answer 😂 also why stop at 2 when you can have 5 experts in a room?

[@prasannag.prasannakumar6100]

Did the guy say you need to have multiple relationships going on at the same time because you don’t know what will work 😂

[@ericvanoppens3179]

When you know Barbara Oakley mentioned those two phases already in her first courses 10 years ago. So nothing new under the sun.

[@Skovorodnikof]

To me that video is complete nonsense. Some empty concepts presented in a porcelain plate.

[@3periode788]

true

[@silviojoseperedacortes7029]

I would never work 16 hours per day like Elon. I'd rather try more relaxing work methods👉👉✌️✌️

[@amansingh-os9gd]

What's new about this ??

[@omarsin]

Played this at 1.5x speed and this dude was still talking slow af 😂

[@omarsin]

Great points obviously

[@kleckerklotz9620]

That's basicly what you learn, when you go to art school and study design. That's why there are sketchbooks, notebooks and journals. That really is nothing new, Mr. Forte.

[@KootFloris]

It's even worse. His video lacks depth. You need more than a simple trick. Organised creatives are often like bookkeepers, doing the 'right' steps, but lack soul. Real divergents and artists have: play, wisdom, wonder, love, bravery and soul. 1. Wonder is asking deeper and crazier questions out of the box to really enter new territory. 2. Love keeps it human. Love helps to give and find meaning and connect it to others. 3. Playing is divergence, and also cross pollination between random elements and lateral thinking, and experiencing. 4. Wisdom means you look an impact on the whole living systems of your choices. We all know being smarter at getting richer by destroying the planet is kind of stupid. 5. Bravery. Dare to stand out with something others might consider stupid, dangerous, heresy. Be one of the crazy ones. 6. Soul is when your ideas start to burn within you. You feel alive because of a new idea. How do I know this? I have been a born creative divergent my whole life, and met loads of bookkeepers following steps and still rarely have really new ideas.

[@kleckerklotz9620]

@@KootFloris Yes, of course. It's rediculous what he said. And I was only talking about his funny idea of a second brain, which was sold like something new. I would agree on all the points you counted, except the idea that there are gifted creatives. The idea of talent (born creative as you called yourself narcisticly) and beeing perfect right at the start of learning a trade is the one most obstacle for most people to even try it and become better. That applies to the "bookkeepers", as you called them as well. So no, there is no talent. Everybody can learn everything. And the other points you mentioned are good advice.

[@KootFloris]

@@kleckerklotz9620 Thanks, and yes, everybody can learn to be (more) creative, and fear is often an obstacle. But if the lesson is administered like above, then I fear we won't get far. It's like Einstein said, imagination is more important than knowledge. Sadly education loves to be able to check outcomes, and knowledge is measurable.

[@kleckerklotz9620]

@@KootFloris Hmm, I'm not shure about that. By my experience creativity doesn't come out of nowhere. And it doesn't matter if you are guided or not or if it is measurable or not. What matters is to feel the need to solve a problem, some kind of materialbox, which can be concepts or knowledge as well, some tools, which can be used in a way they are not supposed to be used, the bravery to discard, deconstruct and destroy, and most importantly idleness. If you follow a problem too rigidly, you will burn out and your results will be dissatisfying. The key for me is the constant alternation of pause and create. But to talk about your point: If you take an administered lesson, you basicly learn a tool. And you will learn it in a distinct way - the "right" way. And you will learn it faster than if you learn it alone. This is a step everybody takes in their career as a creative (or better should take). But to only follow this "right" way of using a particular tool, won't bring you to novel ideas. Which is obvious, since you learned it by someone else, who probably did it already. But mastery comes, if you are able to create your own tools. But to acchieve that, you need to know how to use the tool the "right" way - imho. In everyday life as a creative, you usually work the "right" way. Unfortunately, you can't earn money by always coming up with new ways of doing things. So learning it the "right" way is worth advising.

[@KootFloris]

@@kleckerklotz9620 I think you added is great wisdom learned from experience. However to each rule there are examples. I'm not rich, but made often my income with coming up with new ideas, born in play, asking questions no one else was asking. I also am much better in front of groups, when on edge, as in doing something new in a new way. I once found I teach often in the same style, so I made a whole week where every day I would teach in very different teaching styles, from all me speaking to exercises or participants talking only. I've made money with over 75 job titles. So I know it's rare, it's not for everyone, it's not great for your cv, not great to become a known expert, but I love the variation and meddling with new ways. And yes, that in itself may have become my expertise.

[@perseoeridano4182]

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@geegalize]

Elon???

[@amyou10]

Looks like Elon Musk brother to me ^^

[@Genny-Zee]

Elon?

[@Paulina-br6tm]

“I don’t think we’re getting better at these things” is the basis of this? Really? Show us the data!

[@shanlanka6670]

Wat da elon doin..

[@vincentl8736]

Elon after make up