Zettelkasten Method Explained: A Beginner's Guide

⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣🟡 Intersectional Thinking: intersectionalthinking.substa...
Take smart notes with Zettelkasten! Zettelkasten is a note taking system for any knowledge worker looking to a better way to organize your old and new knowledge and ideas.
Zettelkasten is developed by German sociologist Niklas Luhmann as his personal knowledge management system to develop system theory and write more than 70 books and 200+ articles in just 30 years.
In the next video, I'll show you how I use Obsidian to set up my Zettelkasten and neo smartpen to digitize and sync my hand written notes with digital notes.
✏️Smart Note-Taking✏️
» ZK Obsidian Workflow 2022: • 2023 Zettelkasten Obsi...
» Obsidian for Beginners: • Obsidian Note Taking T...
» Building my Obsidian from Scratch in 1 Week: • 7 Days Trying Obsidian...
» Digitizing your notes: • Digitize your notes: S...
» Zettelkasten Workflow in Obsidian: coming soon!
⚡Framework & Tools⚡️
» Systems Thinking: • Systems Thinking | 6 m...
» How to Think Fast Before You Speak: Framework Thinking www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcyHC...
» Presentation frameworks: • How to Present so Othe...
⏱ TIME STAMPS ⏱
0:00 The wonders of Zettelkasten
00:27 What is Zettelkasten
01:28 3 Types of Zettel (notes)
04:54 Setting up Kasten (boxes)
05:30 Why Zettelkasten
06:41 Customizing your Zettelkasten
» SUBSCRIBE: kzbin.info?s...
#zettelkasten #knowledgemanagementsystem #notetaking
⁣_____
» Connect with me
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣🟡 Newsletter: intersectionalthinking.substa...
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣🟡 Twitter: / beeamp_vicky
🟡 Linkedin: / vicky-beeamp
🟡 Course: Learn more frameworks with me at www.speakwithframeworks.com/

[@yeehimwong8810]

Your video is the clearest and easiest to understand amongst the few dozens in KZbin. Congratulations

[@VickyZhaoBEEAMP]

Thank you Yee HIm for the words of encouragement! I'll work on more clear videos so please come back and check them out hehe 🙌

[@sasha_nivar]

100% agree it was the visual guide that truely gave it the chefs kiss!

[@VickyZhaoBEEAMP]

@@sasha_nivar I'll have to do more of them!

[@sasha_nivar]

@@VickyZhaoBEEAMP awesome looking forward to seeing them!

[@kavinkumarr9629]

yes seriously, I agree.

[@ryanleemartin7758]

This was the clearest and most useful explanation of Zettelkasten I have come across! The way you layed out the difference between Fleeting, Literature and Permanent notes was just so well done. Thank you!

[@VickyZhaoBEEAMP]

Thank you for saying so ryan!! Will make vids on Zettelkasten so if there’s anything you want me to cover, please let me know!

[@aug221979]

This video made more sense to me than any other on similar topics. Thank you!

[@ramirooosting9798]

You may be one of the best explainers on youtube. Blown away by your ability to be clear.

[@kenfreeman8888]

My study notes while watching this video are 'literature' notes. My ideas for my own applications of this system are 'fleeting' notes. Now I move on to a review of both to make 'permanent' notes for my use going forward. Thanks for such a great overview of zettelkasten.

[@jefflupp2587]

Much thanks for all of your content on Zettelkasten and Obsidian! This is going to be game changing. All else is on pause while i consume and implement the ideas on your channel!

[@age50up]

Thank you! You have this gift of making the complex simple.

[@ayaijan]

Love this video! I love how inspired you are here while talking about this method

[@HelenMatos-oh4zw]

Thank you so much. It's finally making so much more sense to me.

[@Mr.clemclem]

Your content is awesome, very well summarized and easy to understand ! 👍👍

[@KamohoaliiKannon]

thank you so much for explaining this!

[@MrShitConnection]

I really loved listening to you explain this system. Better than a boatload of videos on this topic.

[@sidhasudharshan2746]

Awesome! So clear. So simple. So clean. You earned my subscription

[@christophechazarein-bea6614]

I've watched several videos about the Zettelkasten system, and this one is the clearest I've seen so far. Thank you!

