Note-Making Basics: Use The NoMa Method (in Obsidian)

TL;DR

The NoMa Method turns note taking into note making by making your thoughts visible through four prompts: what an idea reminds you of, how it is similar, how it is different, and why it is important. In Ideaverse for Obsidian, a 34-word reflection connecting Carl Sagan and Mihai produced a unique insight that eventually inspired another note and a YouTube video. Read on to see how linked notes help ideas emerge.

Transcript

even if you are convinced of the power of linked notes you won't be able to use links if you don't have any notes and not all notes are created equal you obviously know about note taking but today is about note making because note making is where we generate the most value for ourselves in the moment for everyone around us and for ourselves into th... Read More

Key Insights

• 🔍 Note making is more valuable than note-taking, as it allows us to generate unique insights and organize our thoughts effectively.
• 💡 By putting our thoughts into visible form through note-making, we can go through important prompts like similarities, differences, and importance, thereby deepening our understanding of a subject.
• 📚 Note-making enables us to draw out our unique perspective, creating connections and insights that may not have been made before.
• 🖇️ Linking our notes and ideas together in an ideaverse can lead to idea emergence and the generation of valuable content, such as YouTube videos or scripts.
• 💡 Curiosity plays a crucial role in note-making, as it allows us to explore new concepts, make connections, and develop valuable insights.
• 📝 Note-making is a skill that can be learned and improved through practice, such as attending workshops focused on linking thinking and note-making.
• 🌐 The organization of content in maps allows for easy navigation and discovery of related ideas, sparking new insights and connections.
• 🧠 Overcoming mental squeeze points and effectively managing knowledge can supercharge our thinking processes, leading to increased productivity and creativity.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the NoMa Method for note making in Obsidian?

NoMa stands for note making. The method makes your thinking visible by prompting you to identify what an idea reminds you of, how it is similar, how it is different, and why it is important.

Q: How is note making different from note taking?

Note taking records or collects information, such as highlights and clipped articles. Note making works with that information to generate valuable insights and reveal your own perspective.

Q: What are the four prompts in the NoMa Method?

The four prompts are: “that reminds me,” “it’s similar,” “it’s different,” and “it’s important because.” In the example, these prompts helped connect Carl Sagan’s influence on a love of the cosmos with Mihai’s influence on a love of flow.

Q: How does the Carl Sagan example demonstrate the NoMa Method?

The speaker wrote a 34-word reflection connecting Carl Sagan and Mihai, explaining how each enriched his life. Those sentences addressed similarity, difference, and importance while making a personal connection visible.

Q: How can note making reveal a unique perspective?

Writing thoughts down draws out connections shaped by the note maker’s own concepts, people, and experiences. The transcript argues that making those connections visible causes the note maker to reveal and generate an individual perspective.

Q: How did linked notes lead to the Five Decade Rule idea?

A people map showed that Carl Sagan and Mihai were born in the same year and roughly just over five decades before the speaker. That discovery produced a new note called the Five Decade Rule at the beginning of January 2022.

Q: What is idea emergence in linked note making?

Idea emergence occurs when concepts, people, or experiences collide and the resulting idea is given a place to develop. The Five Decade Rule began as a note, resurfaced in conversations, and eventually became a YouTube video with an overview and script.

Q: Why does curiosity create value in the NoMa Method?

Curiosity encourages the note maker to follow connections beyond the initial note. In the example, exploring a person note and its linked people map uncovered a relationship that developed into a new idea and content.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Note making is more valuable than note taking because it helps convert basic highlights into valuable insights.

• Note making allows for the generation of unique perspectives and helps us know ourselves better.

• The power of linking your thinking and note making can lead to the emergence of new ideas and create real value.