Obsidian for Beginners: Start HERE — How to Use the Obsidian App for Notes

Summary

In this tutorial, Nick Milo introduces Obsidian, a note-making app, to beginners. He guides viewers through downloading and setting up Obsidian, creating a vault, and making their first note. Nick emphasizes the importance of linking notes, which he illustrates by creating connections between ideas such as 'The Matrix' and 'adversity paradox'. He also touches on the benefits of linking thoughts for memory recall and creativity, suggesting that Obsidian can be a powerful tool for creators and thinkers alike.

Takeaways

• 💻 **Downloading Obsidian**: Start by downloading Obsidian from its official website and adding it to your applications.
• 🗂️ **Creating a Vault**: A vault in Obsidian is a folder that contains all your notes and is crucial for organizing your thoughts.
• ✍️ **Making Notes**: Begin by creating notes, which are plain text files (.md), ensuring future-proofing and accessibility.
• 🔗 **Linking Notes**: Use the '[[]]' syntax to create links between notes, which is a fundamental feature for connecting ideas.
• 🎯 **Conceptual Linking**: Linking notes to concepts, like 'red pill blue pill' from the Matrix, helps in structuring thoughts and making connections.
• 📚 **Building on Ideas**: Expand on concepts by creating new notes and linking them to existing ones, building a network of thoughts.
• 🔄 **Backlinks and Context**: Utilize backlinks to see how different notes are interconnected and gain context from these relationships.
• 🌐 **Graph View**: Use the graph view to visualize the connections between notes, enhancing the understanding of your thought network.
• 📈 **Growth Over Time**: As you add more notes and links, the value of your notes grows, reflecting your evolving thoughts and experiences.
• 💡 **Enhanced Recall and Creativity**: Linking thoughts in Obsidian improves memory recall and fosters creativity by making new connections.
• 👥 **Practical Applications**: The linked notes can be a valuable resource for creators, aiding in writing articles or preparing speeches.

Q & A

What is Obsidian and how is it used according to the video?

Obsidian is a note-making app that allows users to create, link, and organize their thoughts and notes in a digital environment. It is used for creating a 'vault' which is essentially a folder where Obsidian looks for its files, and within this vault, users can create notes and link them to form a network of thoughts.

How do you download and install Obsidian as per the video?

To download Obsidian, you go to Safari, type in 'Obsidian.md', and download the latest version. After it downloads, you open the app and drag it into your Applications folder.

What is a 'vault' in the context of Obsidian?

A 'vault' in Obsidian is a folder that the app uses to store and manage your notes. It's where Obsidian looks for files, and it's essentially a container for your notes and the links between them.

How do you create a new note in Obsidian?

In Obsidian, you create a new note by clicking the 'New Note' button, which allows you to change the title and add content. The note is saved as a .md file, which is a type of plain text file.

What is the significance of linking notes in Obsidian?

Linking notes in Obsidian is significant because it allows you to create connections between different ideas and concepts, mimicking how the brain naturally makes associations. This can enhance recall, build complex thought structures, and make your note-taking more dynamic and interconnected.

How does Obsidian handle linking between notes?

Obsidian handles linking between notes by using a double bracket syntax '[[note-title]]' which creates a link to another note. Clicking on the linked note title navigates to that note, allowing for easy navigation between related ideas.

What is the concept of 'red pill, blue pill' mentioned in the video?

The 'red pill, blue pill' concept mentioned in the video refers to a choice presented in the movie 'The Matrix', symbolizing the decision between embracing the truth (red pill) or remaining in blissful ignorance (blue pill). It's used in the video to demonstrate how to link notes in Obsidian.

How does the video presenter use the 'adversity paradox' in Obsidian?

The video presenter uses the 'adversity paradox' as a concept linked to the 'red pill, blue pill' note in Obsidian. It represents the idea that we grow stronger from the challenges we face in life, and it's an example of how personal experiences can be connected to broader concepts within the app.

What is the purpose of the graph view in Obsidian?

The graph view in Obsidian provides a visual representation of the connections between your notes, showing how they are linked. This helps in understanding the relationships and context between different ideas and can aid in navigating through your thought network.

