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6 Questions Every Knowledge Worker, Creator And Life-Long Learner Must Answer

1. Are you constantly wasting time looking for information you were sure you had saved? 

2. Is that pile of unfinished projects causing shame and anxiety? 

3. Are you stuck in a perpetual state of overwhelm when you look at your buzzing social media feed, your email inbox at 999+ unread messages, and the 17 open browser tabs with interesting articles to read?

4. Are you trying to get into a flow state, but when you sit down to work, you feel overwhelmed and unsure where to start? 

5. Are you easily distracted by the next meeting/to-do/emergency instead of being fully present with your loved ones?

6. Are you always busy and yet don’t feel like you’re moving your life forward in the areas that matter most to you?

If you answered “no” to all of these questions, great! You can close this page.

But if you nodded your head at least once and want to finally clear the mental clutter and start doing your best work with clarity, purpose, and ease…

Then read on!

Hi, I’m Tiago Forte

AUTHOR & CREATOR OF BUILDING A SECOND BRAIN

I’ve spent more than 10 years researching and personally experimenting with a new way of organizing our digital lives and improving our productivity.

What started as a quest to deal with a chronic illness turned into a life-long mission to help you harness the full potential of your ideas and turn them into reality. 

My work has been featured in

If you’re reading this, then something in your life has caused you to stop and think,

“There must be a better way!”

(just like my mysterious illness did for me).

Maybe your responsibilities have increased dramatically as you started a family, a new job, or a business, and now you need a way to do great work, despite having less time. 

You might feel like you’re dropping balls left, right, and center, losing track of open threads, and it’s impacting those around you. 

Maybe you’re dissatisfied with your current job and want to move to a more fulfilling career and get more out of life. 

Or maybe you have a lot of ideas and expertise but don’t know how to link all that information together to make the impact you want to make. 

Whatever your situation, I can tell you that you’re not alone. 

Why is it normal for us to feel scattered, overworked, and overwhelmed all the time?

When I ask people why they aren’t going after their goals (and instead often lower their hopes and ambitions instead), the #1 answer is always: 

Information overload! 

They share things like… 

“I get overwhelmed at the tasks before me. I don’t know how to manage the volume and set priorities.”

“Things just fall through the cracks.”  

“I just feel like I can’t make progress on anything.” 

This state of permanent information overload and overwhelm has become our “new normal.”

Why? Because our biological brains are reaching their capacity. We have way too much to remember, too much to think about, and too much to do.

And the problem is: The volume of information flooding our brains today is just a trickle compared to what’s coming.

(Forecasts* show that the volume of information created, captured, and consumed worldwide will double from 2022 to 2025. Isn’t that crazy?)

That brings us to the key question…

How can we achieve our goals when our brains are already maxed out? 

The answer is to build a “Second Brain.”

Now, you’re probably wondering: “What the heck is that?” 

A "Second Brain" is simply the name for a trusted place outside your head where you can collect and organize your most important ideas and insights (while filtering out the junk) and use them to do your best work.

We already have thousands of people all over the world using their Second Brains to:

  • Combat information overwhelm and free up their attention for more creative, interesting endeavors.
  • Keep the most important information just two clicks away, giving them peace of mind that their knowledge and insights are safely stored and available whenever they need them. 
  • Create a playground of their own thoughts, ideas, resources, and connections to bring to life the creative works that have been locked up inside. 
  • Know exactly where to start when they sit down to work, so they can achieve lift-off on long-awaited projects and take them to the finish line. 
  • Finally focus their time and energy on the people and things that are most important to them.

So, what exactly is a Second Brain?

A minute ago, I told you it's a place for storing your ideas and information. And while your Second Brain is indeed a place, it's more than that. It’s a system you follow.

Think of it as an operating system, like Windows or iOS. Except for your life and work.

The Second Brainers (as we call ourselves) use this system daily. 

Every time they come across a new piece of useful information, it enters their system. And when they begin a new project at work or at home, the tasks flow from their system.

Of course, we have a name for that, too. It’s called CODE. 

CODE is our proven process for consistently turning the information you consume into creative output and concrete results.

