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Who is this for?You are just getting started with note-taking or you’ve recently switched to ObsidianYou wonder how to take smart notesYou want to know how to properly organize your notes and avoid creating an overwhelming messYou want a solid system that scalesYou wonder what Zettelkasten, the PARA method, and the Johnny decimal system areGetting started with Obsidian is not the hardest thing in the world, but it takes a lot of trial and error to figure out how to structure and organize your knowledge base. You have a busy life, and you don’t want to spend weeks or even months figuring out the “right” approach.What is this?I’ve been passionate about information, knowledge management, and PKM for more than 20 years. As an author, blogger, knowledge worker, and entrepreneur, I needed solutions to store and organize an enormous amount of information.Over the years, I’ve explored, used, and advocated many tools but have been using Obsidian extensively since 2020. With the Obsidian Starter Kit, I offer you the result of my own research and experimentation. It’s like a cheat code to jump straight to stress-free note-making.I’ve spent months refining and perfecting my Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) system, and have spent countless hours tweaking my system. I’ve published a few articles to share some ideas about this. My system combines the Zettelkasten approach, the PARA method, the Johnny decimal system, and other ideas to create a solid basis for my work as an author, blogger, and content creator.The Obsidian Starter Kit is a ready-made Obsidian vault that includes my recommended organization system and plugins, as well as example notes to help you get started. It also comes along with a user-friendly guide.What’s included?If you buy access to the Obsidian Starter Kit, you’ll get:The Obsidian vaultA comprehensive and solid structure with support for Journaling and ZettelkastenLeveraging the PARA method and the Johnny Decimal systemMany recommended plugins to boost productivity and automate actionsA clear system for Journaling, Meeting Notes, Periodic reviews, etcMany templates to improve consistency and productivityA powerful dashboardMaintenance notes (e.g., find duplicate and orphaned notes)Automation rulesMany examplesThe user guideLifetime access to the Personal Knowledge Management community for support and knowledge sharingIn addition, you’ll also get free access to all future updates. Over time, I’ll expand it step by step to include tutorials about the various aspects; from exploration/curation to summarization and reuse.What’s in the user guide?The user guide is a growing and evergreen knowledge base about how to take smart notes. It includes:Installation instructions.Details about the contents of the Obsidian Starter Kit (i.e., Obsidian vault structure, key design principles, included plugins, etc.)A clear overview of Obsidian and its core concepts (everything you should know and care about)Clear explanations about...The Zettelkasten methodAtomic notesProgressive summarizationThe PARA methodThe LIFT principleThe Johnny Decimal systemJournalingMaps of Content (MoCs)Periodic reviewsWhy and how to tag notesTemplatingThe Markdown syntaxWhy you need a single source of truth for everythingThe collector’s fallacyThe Inbox Zero principleHow to capture informationHow to capture quotesHow to capture information about persons of interestHow to extract knowledge from daily notesHow to save mental contextsObsidian tips and tricksWhat’s in the video course?The Obsidian Starter Course is a video course (~2h20) of content covering:Obsidian: installation, user interface, key features, plugins, automation, tips and tricks, etcThe Markdown syntaxYAML metadataPersonal Knowledge Management techniques and principles: the Johnny Decimal system, the PARA method (e.g., the Zettelkasten method, the LIFT principle, Atomic notes, Maps of Content, knowledge capture & extraction, etc)JournalingPeriodic reviewsTemplatesAutomationTask managementBest practices and recommendationsHands-on explanationsand more!Evergreen contentThe user guide of the Obsidian Starter Kit is expanding day after day, week after week. It will soon include:More theoryDetailed processes (e.g. when to take notes, how to use Zettelkasten in practice, daily notes, periodic reviews, ...)Additional how-to guidesMore tips and tricks...The Obsidian vault also evolves over time:The structure improvesNew templates are addedNew plugins are addedetcRefunds policyIf you’re not 100% satisfied, then just let me know, and I’ll issue a full refund. I’ll only ask you a single question: How can I improve the product?If you think about asking for a refund, then consider reaching out to me with your issues, questions, and remarks. I’m always available and happy to help. My goal is to help you succeed.Testimonials”Finally clickeđ how awesome @Obsidian is! Thanks to your excellent Obsidian Starter Kit!”— Cal Desmond-Pearson (@CalSocialHermit)“Off and running w/ @obsdmd. I’ve installed the app & have @dSebastien Starter Kit & my own fresh start Vault open. Learning from former & putting into practice w/ real content in latter. So far, so good”— Raymond D Sims (@rsims)“Great content - got me up to speed with what I was looking for fast ! Sébastien answered some questions by mail also which was much appreciated ! Thanks”— Sam Gonzales”As someone who has bounced around trying to find the right Knowledge tool, I’ve realized that many of my issues have been related to the complexity of the tools and the processes. The structure, design and explanations provided in the Obsidian Starter Kit have finally given me the foundation I’ve needed. 100% worth it”— Michael Aaron (via e-mail)“I absolutely love your kit and it has been so immensely helpful”— Ashwin Appiah (via e-mail)“Thanks for making the product. I’m making efforts to start using Obsidian more in my daily workflow and having a place to start makes the task much less daunting!”— Liam Weight (via Twitter DM)“I’m very new to PKM, but the Obsidian Starter Kit has been a tremendous help in getting me started”— Fredrik Nordström (via the PKM community Slack)“Sebastien’s Obsidian Starter Kit is a powerful tool for those looking to dive into the world of Obsidian without being overwhelmed. It’s a comprehensive solution that significantly shortens the learning curve, providing an impressively structured way to start capturing notes and facilitating daily journaling. The kit’s integration of automated tasks and pre-designed templates are a boon to beginners, alleviating the initial intimidation of starting from scratch. If you’re new to Obsidian and need a solid starting point, this starter kit comes highly recommended. It doesn’t just help you navigate Obsidian, but also empowers you to harness its full potential right from the get-go.”— Lubos KolouchFredrik (via the PKM community Slack)

