A Zettel is for long-term storage, it stores ideas & concepts as a reference for a library of personal knowledge that you accrue over time. # Overview of Properties | Structure | Main Concern | Organization | Strength | Weakness | | -------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------- | ------------- | --------------------- | --------- | | "Such and such is like that and it relates to XYZ in this way" | Ideas & Concepts | Categorically | Reference & Synthesis | Maintence | ## Structure It's structure will typically be in the form > "Such and such is like that and it relates to XYZ in this way" ### Examples - Atoms are the indivisible physical structures of the universe and are related to molecules which are chemically bonded atoms - An idea is like an atom, a small structure that holds information or an insight; and, a concept is like a molecule in that it is a group of ideas but has it's own unique properties. ## Main Concern __Ideas & Concepts__ is the significant unit for a zettel. The focus of a zettel tends to be exploration and substantiating an idea. They offer as jumping off points to other zettels and aim to be either linked to or linked from other zettels to create a graph of ideas. ## Organization Zettels' organization is primarily __Categorically__. > Although, it is possible to be organized by project or, if the journal is written to span longer periods of time by category. The main focus is the tending to zettels - not so much how they are actually organized, or reflected upon; but, around their maintence. This is best done by a second brain system as a set of notes that link about each other. ## Strengths Zettels primary strength is __reference & synthesis__. A zettel allows you to store information in a format that you easily can consume later because you will have noted the important and relevant bits for your needs compared to soemthing for a general audience like the original format the idea came to you in. Not only is it in the same format but the power of it being in one place allows you see connections to other ideas you have captured and link them together. ## Weaknesses Zettels primary weakness is their __maintenance__. As with any high value thing, zettels have a cost associated with them, the burden of maintaining and acruing your knowledge garden. This is obviously a difficult task but with a system in place you can at least focus on the work of the actual knowledge as opposed to the work of figuring out how to organize, reference and other maintence of your knowledge garden.