Comprehensive vs Curated Note-Taking

When taking visual notes on a book or a podcast, it’s hard to avoid the trap of trying to capture that information source comprehensively.

We think we need to capture every big idea, all the supporting details, and everything in between in order to create a complete representation of the topic.

I wonder if that tendency goes all the way back to a question I’m sure you heard (or asked) back in your school days: Will this be on the test?

That’s extrinsic motivation at work. You’re considering how you’ll expend energy based on the external reward of receiving a good grade and being perceived as “smart” (author raises hand, ‘Yep, that was me’).

How much pressure do you feel when taking notes from a book? Is the implicit goal of comprehensive capture getting in the way?

But most of us aren’t in school anymore. We’re not reading or listening to interesting ideas in order to get a grade or a degree, we’re doing it as independent lifelong learners.

Yes, you might have in mind a specific use for those new ideas and skills you’re reading about, perhaps for a project at work or a relationship at home.

But that’s what I would put in the category of intrinsic motivation. You’re driven by your own desire and curiosity to learn something new about the world and/or improve in some way how you interact with it.

It’s for that reason that I encourage you to move from a mindset of comprehensive capture to a mindset of curated capture.

When your focus is on curation, you’re on the lookout for the best of what’s there. And it’s not necessarily what the author or speaker thinks is the best, it’s what you think is the best.

So make it about you (or your team, or your family). Decide what you want to get out of the learning experience and let that be your filter. Capture the ideas that align with that purpose, and don’t worry about the rest.

No one’s grading your work except for yourself. Be a curator of ideas and skills that are meaningful to you. Take those with you and leave everything else behind.

Dig Deeper

For support in the development of your visual thinking skills, check out our library of courses:

Included with each course is access to live monthly Q & A’s to share your progress and ask questions of me and other visual thinkers from around the globe. We’d love to hear about what you’re working on.

Cheers,

-Doug