Who is this for?You are just getting started with note-taking or you’ve recently switched to ObsidianYou want to discover Obsidian and its key featuresYou wonder how to take smart notesYou want to know how to properly organize your notes and avoid creating an overwhelming messYou want a solid system that scalesYou wonder what Zettelkasten, the PARA method, and the Johnny decimal system areYou have bought the Obsidian Starter Kit and want a full video course to help you get startedGetting started with Obsidian is not the hardest thing in the world, but it takes a lot of trial and error to figure out how to structure and organize your knowledge base. You have a busy life, and you don’t want to spend weeks or even months figuring out the “right” approach.What is this?The Obsidian Starter Course is a video course containing 2h20 of content. It’s a hands-on guide into the world of Obsidian, Personal Knowledge Management (PKM), and the Obsidian Starter Kit.Many of the explanations use the Obsidian Starter Kit’s vault/structure/plugins, but the explanations about Personal Knowledge Management (PKM), Markdown, YAML and recommendations can be applied to many other tools. Moreover, if you’re using Obsidian but don’t yet have a copy of the Obsidian Starter Kit, then this course is still incredibly useful. It will show you how you can organize your knowledge base, how to take smart notes, and much more!What’s in the video course?The Obsidian Starter Course covers the following topics:Obsidian: installation, user interface, key features, plugins, automation, tips and tricks, etcThe Markdown syntaxYAML metadataPersonal Knowledge Management techniques and principles: the Johnny Decimal system, the PARA method (e.g., the Zettelkasten method, the LIFT principle, Atomic notes, Maps of Content, knowledge capture & extraction, etc)JournalingPeriodic reviewsTemplatesAutomationTask managementBest practices and recommendationsHands-on explanationsand more!Refunds policyIf you’re not 100% satisfied, then just let me know, and I’ll issue a full refund. I’ll only ask you a single question: How can I improve the product?If you think about asking for a refund, then consider reaching out to me with your issues, questions, and remarks. I’m always available and happy to help. My goal is to help you succeed.