[@JWGCOX]

I love your clear explanations

[@nameiskhaliun2759]

It was helpful. Exactly what I was searching for. Thank you so much. Please continue

[@murdockdisraeli3015]

Wow, Vicky! This was a concise and excellent summary of ZK method! Thank you for the graphics because this keep me engaged! 5 stars and new subscriber! 🥰

[@dearjem]

Thanks Vicky this is so helpful! Came to your channel first by watching your work with me vids aha loving the productivity content!

[@home1250]

I’m genuinely using your videos as therapy. Great production. No distractions Love it

[@stefal22]

The way you communicate is so clear and precise, it is a breath of fresh air

[@yjkim1243]

your explanation is clear as crystal. very comprehensive and informative. thanks

[@adanrodriguez9748]

Wow great video thank you for taking the time and breaking it down so well 👍

[@vivekgovila4148]

Really informative. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and wisdom.

[@mayurimarimuthu]

Thank you for making the concept so understandable and I am in my fencing level.

[@bhaveshkothari1669]

I am really impressed that how you present difficult and complex ideas in simple and clear language!!a big thumbs up for you.!!

[@yohanesliong4818]

Very informative! Thank you

[@brinbrawner6101]

I am so glad I found your channel! I have loved the idea of the Zettelkasten method since I learned of it about a year and a half ago, but even after watching every video I could find on it, and reading through the Reddit and blogs about it, I was still SO confused. I am about to re-watch this video just so that I can take notes on it and I truly can't thank you enough for explaining this so clearly! This is going to make it so much easier for me to stop putting my thoughts in 78 notebooks, pieces of paper, phone notes, notepad, Word, and Google documents 😅

[@Aguza91]

Man, the way you explained it was the best I have found anywhere. And I have been in it for the long run. Love your excitement. Helped a lot!!!

[@seanahern647]

Your explanation is the best I have seen. thanks!

[@Kallasticot]

I enjoyed the sipmlicity of your explanations, the visual and your enthusiasm, thank your for this excellent video!

[@brrruski8436]

Clear explanation! Very helpful, gonna check out your digitalized solution!

[@amyhope2292]

I am really appreciating your videos, Vicky! I am creating a series of 6 courses and your tutorials on Zettelkasten & Obsidian are very helpful. Thank you!

[@patrickglass9323]

Brilliant! Succinct, clear, and most helpful. Vicky - Thank you very much.

[@SofiItaly]

Thank you, very clear.

[@zephrimgimble9209]

This is the clearest, most atomic, Zettlekasten videos that I have seen.

[@arthurnoronha4736]

this is an amazing video and helped me a lot because our crative processes are much more bottom up rather than the other way around! thank you for this excelent content!

[@chicopacheco7717]

i found obsidian and now your helpful videos. excited to get going, thanks

[@markharris8617]

Thank you for a clear, concise, well-structured overview!

[@VickyZhaoBEEAMP]

Thank you for watching!!!

[@faithmadewhole]

What a great video!!! I only recently heard of Zettelkasten and it sounds like it could potential be what I've been needing and searching for to bring cohesion to all my ideas and research. So far, this is the clearest explanation I've come across. In fact, I almost abandoned the whole idea as I was starting to think Zettelkasten is too complicated. Thank you sooo much for making this video and for explaining the three types of notes. Brilliant production! I will definitely like and subscribe!

[@user-ty4jw5xe6d]

Great video - thanks!

[@AdaFang]

Vicky, you gained a follower. Great job on this! Your video got me excited, not bored or turned off, by Zettelkasten. Thank you!!! ❤

[@_sourgrapes_]

This was a really lovely explanation- super clear and nicely illustrated. Thank you for this!

[@VickyZhaoBEEAMP]

Thanks for watching and for sharing!! 👍

[@matthewdowning]

Great insight provided. You do well to provide a clear overview with needed specifics.

[@VickyZhaoBEEAMP]

Thanks Matthew! Glad you liked this guide :)

[@eacarvalho]

Hi Vicky! I've just found your channel and I've been binge watching your videos. Love your content. Thank you!

[@mackenzielopez8465]

Recently discovered your channel and I'm a fan! I've started thinking in frameworks as a designer and one thing I struggle with is note taking and seeing this method has really opened my eyes! Can't wait to try to build this habit.

