Why I Will No Longer Teach Building a Second Brain

This month will be the last time I teach a cohort of Building a Second Brain.

After teaching 6k graduates in 16 cohorts over 6 years, it’s time to pass the torch to new instructors who will take over from here on out.

Here’s why I’m making this decision:

At every point in my journey, I’ve been surprised by how passionate people are about their notetaking systems.

I’ve had to continuously elevate my horizons and think at bigger scales as I’ve seen what a profound impact it can have on people when they find one that works for them.

At first, I thought it was just about ditching tags and clearing your Evernote inbox.

Then about how to organize Evernote generally, then about how to organize all digital files, then about how to use productivity apps, then about how to create new things…

Now I believe having a Second Brain is a gateway to a completely new paradigm: How to leverage the two most powerful forces in human history – technology and knowledge – to create a life more exciting and meaningful than you can imagine.

We start with how to use a specific category of software – notes apps. And end up changing how people manage their time, relate to their own ideas, work with others, progress through their career, create content, build products and services, and so much more.

I’ve now published a book that’s on its way to 20+ languages, meaning 60% of the world can read it in their own language.

We’ve launched Foundation, a completely self-paced version of Building a Second Brain that anyone can take at any time.

And we’ll continue to publish blog posts and YouTube videos.

We’ve also made many changes to ensure what we teach is as accessible as possible:

• Centralized everything we do on Circle, so the community is front and center
• Reduced the price of joining a cohort by 50% from $1,499 to $749
• Increased from 2 to 4 cohorts per year, with live sessions delivered in 2 time zones
• Expanded from a one-time cohort model to a Membership with year-round events
• Turned on “always on” purchasing for both Foundation and the Membership so people can join anytime

The core material of how to create a Second Brain is now well-established, and widely available to anyone who wants to do so at whichever price, pace, and format they choose.

But I sense an unexplored frontier out there waiting to be discovered.

I’m asking myself questions such as:

• How can the latest generation of “graph-based” second brain apps be leveraged best?
• How will AI change how we work with knowledge?
• What does knowledge management in teams and organization look like?
• How can the Theory of Constraints, JIT manufacturing, and info science be applied to modern knowledge work?
• How can sci-fi help us visualize and prepare for the future?

There’s another reason it’s important for others to take over the teaching of our educational programs.

There isn’t just one way to create a system of knowledge management. There isn’t one app, one method, one approach, or one way of doing it “right.”

There are as many types of Second Brains as there are first brains. We’re seeing a neurodiversity revolution, and it’s crucial that the way we use software fits with the wildly diverse ways our minds work.

We need many more different kinds of people to teach how they use their Second Brain. By letting the most successful graduates of BASB – the ones who have demonstrated that they know how to produce results – teach our cohorts, we’ll break out of the one-size-fits-all paradigm.

We’ll unlock a cornucopia of different techniques and philosophies for doing what really matters: Helping people find their voice, realize their vision, and create the change they want to see in the world with the help of technology and the Internet.

The Second Brain concept didn’t originate with me and won’t end with me.

It’s an idea that’s loose in the world, seeking new avenues for expression as humans come to grips with the god-like powers technology now gives them.

The future I want to be part of is one where there is an entire industry of PKM coaches, consultants, teachers, builders, creators, and entrepreneurs. I hope our company can become a platform for finding and nurturing a new generation of talent in this field.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who has been a part of this journey with me. It has been one of the most meaningful experiences of my life.

It’s been such an honor to serve you, and I hope you’ll allow me to continue doing so.

By the way, if you want to be part of my farewell tour, join us for Cohort 16 starting January 10th.

I’ll take you through the process of setting up your own Second Brain system, and then using it to complete a year-end review and set your goals for 2023.