Who is this for?You are a Knowledge Worker or Lifelong LearnerYou feel disorganized, unproductive, or overwhelmedYou don’t know how to go to the next levelYou want to learn from someone who’s always on top of thingsI have a proven track record of delivering at work and with my side projects. I have worked as a software developer, team leader, project manager, IT architect, information management specialist, CTO, founder, coach, and solopreneur. I have also written and published 3 books, 300+ articles, courses, YouTube videos, digital products, manage communities, and more! And I did it all with a busy life and kids. My personal system works and helps me achieve my goals consistently.You want a solid system that scalesBeing a Knowledge Worker today is much more challenging than it ever was. Getting started ain’t easy, and there are many traps to fall into. Spare yourself some time and benefit from my experience and battle-tested system. I’ll share everything I know with you: my approach, my systems, my routines, templates, guidance, and more! My mission is to help you avoid the pitfalls of Knowledge Work and empower you through technology.After you finish exploring the guide, you’ll have:Clarity in your life and an obvious path forwardSolid habits, routines, and systemsClear ideas about how to “manage” your careerAn effective approach to learning new thingsSolid knowledge management and personal organization systemsKnowledge about how to organize, plan, control, and manage projects (large and small!)A toolkit to prioritize workA system to manage your tasks at scaleEffective means to focus your attention and manage your timeWork methods that will propel your career forwardWhat is this?I’ve been passionate about information, knowledge management, learning, personal organization, PKM, and productivity for more than 20 years. As an author, blogger, knowledge worker, entrepreneur, coach, and father of 3 kids, I needed effective solutions to be and stay organized, focused, and productive. The Knowledge Worker Kit includes everything I know about these topics, and more!What’s included?WARNING: The Knowledge Worker Kit is in BETA. The content will be added and expanded over time. If you buy access now, you’ll benefit from the lowest price. The product is already available so that I can find early adopters and get as much feedback as possible in order to make it great for everyone.If you buy access to the Knowledge Worker Kit, you’ll get:The user guideAll the templates and guidanceLifetime access to the private community for support and knowledge sharingLifetime access to all community events (meetups, workshops, knowledge-sharing sessions, invited talks, etc)Ask Me Anything (AMA) Q&As with meIn addition, you’ll also get free access to all future updates. Over time, I’ll continue expanding the kit with new ideas, techniques, systems, templates, and more!What’s in the user guide?The user guide is a growing and evergreen knowledge base. It includes detailed explanations covering a wide range of topics that all Knowledge workers should explore:01. Clarity: values, behaviors, goals, non-goals, priorities, and intentions02. Habits, routines, systems, processes and methods03. Career Management and Anticipation04. Learning05. Projects Knowledge Management and Journaling06. Projects Organization07. Planning and Prioritization08. Task Management09. Focus, Attention, Time Management and Action10. Personal Development11. Control: periodic reviews, progress tracking, course-adjustment12. Personal Organization13. WorkThe user guide is a Notion space including tons of articles, how-to guides, guidance, and links to useful templates and resources.You will get to explore the content at your own pace, and to focus on what is useful to you right now, as each section is actionable on its own.Evergreen ContentThe Knowledge Worker Toolkit is going to expand over time. Day after day, week after week. Buy it once, and you will have access to all future updates.Overview of the main topics01. ClarityThis part explores key elements that help bring clarity to one’s life:NeedsValuesPrinciplesGoalsPrioritiesEach of those is important to know what matters, what has value, and what to focus on.02. Habits, routines, systems, processes and methodsThis part explores the base elements of productivity systems:Habits and routinesSystems, processes, and methodsThose are key to building an “effortless” life, requiring as little willpower/motivation as possible to make things happen.03. Career Management and AnticipationThis part focuses on career management: its importance, your responsibility, the mindset you need to acquire, and all the related ideas.04. LearningThis part shares ideas about how to…Learn how you best learnLearn more effectivelyExplore new topicsResearchFilter informationLeverage AI and LLMs…05. Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) and JournalingThis part explores how to collect, organize, and link all your knowledge and information. It explores the main concepts of PKM, note-taking, note-making, tools of the trade, and structures/tips to help you keep everything useful, manageable, and maintainable as your knowledge base grows.It also introduces journaling and how to approach it to support your whole life.06. Projects OrganizationThis part focuses on how to organize projects and their information in a way that enables you and your teams to make focused progress.It shares ideas about how to organize project information, how to document projects, how to organize backlogs, etc.07. Planning and PrioritizationThis part focuses on how to plan projects and tasks, how to deal with deadlines, and how to prioritize work using various methods.08. Task ManagementThis part focuses on task management for personal and professional projects. It explores ways to keep tasks under control, how to organize personal work, and how to make the link between your different backlogs and your day-to-day life.09. Focus, Attention, Time Management and ActionThis part focuses on how to make things happen every single day, regardless of whatever is going on in your life. It’s all about techniques, tips & tricks, and tools to help you better manage your time, focus, and attention in order to ACT.10. Personal DevelopmentThis part explores important aspects of Personal Development that can make a big difference in a Knowledge Worker’s life. A sane mind in a sane body.11. ControlThis part is dedicated to control. How to control your progress, your trajectory, your projects, etc. And also, how to adjust course when things don’t go as expected.12. Personal OrganizationThis part helps better organize yourself and your information. It shares “zen” techniques you can use to remain organized, independently of how much information you have to juggle with.13. WorkThis part is all about WORK. How to do the work, how to improve your attitude, your results, and your recognition. It also dives into how to better collaborate with others to achieve your goals and those of your company/group.