Capture only the most important information

Remember how we talked about being bombarded with information? This is your first line of defense. 

Whether you’re collecting information from meetings, books, articles, podcasts, or conversations…you’ll escape the “reactivity loop,” consume content at your own pace, and capture what resonates with you.

That way, you can let everything else (and the FOMO) go. This filtering process alone will free up 50% more head space. 

Organize for actionability

You’re capturing information, but where do you put everything? How do you organize your digital life? 

From now on: No more random notes spread across your different apps, docs, notepads, and sticky notes. Not only will you know where your insights are, but you’ll also organize your digital life differently than ever before — for action. 

This will make it easy to prioritize your life and turn your digital notes into “thinking tools” that allow you to access brain power you didn’t even know you had. 

Distill down to the essence 

This is where the magic happens. The Distill phase is how you're able to find what you need at a moment's notice.

In the midst of a busy workday, you don’t have time to review ten pages of notes on a book you read last year. By distilling your notes in a way that your future self can use them over and over again, you’ll build your own “knowledge treasury” full of your unique intellectual property.

Express your unique ideas and experiences 

Now it’s time for action. All the previous steps—capturing, organizing, and distilling—are geared toward one ultimate purpose: Getting your work done faster with less effort. And thanks to your Second Brain, you’ll never start from a blank page again. 

With the building blocks all laid out, you can start expressing your ideas in your unique voice –through writing, speaking, designing, teaching, persuading, or building a product or a business – to help advance your career and make a meaningful contribution to the world. 

CODE is the result of thousands of hours spent teaching, speaking, coaching, and writing about productivity and Personal Knowledge Management.

I’ve charged between $25,000 and $50,000 to teach this system to elite professionals at some of the world’s leading organizations, such as…

But I want to make that same quality of education available to everyone, regardless of where they live or which resources they have access to.

Living by the CODE system will supercharge your career, business, and life

You don’t have to take our word for it. Here’s what graduates of our Building a Second Brain program say…

BASB has literally changed my life. Every time I take this course I get a new job that's more specialized and better aligned with my goals and beliefs.

Camila Holanda

Designer, Researcher & Futurist

After taking BASB, I feel 1000X more productive and have a system that gets a lot done for me.

Yaw Owusu-Ansah

WordPress Developer

After BASB, my thoughts are clearer and my writing has improved. It's already allowed me to create things I never would have considered before this course.

Tamisha O'Neal

Board-certified Cosmetologist

The BASB course has made me more confident in handling what life throws at me and being more effective in expressing myself.

Dennis Nehrenheim

Software Engineer & Blogger

BASB has reduced my stress levels. I now feel less scattered and more directed.

Sheila Glesmann

Owner of Emission Strategies, Inc.

I feel as though I have increased my IQ by 20 points. Of course this isn't true, but it feels this way because I am thinking so much more clearly and with so much more relaxation and concentration.

Rob Joseph

Fractional CFO

Now, how do you get started?

This isn’t about finding the “perfect” productivity app to solve all your problems. It doesn’t exist!

Too many people get lost in the sea of tools available out there. 

(As one of our students exclaimed: “I have all the tools and none of the results!”)

Nor is it about mastering every feature of the most sophisticated software program available. 

While tinkering may feel like learning, it’s likely only a distraction from what really matters: moving your goals forward. These apps ultimately have to serve you, not the other way around. 

And watching more YouTube videos or reading another book on productivity won’t help either. 

You’re still left alone, trying to apply what you’ve learned to your situation. 

After teaching 5,000 students from around the world, I’ve found that…

The best way to get started is by putting CODE to use and applying it to your current projects and priorities.

It doesn’t matter if…

  • You’re not naturally “organized” (You don’t have to be. Organizing your knowledge should help you progress toward your goals, rather than turning you into a notetaking specialist)
  • You’re already tapped out for time and energy (A Second Brain will help you do more with less and actually save you time and energy)
  • You have limits on what hardware or software you can use (This system works across any platform)

You make progress by taking action. That’s how you’ll see immediate results. 