Why does the video presenter believe linking thoughts is valuable?

The video presenter believes linking thoughts is valuable because it improves recall, allows for the building of complex ideas over time, and can be a foundation for creating content like articles or speeches. It also enhances conversations by providing a rich tapestry of interconnected ideas.

What is the benefit of using Obsidian for creators according to the video?

For creators, Obsidian is beneficial as it allows them to build a repository of interconnected ideas that can be drawn upon when creating new content. It streamlines the process by providing a structure for thoughts and concepts that can be crafted into articles, speeches, or other creative works.

Outlines

00:00

💻 Introduction to Obsidian

Nick Milo introduces a video tutorial on using Obsidian, a note-making app, for beginners. He guides viewers on downloading and setting up Obsidian, creating a new vault (a folder for storing notes), and making the first note. The video emphasizes the importance of the 'new note' feature and demonstrates how to create a link between notes, which is a key feature of Obsidian that helps in connecting thoughts and ideas.

05:03

🔗 Linking Ideas and Building Connections

The script continues with Nick discussing the concept of linking notes in Obsidian, which helps in organizing thoughts and creating a network of ideas. He uses the example of the movie 'The Matrix' to illustrate how one can link different notes based on themes or concepts. Nick also introduces the idea of 'backlinks' or 'linked mentions,' which allow users to see how different notes are interconnected. The script highlights the value of this linking system in enhancing memory recall and building a rich repository of thoughts over time.

10:10

🌐 The Power of Externalized Thinking

In the final paragraph, Nick explores the practical implications of using Obsidian for creators and thinkers. He explains how linking thoughts can aid in the process of creating new content, such as articles or speeches, by providing a solid foundation of ideas. Nick also touches on how this method of note-taking can enrich conversations by allowing individuals to draw insights from a wide range of topics. The video concludes with a call to action for viewers to subscribe for more tutorials on Obsidian and to engage with the content by liking, commenting, and asking questions.

Keywords

💡Obsidian

Obsidian is a note-making and knowledge management software that allows users to create, link, and organize notes in a non-linear, interconnected manner. In the video, it serves as the central tool for demonstrating how to manage and link thoughts effectively. The script describes the process of downloading Obsidian, creating a vault (a folder for notes), and making the first note.

💡Vault

A vault in Obsidian is a folder that the software uses to store and manage notes. It is a fundamental concept in the software as it represents the container for all the user's notes and files. The script mentions creating a new vault on the desktop to start using Obsidian.

💡Note

In the context of Obsidian, a note is an individual file where thoughts, ideas, or information are recorded. Notes can be linked to one another, creating a web of interconnected thoughts. The script guides viewers through creating their first note and emphasizes the importance of the 'new note' button.

💡Markdown

Markdown is a lightweight markup language used to format plain text files. In Obsidian, notes are saved as .md files, which are Markdown files that can be read by any text editor. The script explains that notes in Obsidian are saved as plain text files, ensuring longevity and accessibility.

💡Linking

Linking in Obsidian refers to the action of creating connections between notes, which helps in establishing relationships and context among different pieces of information. The script illustrates how linking notes can mimic the way our brains naturally make connections and enhance the recall of information.

💡Backlinks

Backlinks in Obsidian are references or mentions of one note within another. They allow users to see the context in which a note is being referenced, providing a different perspective on the information. The script uses the example of linking 'adversity paradox' to 'red pill blue pill' to demonstrate backlinks.

💡Graph view

The graph view in Obsidian is a visual representation of the network of notes and their connections. It helps users to see the bigger picture of their notes and the relationships between them. The script describes how the graph view shows the interconnected notes created during the tutorial.

💡Future-proofing

Future-proofing, as mentioned in the script, refers to the practice of creating documents or files in a format that will remain accessible and readable regardless of future technological changes. Using plain text files in Obsidian is an example of future-proofing because plain text can be read by any computer.

💡Contextual goodness

Contextual goodness in the script refers to the rich interconnections and relationships between notes that provide deeper understanding and meaning. It is achieved by linking notes in Obsidian, which allows for the cultivation of thoughts and ideas over time.