Your ultimate video course to mastering Personal Knowledge Management (PKM)

IntroWho is this for?You want to learn how to organize your personal knowledgeYou wonder how to take smart notesYou want to remember more of what you readYou want to improve your knowledge management skillsIf concepts/acronyms such as PKM, SecondBrain, Zettelkasten, Evergreen notes, and Digital Garden make you curious, then you’ve come to the right place!It is well-known that our memories are not reliable. To store and organize knowledge bases, we need digital solutions to help us. But that’s not enough. To keep things manageable over time as our knowledge base scales, we need clear techniques and methodologies.What is this?I’ve been passionate about information, knowledge management, and PKM for more than 20 years. As a knowledge worker, author, blogger, and entrepreneur, I needed solutions to store and organize an enormous amount of information.Over the years, I’ve explored, used, and advocated many different tools: old-school wikis (e.g., MediaWiki, TiddlyWiki, DokuWiki, Confluence), note-taking solutions such as Evernote, Google Keep, Microsoft OneNote, Okular, Zim, and many more.Recently, the Personal Knowledge Management space has evolved a lot with the rise of tools such as Notion, Obsidian, Roam Research, LogSeq, and others. Those have drastically changed the knowledge management landscape and brought us the opportunity to manage knowledge much more efficiently, and to truly create ourselves a second brain, or digital garden.During most of 2021, I’ve done extensive research and curated a ton of information and links about the Personal Knowledge Management space. I’ve now regrouped all of this inside of a Notion space.It is now a solid database of the best resources you can find on the subject around the InternetEach and every week I add new resources to this Notion space: articles, blogs, books, courses, tools, videos, etc. This includes the content that I publish myself on the subject and my weekly newsletter.What you will getHere, you can buy lifetime access to my Notion space, and get regular updates; either for you personally, or for your team.What’s included?A list of 290+ toolsLinks to 320+ articlesLinks to 135+ videosA list of 90+ books about learning, thinking, writing, note-taking, journaling, neuroscience, psychology, stoicism, etcLinks to 220+ sites & blogsA list of 70+ Youtube channelsA list of 75+ coursesA list of 85+ newslettersA list of 40+ podcastsA list of podcast episodesA list of 70+ communities and forumsA list of ~2K PKM leaders, influencers, and enthusiastsA list of 45+ starter kits and templatesA list of 100+ Twitter hashtags to followA list of 80+ topics and links to relevant articles, books, videos, etcI will keep adding to the Notion space, and I’ll continue contributing information for the whole community.You’ll also get lifetime access to the Personal Knowledge Management community for support and knowledge sharing.RefundsIf you’re not 100% satisfied, then just let me know, and I’ll issue a full refund. I’ll only ask one question: what can I do to improve the product.If you think about asking for a refund, then consider reaching out to me with your issues, questions, and remarks. I’m always available and happy to help. My goal is to help you succeed.