And we’ve created the perfect place for you to do just that.

Join BASB Foundation

Build your Second Brain on your own time and at your own pace.

  • 6 modules with succinct instructional videos: Absorb the fundamentals of the BASB methodology in the most distilled, easy-to-understand way
  • Pick-your-notes-app quiz & guidelines: Choose and properly set up the right notetaking app for your needs
  • Guided implementation steps: Put what you learn into practice immediately while avoiding the biggest pitfalls
  • The BASB Playbook: Get your own “cheat sheet”, reminding you of the main concepts and lessons learned
  • 30-day money-back guarantee: Try BASB Foundation risk-free and focus on learning 
  • Access for the lifetime of the course
BASB Foundation is also available in Spanish and Portuguese.

The Building a Second Brain Promise

When you join Building a Second Brain, we promise that you’ll…

Beat information overload

You’ll reduce stress and anxiety by knowing what to keep and what to ignore. Your best ideas will be preserved forever in a way you can easily find them again.

Organize your digital life

You’ll create a digital environment that promotes flow, clarity, and peace of mind so you can do your best work at any time.

Make consistent progress on your most important projects

You’ll be able to focus your time and energy on the things most meaningful to you, whether that’s your family, a new creative challenge, or your career or business growth.

Here’s how people from every profession and industry are benefiting from Building a Second Brain

Visit our Wall of Love for more in-depth reviews of Building a Second Brain. 

What you’ll be learning and doing in Building a Second Brain

Every module contains short, to-the-point videos, concrete action steps, and reflection exercises so you can put what you learn into practice immediately. 

Module 1: Set the foundation and choose your notetaking app
  • Find out why you need to build a personal notetaking system even though you can “google” anything.
  • Discover the four superpowers a Second Brain instills in you that will impress anyone you work with.
  • Pick a notetaking app, the heart of your Second Brain, based on your unique notetaking style and preferences.
  • Start using your notetaking app right away with our guidance and without having to “master” every single feature.
  • Feel confident in your decision about which tools to use so you can stop jumping from one “shiny object” to the next.
  • Get introduced to the CODE Method, the intuitive process for turning raw information into concrete results.
Module 2: Capture your best ideas and the crucial information in your life and work
  • Adopt the mindset of a curator to escape information overwhelm once and for all.
  • Set up your digital capture system with our best practices for saving any type of information. 
  • Identify your personal “capture criteria” using the 12-Favorite-Problems exercise, inspired by Nobel prize-winning scientist Richard Feynman.
  • Avoid saving too much without FOMO, knowing what’s worth saving in your Second Brain and what isn’t.
  • Distinguish between personal and work-related notes and help your organization create a shared Second Brain.
Module 3: Organize your notes for actionability and easy access 
  • Organize your entire digital life in seconds with the PARA Method – a favorite among Second Brainers.
  • Set up your Second Brain as a dynamic system that evolves along with your needs and priorities.
  • Learn when to organize your notes and how to decide where to save individual notes instantly so that you can easily find them again later. 
  • Discover the incredible power of a project list to bring you closer to the most important goals in your life.
  • Create a digital working environment that enhances your creativity and helps you get into flow states faster.
Module 4: Distill your notes to make them easily discoverable
  • Find the missing link to making your notes discoverable so that your Second Brain doesn’t turn into an idea graveyard.
  • Design your notes in a way that makes them most useful for your future self, saving you tons of time.
  • Practice a technique called Progressive Summarization so your biggest insights are always front and center.
  • Train your intuition to decide what's important and what's not in the moment based on “resonance.”
  • Avoid the three most common mistakes of novice notetakers and take the effort out of distilling your notes.
Module 5: Express your ideas and turn them into concrete results
  • Use the concept of Intermediate Packets to completely transform the way you approach any new project.
  • Never start anything from scratch again and make progress in any span of time you have available.
  • Become interruption-proof and get better and faster feedback than you ever thought possible.
  • Retrieve your best ideas exactly when you need them to become the most prepared person in the room (without preparing).
Module 6: Establish the habits to continuously benefit from your Second Brain
  • Learn to balance the two phases of any creative endeavor so that you can thrive in each.
  • Always finish what you started with three powerful strategies (#2 was a favorite of Ernest Hemingway).
  • Discover how two simple checklists can help you fast-track your projects and goals.
  • Establish a Weekly Review as a routine check-in to keep your Second Brain in order and your productivity, creativity, and peace of mind on track.
  • Upgrade your mindset from scarcity to abundance so that nothing can stand in your way when you go after what you want.

