I recently tried a Wild Mint beard balm. I rarely use this kind of stuff, but I gotta say—this was awesome. It felt like I brushed my face with minty fresh toothpaste.
I know, you’re probably thinking, “What the heck does this have to do with note-taking and the Zettelkasten?” But that’s the point. Beard balm and note-taking don’t “go together.”
This is category-driven thinking. Let that go, and you’ll begin to see interesting connections everywhere.
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Interestingly, the word balm traces back to the Latin balsamum, referring to a fragrant resin used for healing and preservation.
In a way, that’s what beard balm does—it restores and revitalizes.
And isn’t that exactly what happens when you work a new idea into your Zettelkasten? It infuses your system with fresh potential, preserving and enhancing what’s already there.
Here’s how this plays out in practice:
Go for Quality Ingredients
The particular balm I got was from the brand Cremo. They pride themselves on using “astonishingly superior ingredients.” A balm that smells nice but doesn’t actually soften or style a beard isn’t effective.
What would happen if we approached our Zettelkasten this way? Only astonishingly superior ideas should make their way into our idea ecosystem.
Let’s break that down with a quick linguistic exploration:
Astonishingly: causing a feeling of great surprise and wonder.
Superior: excellent of its kind.
Notice how “astonishingly” amplifies “superior.” That’s the standard we want for our notes: ideas that aren’t just “good” but the best of their kind, capable of surprising and inspiring us.
Start with a Small Dab
The directions on the balm container said to use a small amount (the size of a nickel). At first, I thought that wouldn’t be enough, but I soon realized it was more than enough to do the job.
It’s the same with your ideas. Start small—capturing a single thought or insight. A single idea is easier to work into your system than trying to process multiple at once. One idea at a time.
The beauty of the Zettelkasten is that even the tiniest note can lead to significant insights when allowed to interact with other ideas.
Permeate & Saturate
An idea needs to spread throughout your Zettelkasten to take full effect, much like the balm had to be worked into my entire beard—not just one spot.
To help your ideas spread, think context over categories.
Too often, we organize ideas by topic, placing them into neatly labeled boxes. But boxes don’t encourage growth—they simply store things. Instead, think of your Zettelkasten as a garden where ideas grow and cross-pollinate.
In a garden, ideas aren’t confined; they’re nurtured. Similarly, your Zettelkasten isn’t about rigidly maintaining a library of thoughts. It’s about cultivating a dynamic network of connections.
Rather than asking, “What category does this belong in?” ask, “Where do I want to bump into this note again?”
This shifts your focus from classification to connection. The magic happens when an idea collides and combines with seemingly unrelated ideas. This is the essence of creativity—pairing unlikely thoughts to spark new insights.
Write About the Connections
Connecting one note to another through links is a powerful first step, but it’s not the end.
To truly work an idea into your Zettelkasten, you need to write about the connection.
Writing bridges the connections and deepens your understanding.
Ask yourself:
How are these ideas connected?
Why are they similar?
How are they different?
How do they enhance each other?
Writing forces you to reflect on these questions, solidifying the connection and often leading to new insights.
This approach isn’t just about organizing notes—it’s about transforming the way you think.
Like working balm into a beard, working ideas into your Zettelkasten creates a system that’s alive, evolving, and full of potential.
What small, minty-fresh idea can you start working into your Zettelkasten today? Start small, connect deeply, and watch as it transforms your creative ecosystem.