Second Brain

Overview

The Second Brain template combines Tiago Forte's PARA method with Obsidian's superpower — linking. Instead of burying notes in deep folders, you keep a shallow structure and connect ideas with Maps of Content (MOCs). The result is a knowledge base that grows more useful over time rather than harder to navigate.

What is Second Brain?

A PARA + Maps of Content template for building a personal knowledge management system. Organize notes into Projects, Areas, Resources, and Archives with linked index notes.

Key Features

• ▸PARA top-level structure: Projects, Areas, Resources, Archives
• ▸Maps of Content (MOC) index notes instead of deep folders
• ▸Works beautifully with the Dataview plugin for automated indexes
• ▸Encourages linking over filing

How to Install Second Brain

1. 1Create the four PARA folders plus an MOCs/ folder.
2. 2Create a Home.md note that links to your top-level MOCs.
3. 3Install the Dataview plugin to auto-generate lists inside MOCs.
4. 4When you add a note, link it from a relevant MOC instead of deep-nesting it.

How to Use Second Brain

Start every capture in a daily note or inbox, then link it into the right MOC when you process it.

Use Dataview queries inside each MOC to automatically surface related notes by tag or folder, so your maps stay up to date without manual maintenance.

Frequently Asked Questions