mastodon 4.7.3I am bullish about visual PKM
Just released @obsidianmd @excalidraw@mastodon.social 2.25.0 🚀
A big update with a smoother freedraw experience (🙏Excalidraw), improved Markdown embeds, Comic Book Callout Editor, MindMap Builder improvements, and more.
Watch the full walkthrough 👇
https://youtu.be/aqt5NJE2sJ8
Missed my talk at the PKM Summit in Utrecht today? I just uploaded the full video to YouTube! 🎥 Learn why linear text is failing us and how to outsmart your "lazy brain" using Visual PKM. Check it out here 👇
Illustrating the models from The Great Mental Models series by Shane Parrish has turned into a really fun exercise. Today I reorganized some of my earlier cards to follow a consistent layout pattern. This project keeps getting better.
I used to think “finding your niche” meant a narrow space without competition.
In ecology, a niche is the role you survive in.
If it works, others converge. If conditions change, it disappears
Reading The Great Mental Models, Vol. 2 by Shane Parrish
In a machine, you’re a replaceable cog. In an ecosystem, your unique shape changes the whole structure.
Great teams survive missing pieces, but thrive on diverse strengths. Ingredients matter.
Reading The Great Mental Models, Vol. 2 by Shane Parrish
Here's an Excalidraw canvas with the thumbnails and links of all the videos I've published over the years.
Just published @excalidraw" class="text-primary hover:text-accent hover:underline decoration-2 underline-offset-2 font-medium transition-all duration-200">@obsdmd-@excalidraw 2.23.4 with lots of code fixes and security hardening following Obsidian and independent reviews.
+ Added AI usage metering the ExcaliAI
Watch the update:
👉 https://youtu.be/otIHXat8Roo
Join the Sketch Your Mind Community:
https://community.sketch-your-mind.com/
The instinct is to improve everything.
But systems don’t work that way.
One constraint determines the ceiling.
Raise that, and the whole system expands.
Reading The Great Mental Models, Vol. 2 by Shane Parrish
Do your notes pile up like a messy heap of Lego bricks?
Use "shipping containers" to turn scattered visual notes into a highly connected 4D PKM system.
Want to build your own visual system with us? Join Cohort 16.
I just released @excalidraw" class="text-primary hover:text-accent hover:underline decoration-2 underline-offset-2 font-medium transition-all duration-200">@obsdmd-@excalidraw 2.23.8 along with a new fully visual daily notes and GTD task management workflow script. Watch the video here:
Biology optimizes for a beating heart. It’s up to you to give it a reason to beat.
Reading The Great Mental Models, Vol. 2 by Shane Parrish
Alloys changed history. It's magical how mixing two basic metals creates a result that far surpasses its ingredients. Knowledge works the same way. The right mix makes 1+1=10.
Reading The Great Mental Models, Vol. 2 by Shane Parrish
I'm reading The Great Mental Modals Volume 2. This quote reminded me of the upcoming PKM Summit:
"In building our knowledge, the environment we are in plays a huge part, as it is the source of our experiences. For this component, Leonardo was lucky, because he was born at a time and place that valued the mixing of ideas from different disciplines"
What better place to get exposed to new perspectives and ideas!
If you haven't registered yet, this link gives you 10% off: https://www.eventbrite.nl/e/1286017867059/?discount=Zsolt26
In chemistry, reactions fail without enough "activation energy."
Habits work the exact same way.
Give 90% effort, and you'll slide right back. You have to push past the peak.
Reading The Great Mental Models, Vol. 2 by Shane Parrish
I updated the Thumbnail. Do you like this better or the earlier one?
I am not a natural storyteller. I developed a formula and a visual framework to help me create better stories. Here's how it works...
👉👉 https://youtu.be/nUIm3lqwnWU
Join Cohort 16 of the Visual Thinking Workshop to learn more: https://community.sketch-your-mind.com/vtw
I've been thinking about this thumbnail: @zsviczian@pkm.social
The title is catchy - I thought, but the clickthrough rate speaks a different story. How do you like this alternative version?
📺 https://youtu.be/TnwRlaIdhSU
🌱 https://community.sketch-your-mind.com
The PKM Summit is THE event of the year. I’m presenting tomorrow: “Independent Thinking in the Age of AI.”
Still time to join us in person.
10% off:
https://www.eventbrite.nl/e/1286017867059/?discount=Zsolt26
See you there.
We all suffer from intervention bias.
We think we can outsmart the natural balance, but may end up causing a disaster.
Sometimes the best move is to let the system do its job.
Reading The Great Mental Models, Vol. 2 by Shane Parrish
Stop brainstorming. Seriously. 🛑 It’s making you confuse speed with velocity. If you want to actually solve complex problems without running in circles, try the "Circle Map" instead.
Adaptation isn’t just speed.
It’s recognizing when the environment changes; then navigating trade-offs, experimenting, and repurposing the tools you already have.
Reading The Great Mental Models, Vol. 2 by Shane Parrish
Your past success is your biggest threat. It tricks you into standing still when the world is turning.
Reading The Great Mental Models, Vol. 2 by Shane Parrish
Stop pressuring yourself to be 100% original. Even evolution rarely starts from a blank slate. Your next breakthrough might just be an old tool used in a new way. Use what you have.
Reading The Great Mental Models, Vol. 2 by Shane Parrish
What if you don’t need more effort — just a better path? Catalysts accelerate what’s already possible.
Reading The Great Mental Models, Vol. 2 by Shane Parrish
I am super excited about this interview. Stephan van de Ven and I discuss the new Sketch Your Mind Community, Excalidraw Mastery, Visual Thinking, AI, and the role of a community. I'd love to hear what you think!
Launching 2 new amazing scripts today for Obsidian Excalidraw
- One-Click Icon Library
- Comic Strip Editor (+ Comic Book Callout Editor) 🙏 @i1wan@bird.makeup
Nothing can stop you now from creating amazing visual notes!