Watch the first lesson for FREE

Join BASB Foundation

Build your Second Brain on your own time and at your own pace.

  • 6 modules with succinct instructional videos: Absorb the fundamentals of the BASB methodology in the most distilled, easy-to-understand way
  • Pick-your-notes-app quiz & guidelines: Choose and properly set up the right notetaking app for your needs
  • Guided implementation steps: Put what you learn into practice immediately while avoiding the biggest pitfalls
  • The BASB Playbook: Get your own “cheat sheet”, reminding you of the main concepts and lessons learned
  • 30-day money-back guarantee: Try BASB Foundation risk-free and focus on learning 
  • Access for the lifetime of the course
BASB Foundation is also available in Spanish and Portuguese.

Get reimbursed by your employer

Most large organizations, and many smaller ones, will reimburse tuition for professional development.

Click here to download a proposal template.

Is Building a Second Brain right for you?

Building a Second Brain is for ambitious learners, creators, and thinkers who want to create more meaningful work in the digital age.

Knowledge Workers

Anyone who needs to consume a lot of information, understand it, and use it to produce a result in their jobs. Whether you’re in Tech, Finance, or Management— if your greatest asset is your knowledge, Building a Second Brain is for you.

Creators

As a YouTuber, blogger, podcaster, or someone who needs to give killer presentations at work, a Second Brain will help you capture and organize your ideas, so you always have rich material to pull from.

Students

If you’re working on a thesis or want to make sure every ounce of your learning is captured and secure forever, Building a Second Brain will help you get the most out of your studies and stand out among your peers.

Freelancers & Entrepreneurs

Having trouble managing all the information you need to run your business? Building a Second Brain will help you work on your business and in your business without dropping any balls.

Families

Managing a household can be chaotic and draining. But when you leverage technology the right way and build a Second Brain to offload some of the burden, you can thrive, not just survive, at home.

Life-Long Learners, Productivity & Self-Improvement Enthusiasts

You’re consuming a ton of useful information but struggle to put it into practice. Now you can save all the knowledge you’ve gained, find it when you need it, and take the necessary steps to improve your life.

Anyone who wants to succeed in the digital economy:

Our digital lives are expanding exponentially. Your profession and pursuits require you to consume and understand more information than ever, and it’s only going to get more demanding. Building a Second Brain is the answer to information overload and overwhelm. You’ll clear the mental clutter so you can start doing your best work with more clarity, purpose, and ease.

Dr. Michele Gill

Professor of Educational Psychology, University of Central Florida

Steven Wilkinson

Founder and Managing Director of Good and Prosper Ltd., Wicklow, Ireland

Building a Second Brain is life-changing. I feel more organized. I know where everything goes. It's cleared up my information hoarding and replaced it with buckets for distilled work.

Barjes R. Angulo

Financial Planner

After taking the BASB course, everything has changed for me. This system is GENIUS and I'm so excited to read the book!

Savera Tasawar

Project Manager

BASB has given me a roadmap of where I want my life to go. It's sparking some creativity in all my endeavors.

Diana Lyn Davidson

Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Artist, Writer & Photographer

BASB got me from 0 to a knowledge management system that makes me more effective by the day. This is almost an unfair advantage!

Adam Zielinski

Software Engineer

BASB has reduced my stress levels. I now feel less scattered and more directed.

Sheila Glesmann

Owner of Emission Strategies, Inc.

I feel as though I have increased my IQ by 20 points. Of course this isn't true, but it feels this way because I am thinking so much more clearly and with so much more relaxation and concentration.

Rob Joseph

Fractional CFO

Visit our Wall of Love for more in-depth reviews of Building a Second Brain.