[@VickyZhaoBEEAMP]

Yay! Glad you liked the ZK method! This was such a game changer for me ☺️

[@wordcharm2649]

I love this. So helpful.

[@hayaalkhatib]

This is a brilliant and succinct explanation - thank you! Subscribed and can’t wait to learn more 😊

[@VickyZhaoBEEAMP]

Thank you very much for watching and for sharing this with me 🙏 please let me know if you run into any questions you want me to cover on this channel!

[@rezamostafid8810]

Thank You...I never took the idea ( of Zettelkasten ) seriously .... you convinced me to look further into it......

[@omdafitness8828]

Vicky what a great video really appreciate every word that you said

[@JustinSarkis]

I've watched tens of videos on KZbin trying to understand the Zettelkasten system. This is the first video that makes sense. Thank you. I've subscribed to your channel.

[@actionwindowanddoor5689]

You articulated thoughts perfectly! This is my second of you videos I have watched and I am hook, and looking forward to the journey through the rest of them.

[@VickyZhaoBEEAMP]

Thank you for watching and so glad you like the style!!! 🙏🙏 see you around the channel!

[@bootsmade4walking]

Excellent video!

[@chuckcolsch874]

SUCH an Amazing Video! Thank You Vicky for this! I had become SO Frustrated with others’ mere _Attempts_ at helping me arrive at the Crux of the Value of Zettelkasten, and you state it with such Grace & Clarity that it seemed simply natural. Such a Gift!

[@ProductivePM]

Vicky, I really appreciate your content and your presentation style. Wishing you all the best!

[@VickyZhaoBEEAMP]

Thank you!!! Really appreciate it 🙏

[@MuralidharanJayaram]

Really a cool video! Thanks.

[@FX-wc1nd]

Best video I’ve seen on Zettelkasten. Thank you for making it!

[@VickyZhaoBEEAMP]

Thank YOU for watching and for saying so!!

[@dstruve1]

Thanks Vicky, this really helped me get over the hump

[@studiokaralis3622]

This video came just in time! I just recently started with my zettelkasten but still struggle a bit with how to organize and link my notes. Your video was clear and easy to understand! Looking forward for the digitizing the notes video!

[@VickyZhaoBEEAMP]

Yay so glad this video came through at the right time 👍 currently editing the digitizing notes video! Stay tuned 😁

[@GadAnimations]

Thank you so much for the explanation! You've been the most helpful resource on my journey into this so far and it's much appreciated. If only I had known about this during my engineering degree, I might have been able to save myself from all of the late nights and general panic

[@VickyZhaoBEEAMP]

Hey Garrett! Thanks for watching and I’m totally with you on Zettelkasten’s potential for improving the quality of uni life 😂 more people need to hear about this!! Thank you for watching 🙏 and see you around the channel!!

[@AmanS_4]

This video explains everything in a very simple way. Thanks for making this video.

[@VickyZhaoBEEAMP]

Thank you for watching Aman 🙏 that was exactly my goal for making this video so yay!!

[@vulcan20mmsp44]

Best explanation I have come across in the world of Zettelkasten.

[@MobileExperienceChris]

This is the clearest explanation of zettlelkasten that I have heard.

[@maxli9629]

Thank you for your explanation. It's very clear to understand.

[@VickyZhaoBEEAMP]

Thank you Max very much for watching and for sharing this with me 🙏

[@kipora]

I've watched a lot of videos on the subject and this one is the best. Thanks for sharing your knowledge, you're great at it!

[@VickyZhaoBEEAMP]

Thank you Akio 🙏🙏 this means the world to me!! Thank you for watching 👀

[@MW7-Mark]

Very nice video. I just heard about this Zettelkasten a couple of days ago and am fascinated. I wish that I had known about this a long time ago.

[@manchineel]

Great video. The most important productivity thing that I have ever learned was to get things out of my head and into a system I trust so I can stop worrying about what I am not doing right now. That frees up your mind for creativity.

[@jasonvoorhees2050]

Thank you so much ! Best video i saw !

[@VickyZhaoBEEAMP]

🙏🙏🙏 thank you for saying so!!

[@kasrataherkhani3482]

Awesome! It was really useful for me!

