The Ryan Holiday Notecard System
I've been trying out Ryan Holiday's Notecard System for around a year now and it's incredible. It takes a lot of time and effort, but it helps me remember what I read and allows me to reference ideas from all kinds of different books. If you spend any significant amount of time reading or writing, I would highly recommend starting your own notecard system. This video is a little bit different from my regular fare, but I think the ideas here are applicable and useful. I'd love to hear what you think. Explore more at https://belseralex.com Video + Sound + Script by Alex Belser. All inquiries: alex@belseralex.com Freelance work at https://bels.works/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belseralex/
The Ryan Holiday Notecard System
Ryan Holiday's Note Card System
In this video, Ryan Holiday explains his note card system which he uses to read and retain information from books. He highlights the benefits of using a physical note card system over digital tools like Evernote.
The Note Card System
- As you read, highlight passages that stand out to you and transfer them to 4x6 note cards.
- Write the general theme or idea of each note card at the top and group similar ideas or themes together.
- The system allows for quick sorting through information and referencing similar ideas from different sources.
- Waiting a few weeks before returning to a book and transferring notes improves retention of material.
Benefits of the Note Card System
- A great tool for writing, research, motivation, or inspiration.
- A physical manifestation of our notes that becomes an extension of ourselves and our ideas.
- Curated information at your disposal is incredibly useful as it is based on what you find interesting rather than what algorithms determine.
Integrating Technology with the System
- Using technology like Evernote can integrate nicely with the system but there is something special about doing it with pen and paper.
- Numbering cards and using a spreadsheet can help search for cards that reference multiple themes.
Conclusion
- Starting your own note card system may be tedious but it is highly rewarding.