Yet another “expensive self-help program”?

Look, at this point, you might be suspicious that Building a Second Brain is just yet another self-help program, promising the moon with productivity tips, life hacks, and “one weird trick.”

I get it.

There are far too many feel-good, wishy-washy “secret systems” cooked up by people looking to make a quick buck.

So I want to address any doubts in your mind head on

There are 7 critical differences between Building a Second Brain and so many other courses and programs out there

1. Building a Second Brain isn’t abstract and theoretical

This system was developed in the trenches of dealing with real-life problems, not in a laboratory or classroom, which means it is highly practical and immediately useful.

While we focus on practical skills, we don’t stop there: The course also cultivates the deeper mindset and paradigm shifts necessary to thrive in an age of information abundance.

2. Building a Second Brain isn’t a random collection of disconnected “tips and tricks”

This system was developed in the trenches of dealing with real-life problems, not in a laboratory or classroom, which means it is highly practical and immediately useful.

While we focus on practical skills, we don’t stop there: The course also cultivates the deeper mindset and paradigm shifts necessary to thrive in an age of information abundance.

It’s based on how the fundamental creative process works (and has worked for thousands of years):

  • Capturing information from the outside world
  • Organizing it in a way that lets you easily find and use it
  • Distilling it down to the best ideas
  • Expressing your ideas in your unique voice through writing, speaking, designing, or teaching

This is what we call the CODE method – our 4-step process for consistently turning the information you consume into creative output and concrete results.

3. Building a Second Brain doesn’t require you to work even harder and do even more

Organizing information for the sake of it isn’t the goal of a Second Brain. We teach you how to do more with less, to use the sources of leverage available to you, and to offload as much effort as possible to technology. As a result, you get more time and freedom to pursue the things that are important to you.

4. Building a Second Brain isn’t about optimizing or perfecting yourself

This is actually the opposite of self-improvement. Building a Second Brain is about optimizing a system outside of yourself – a system not subject to your limitations and constraints. It’s designed to leave you happily unoptimized, free to roam, to wonder, to wander toward whatever makes you feel alive here and now in each moment.

5. Building a Second Brain isn’t fixated on any particular app or software

Building a Second Brain is tool-agnostic, meaning it works with any app or platform you prefer to use. In our community, students use Evernote, Notion, Apple Notes, OneNote, Craft, Roam, Obsidian, Bear, Google Keep, among many other notetaking tools.

6. Building a Second Brain doesn’t require any pre-existing knowledge or skills

Building a Second Brain only requires you to have the most basic familiarity with how to use a computer or smartphone. And because we’ve noticed that so many people begin the course without knowing which notetaking app to use, we’ll guide you through choosing one before the first live session.

7. Building a Second Brain isn’t a “take it or leave it” ideology where you must accept all or nothing

Applying even one or two of the methods I teach can revolutionize your productivity and learning. And if any part doesn’t make sense or doesn’t resonate with you, put it aside. You can mix and match the tools and techniques you learn to suit your needs.

Join BASB Foundation

Build your Second Brain on your own time and at your own pace.

  • 6 modules with succinct instructional videos: Absorb the fundamentals of the BASB methodology in the most distilled, easy-to-understand way
  • Pick-your-notes-app quiz & guidelines: Choose and properly set up the right notetaking app for your needs
  • Guided implementation steps: Put what you learn into practice immediately while avoiding the biggest pitfalls
  • The BASB Playbook: Get your own “cheat sheet”, reminding you of the main concepts and lessons learned
  • 30-day money-back guarantee: Try BASB Foundation risk-free and focus on learning 
  • Access for the lifetime of the course
BASB Foundation is also available in Spanish and Portuguese.

Answers to your Frequently Asked Questions

How long will I have access to the material?

You’ll have access for the lifetime of the product.

How much time do I need to invest to benefit from Building a Second Brain?

We’ve designed BASB Foundation to fit your schedule and pace.

While you can watch the video lessons in just two hours, we highly recommend that you follow the action steps to put the BASB system into practice.