Who is this for?You are just getting started with note-taking, note-making, and Personal Knowledge ManagementYou wonder how to take smart notesYou want to know how to properly organize your notes and avoid creating an overwhelming messYou want a solid system that scalesYou wonder what Zettelkasten, the PARA method, and the Johnny decimal system areYou want to better organize the information of your team or businessGetting started is not the hardest thing in the world, but it takes a lot of trial and error to figure out how to structure and organize your knowledge base. You have a busy life, and you don’t want to spend weeks or even months figuring out the “right” approach. Avoid wasting your time and get expert help to guide you on the right path.What is this?With this product, you can buy one or more hours of personalized coaching with me (in English or French!).I’ve been passionate about Information Management (IM), Knowledge Management, and PKM for more than 20 years. As an author, blogger, knowledge worker, and entrepreneur, I needed solutions to store and organize an enormous amount of information.Over the years, I’ve explored, used, and advocated many tools. I have settled on Obsidian, but the techniques I rely on can be applied to many other tools as well. I’ve spent months refining and perfecting my Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) system, and have spent countless hours tweaking my approach. I’ve published various articles to share some ideas about this. My system combines the Zettelkasten approach, the PARA method, the Johnny decimal system, and other ideas to create a solid basis for my work as an author, blogger, and content creator.I am very involved in the Personal Knowledge Management community, for which I’m building products, communities, and creating content to help newcomers as well as more advanced users get further. I have created the Obsidian Starter Kit, the Personal Knowledge Management Library, the PKM Journal, the PKM sub-reddit, the PKM Slack community, etc.I’ve decided to dedicate more of my time to coaching PKM enthusiasts and share what I’ve learned so far.During the coaching session(s):We will explore the concepts, techniques, and best practices that I rely on daily and recommendI will guide you through what I consider to be a well-structured, scalable and maintainable Personal Knowledge Management systemI will explain my workflows and processes to youI will (try to) answer all the questions you might haveI will remain available after our session if you have questions, need advice, or helpAfter the coaching sessions, I will remain available to answer additional questions.Testimonials”Sébastien thinks everything from first principles, the systems and ideas we discussed are well thought from multiple angles and I’m going to integrate them in my own specific setup”— Adrian Craciun (via mail)

This publication is dedicated to Personal Knowledge Management and lifelong learners. Discover Personal Knowledge Management (PKM), Tools For Thought, Zettelkasten and more!

Where all communities belong. A place for your Knowledge, your Ideas and Inspiration.

Personal Knowledge Management for the rest of us.

Who is this for?You are just getting started with IT and software developmentYou want to discover key concepts and expand your knowledgeYou want to understand different subdomains of IT like Architecture, Design, Coding, Front-end/Back-end development, Security, Infrastructure, Project, and Product ManagementYou want to progress and become a senior developer or a technical leaderYou want to learn fast from trusted sources, and avoid wasting time with low quality contentIT and software development are vast and complex topics. You could spend your entire life learning, and not yet know all that much. They’re also ever-evolving and ever-changing. You are busy, and you don’t want to miss out on key concepts. Given how many low-quality resources are out there, you want to avoid wasting time figuring out who you can trust with your time.What is this?I’ve been passionate about computers, IT and software development since I was 7-8 years old (30+ years ago!!). I’ve spent countless hours learning about new things. I’m a proud software crafter, coach/mentor, open-source contributor, freelancer, CTO and founder. I’ve been working for more than 15 years in the industry, and have explored many areas of IT. I’ve been a technical leader for both back-end and front-end, and developed software frameworks for large financial institutions. I’ve worked as a solution architect, led large projects and teams, managed critical IT infrastructure, went deep down into IT security, and founded my own company. These experiences gave me a unique perspective on the field.Daily, I help junior developers who often find themselves overwhelmed with an endless number of programming languages, frameworks, libraries, and tools. In 2021, I started working on the Dev Concepts collection, a series of 12 books to help even more developers avoid feeling overwhelmed, and show what to focus on for maximum progress and impact. That project is huge, and I realize it will take me a few more years to deliver all those books. Meanwhile, I have curated a huge collection of resources about the topics I want to cover in the books.The IT Concepts Wall is a Trello board that I keep expanding, week after week, with resources about IT that I think are useful and valuable to learn about. The content that I curate comes from trusted sources. They cover the whole spectrum, from juniors to experts. There is a lot to learn in there for everyone.What’s included?If you buy access to the IT Concepts Wall, you’ll get access to the Trello board I continue to build for the Dev Concepts collection. You can use these resources to take a shortcut and learn key concepts you need to know about.The IT Concepts Wall contains thousands of resources. You can explore those at your own pace to learn everything about IT and Software Development.I update the wall each week with new links and ideas. And I will continue to do so in the coming years.

Discover the focusd community, a space for people who want to be more focused and productive without burning out

A software development community for beginners, professional and artisans

The solution for focused productivity

Modern client-side Web application framework based on Angular, Angular Material / Material Design, TypeScript, Redux, RxJS, ... - NationalBankBelgium/stark

NBB’s REST-ish API Design Guide. Contribute to NationalBankBelgium/REST-API-Design-Guide development by creating an account on GitHub.