[@VickyZhaoBEEAMP]

Awesome!! Thanks for watching 🙏

[@WilliamH490]

This is close to what I do in my head already but this way I don’t lose as much, great system…… thanks!

[@Tealeafsong]

This is a great presentation. I first heard of this method 35 years ago from Barbara Tuchman the Historian. I taught the notes in a shoe box method in my 11 grade English class when we were writing term papers. all notes would go into a shoe box or bag and then I had them spread them out on the floor into different piles according to the associations they had made while researching. I'm going to look into Obsidian. Thank you!

[@LS-lo8ks]

I couldn't find more youtube videos on framework thinking and mental models and these very interesting note taking methods. Thank you!

[@VickyZhaoBEEAMP]

Thank you for watching! More coming your way so stay tuned :D

[@kindlyi5494]

oooooooooh. I studied cultural studies in Germany, and read my fair share of Luhman.. And no one EVER talked about this brilliant concept!! I am shook in the best way. A little detour in my life took me away from computers for 6 years. Now I am back and feel like a time traveller, whos wildest dreams of applications came true. Will jump into the obsidian setup right now. That's how I found you! Thank you so much for your precise and structured knowledge. For my ADHD/highly gifted brain it is balm!

[@adamduvick]

Thank you for this on-ramp. I actually have captured many literature notes & fleeting notes, but never had a clear workflow for using them as inputs for permanent notes. I am going to start this with obsidian by capturing a liturature note referencing this video. This method gives me guidance for cultivating my knowledge base.

[@VickyZhaoBEEAMP]

So good to hear!! Keep me posted on how you go :)

[@Koffis47]

That was helpful!

[@IchLiebeMichZiemlich]

best video on the topic, great job!

[@VickyZhaoBEEAMP]

Thank you for the vote of confidence Tugi!!

[@trishasengupta6475]

Thank you so much Vicky! I usually note stuff down on Google notes..but they were mixed up as fleeting and literature. I now want to actually make permanent notes out of those to duel my creativity as you said to be able to understand and convey . This is an excellent method and now that I have a lot of notes-- I am definitely going to follow this and link everything categorically to come up with permanent notes:)

[@jamesburwash5635]

Very good video, you have a clear communication voice. I stumbled upon this video as I was watching a video by Ryan Holiday which talk about Roberts Greenes system of note taking. Which lead me to more research which lead me to here. Of three videos on Zettelkasten yours matched my thinking! Well done cheers from Vancouver Island Canada.

[@mastandstars5869]

Well done video! Thank you

[@VickyZhaoBEEAMP]

Thank you so much for watching :D

[@terrialexanderyoga]

amazing! thank you! I am new to your channel. I enthralled with your simplicity in explanation

[@VickyZhaoBEEAMP]

Thank you very much Terri for watching and for sharing this with me 🙏

[@chefranylaitenu7731]

I love your videos! Thank you for sharing your knowledge with me this gives me alote of clarity 🙏❤️

[@VickyZhaoBEEAMP]

Thank you for watching!! Glad you like this

[@suzitasker312]

I am a brand new ZettleKasten practicing user and LOVED your video! I actually have goosebumps and I'm excited to dig a bit deeper. I use a hybrid note-taking, command central that hovers on the edge of chaos and it has forced me to look for answers. ZK I believe is the web that will keep up with my chaotic intelligence and connect it all. Thank you Vicky -

[@julissaveronica]

This video made me discover that I'm a spatial thinker! So cool! Thank you!

[@midnightwhiz2664]

I've been using notion for years, but lately my notes have been giving encyclopedia vibes. I've tried obsidian a few times but it never clicked. This video showed me that I've been using it all wrong 😂, this actually seems like the best method for how I processes information but every other video on Zettlekasten is more about obsidian than it is about how useful this method of organization can be. I'm going to try set up 3 folders now and give it a shot 👍

[@KarenSchuessler]

Thank you for this. I have so many thoughts or I run across so many cool concepts which I jot down and connect in my head that go nowhere. I haven’t known what to do with them, so to stop the mental anxiety of that, I have recently just been thinking, “Oh, never mind. I’ll have another thought tomorrow anyway.” Your video gave me hope that I can put all these (I think, interesting) ideas into some form that may bear fruit someday. This is a long-winded way of saying thanks, but I mean it. Thanks. I’ll check into this for sure.