It will take some time and effort to implement, but ultimately, building and leveraging your Second Brain will save you countless hours. 

What tools are used in Building a Second Brain?

Building a Second Brain is tool-agnostic, meaning our methodology will work in any software you prefer.

Students use Evernote, Notion, Apple Notes, OneNote, Craft, Roam Research, Obsidian, Bear, and Google Keep, among many other notetaking tools.

The videos in the course will show you examples primarily in Evernote and Apple Notes – because they are some of the simplest, most easily understood notes apps available.

Are there any prerequisites for this course?

There are no official prerequisites to take Building a Second Brain. However, we do expect you to be reasonably comfortable with using a computer or smartphone.

What’s your refund policy?

Your satisfaction is our #1 goal, and we want the decision to join BASB Foundation to be 100% risk-free so you can focus on learning.

If you decide the course didn’t deliver on its promise for any reason, fill out this form within 30 days of your purchase to get a refund.

Do you offer discounts or scholarships?

We don’t offer discounts or scholarships. Instead, we support Purchasing Power Parity Pricing. Based on your location, you might qualify for a reduced price for BASB Foundation.

If you do, you’ll automatically see a banner with a discount code on this page. Make sure to disable any VPN since this will block the banner from showing.

What kind of payment plans do you offer?

We’re happy to offer you “buy now, pay later” options through Klarna and Afterpay/Clearpay, which enable you to pay for our courses in interest-free installments.

On our checkout pages, you’ll find these options under “Payment Methods".

Currently, “buy now, pay later” is available in the United States only.

Didn’t see the answer to your question? Check our Help Center for more FAQs. 

A final word from Tiago

Imagine what it would be like if you knew with total certainty that every great idea you encountered was reliably saved forever.

That you could wave goodbye to information overload because you have a way to filter out the junk while saving only the best stuff.

You could move forward decisively on your goals without wondering whether you had all the right information. You could execute your projects and create new things without wondering whether this was really the best you could do.

If you're paid to think for a living, you cannot afford not to invest in the most valuable asset you own – your ideas.

You can’t afford to burden your biological brain with trivial details that only gunk up your wheels as you go about your workday and go after your goals.

It’s time to build a Second Brain and fully unlock the potential you know you are capable of.

Don't spend 10 years figuring out how to make your knowledge work for you like I did. Don't resign yourself to watching your ideas pile up and never doing anything with them. Don't reach the end of your career wondering if you were actually capable of more.

Join me on this incredible journey, and find out what it's really like to have the full power of a Second Brain at your fingertips.

See you inside!

Tiago

Alysson Costa

Senior Lecturer and Mathematician, Melbourne, Australia

Harirai Khalsa

Writer, Musician, and Entrepreneur, in Santa Fe, New Mexico

BASB has already impacted my life in more ways than I could have imagined. Now, I feel like an authority and I am not worried about expressing myself. 

Jenn Reid

Imagine being able to recall all the really interesting things you’ve ever read, seen and done. How good would that be? I wish I had done it years ago.

Jimmy Conway

Organizational Improvement Consultant

This course completely re-organized the way I consume content. It changed what I pay attention to and why.

Yuri Burchenya

Co-founder at GetFoundXL

As a long-term collector of information that often sat unread and unused, BASB has changed my approach to information and the possibilities are just beginning to unfold. This was life-changing.

Kiva Slade

Analytics and Operations Consultant

The world is waiting for you to make the difference that only you can make. 

Join BASB Foundation

Our self-paced course to build your Second Brain on your own time.

  • 6 modules with succinct instructional videos: Absorb the fundamentals of the BASB methodology in the most distilled, easy-to-understand way
  • Pick-your-notes-app quiz & guidelines: Choose and properly set up the right notetaking app for your needs
  • Guided implementation steps: Put what you learn into practice immediately while avoiding the biggest pitfalls
  • The BASB Playbook: Get your own “cheat sheet”, reminding you of the main concepts and lessons learned
  • 30-day money-back guarantee: Try BASB Foundation risk-free and focus on learning 
  • Access for the lifetime of the course
BASB Foundation is also available in Spanish and Portuguese.