[@jimalix6270]

Excellent video! You've made this amazing system *much* clearer to me! I wish I had a digital way to use this system 45 yrs ago when I was in graduate school!

[@VickyZhaoBEEAMP]

Thank you James! Glad you liked the video. I definitely wished I knew this in grad school (maybe even high school LOL)

[@AdrianCiuplea]

Your approach is the only one that made me understand this system. Thank you for your efforts, I apreciate it.

[@VickyZhaoBEEAMP]

Thank you for watching Adrian! I was in the same boat as you and was very determined to make it simple (as ZK is supposed to be simple) haha so thank you!!!

[@mexid2569]

Vicky Zhao -- Never stop the good work you are doing. You're osm!

[@kelliewilkinson6155]

This is the best video on Zettelkasten that I've seen, and I've watched a LOT of them, trying to connect what I could tell is an incredible system to ME and how I could use it. I feel like you provided some missing piece that let all the info from other videos fall into place. I finally feel like I understand how and why I would implement this method - even though you seem to use it for topics/output that differs from my interests! I let YT autoplay me a couple more of your videos and I felt the same way about your Obsidian video. Thanks so much for this info!

[@VickyZhaoBEEAMP]

Wow thank you Kellie for saying this!! What you said is exactly what I wanted to get across 🙏 so glad the videos resonated and hopefully I'll see you around :D

[@dr.danielastar1892]

Omg I finally understood zettelkasten thanks to your video! I was so freaking confused for so long, thank you so much!

[@VickyZhaoBEEAMP]

Thank you very much for watching and for sharing this with me 🙏

[@ewejinyeap]

Just starting to get into Zettelkasten. I liked that you explained the original method in its own video, and not suggest people follow a specific implementation of the method right from the get-go. Thank you!

[@VickyZhaoBEEAMP]

Thank you for watching and for the encouragement 😁

[@bensimpson9175]

New sub! Thank you, Vicky. I stumbled upon Zettelkasten a couple of years ago, but I wasn't able to follow some of the other introductions on KZbin. Your explanation made it all "click" for me; we are both spatial thinkers, so maybe your communication style was what I needed!

[@VickyZhaoBEEAMP]

Hey Ben!! So glad this clicked and thank you for sharing this with me 🙏 keep me posted on how you go with the method!

[@hekikostudio]

Thanks, sangat mudah di mengerti...

[@federayk3670]

I watched some videos about how to implement Zettalkaste Method on Obsidian an this video I finally got it the idea more clearly! Specially in this part 6:41 Thank you so much Vicky! Now I know how to start ☺

[@patriciagf18]

You are amazing, I am just seing all your videos about zetelkasten and obsidian for hours now. Thanks x 10000000000000

[@VickyZhaoBEEAMP]

Aww thank you very much for watching and for sharing this with me 🙏

[@kaieckhardt8261]

best way to understand Zettelkasten on KZbin. Vicky is brilliant in making hard stuff easy.

[@VickyZhaoBEEAMP]

Thank you very much for watching and for the encouragement Kai 🙏 see you around the channel!!

[@Rafael-nc6re]

AWESOME!!!!!

[@joeniemchak]

Super helpful :)

[@masExz]

well explained. gonna give the digital zettelkasten a try in sm

[@VickyZhaoBEEAMP]

Glad you liked this and let me know how it goes!

[@lucasaraujo.gospel]

Hello, I'm starting Zettelkasten today, and I'm very excited to organize this sistem of notes on my computer! For now I'm trying to use Obsidian for this, I hope it works for me, I have many things to study this year, and I also intend to apply for a master degree, so I guess I'm going to keep studying for a very logng time, and maybe I produce a couple of articles or e-books during the process... this ZettelKasten method will certainly be useful! I first installed Obsidian to organize the mess out of my computer, and then stumbled upon this "second brain" concept mixed with this very note-taking sistem, the Zettelkasten, and I'm now like "you know what? I'd better start organizing my files, 'cause I'm gonna use it a lot!". And I only have 358 Gb left on this computer... it's starting to be slower already!

[@rajeshparkar5683]

Make sense, thank you