💡Recall

Recall, in the context of the video, is the ability to remember and retrieve information or thoughts. Linking notes in Obsidian is said to improve recall by creating a network of interconnected ideas that are easier to remember. The script emphasizes the importance of being able to find and recall thoughts when needed.

💡Externalizing thoughts

Externalizing thoughts means capturing and recording ideas outside of one's mind, typically in a written or digital format. The script suggests that by using Obsidian to link and organize thoughts, users are externalizing their thinking, which can lead to better organization and recall of those thoughts.

Highlights

Introduction to Obsidian as a note-making app for beginners.

Downloading and installing Obsidian from Obsidian.md.

Creating a new vault in Obsidian, which is a folder for storing notes.

Creating the first note in Obsidian and understanding the interface.

Explaining that notes in Obsidian are saved as .md files, which are plain text files.

Demonstrating how to create a second note and link it to the first note.

Discussing the importance of linking notes to mimic the way our brains work.

Using the example of the movie 'The Matrix' to create and link notes.

Exploring the concept of choices and challenges through the 'red pill, blue pill' metaphor.

Describing the process of creating a new note from a highlighted text selection.

Discussing the idea of 'adversity paradox' and its connection to personal growth.

Linking the concept of adversity to Viktor Frankl's 'Man's Search for Meaning'.

Highlighting the power of linking thoughts and making connections over time.

Explaining backlinks and how they work in Obsidian.

Introducing the graph view feature in Obsidian for visualizing note connections.

Discussing how note value grows over time as more experiences are added.

Emphasizing the importance of linking thoughts for improved recall and creativity.

Practical applications of Obsidian for creators and in conversations.

Invitation to subscribe for more videos on Obsidian for beginners.

Transcripts

In this video, we're going to dive into the note making app obsidian as if we are a complete

beginner. Hi, I'm Nick Milo, and welcome to linking your thinking, where we talk about

the how and why of making meaningful notes. Let's get started. Okay, let's start by downloading

Obsidian. Go to Safari, type in Obsidian.md and just download the latest version. Allow

that to download, close this. Once it's done, open it up and simply drag it into applications.

So I've already done that, and I've put it into my doc here. So let's open it up first

time, it should look like this for you. And it's saying open folder as vault, create a

new vault what's a vault vault is simply a folder that obsidian is looking at for its

files. So let's create a new vault and let's just call it folder and browsing location.

Let's put that folder on the desktop. And let's create it. Here it is. So what we see

is it just it's right here. That's all it is. Simple folder. Okay, so this is obsidian

we're in, this is what it looks like, a little intimidating. I want you just to focus on

this button, a new note. That's the most important note right now. So let's click on that. gonna

blow it up a little bit. Right away. It allows us to change the title up here. Let's call

this guy note star. Our very first note, I hit Tab puts my cursor here, and I'm just

going to say hi, I'm a new note. That's all No sir is just saying I'm a new note. So what

we want to see here is that if we go back to the desktop in this folder, this is note

star. That's it. the.md file. markdown, which is the same as a plain text file that you

can open up with TextEdit, which is on any Mac in the world. It's plain text is a type

of format that as long as there are computers, there will be computers that can read plain

text. And that's what we mean by different term future proofing that we'll get to later.

Now going back to obsidian, we've made a note but what happens when we want to make a second

note, remember this new note, new note, Okay, and let's call this one.

Never note.

No one likes me. Pay only like, this is the first magical moment in a software that can

make links. I'm gonna hit bracket bracket which pulls up a list of all my notes and

I'm going to select note star. They only Like note star. Now if I do a click on note star,

it takes me back to that original note.

That is a huge, huge game changer. I mean, I'm getting goosebumps here. Because once

we start linking our thinking, it opens up a whole new avenue of thinking, honestly,

it kind of reopens at the avenue of how our brains actually work. So we're kind of getting

closer to what feels natural. bliss. Let's use like a real situation on this. Imagine

you have a favorite movie, we all have our favorite movies. For me, one of my favorite

movies is the matrix. It comes up all the time in conversations. I'm thinking about

the red pill and the blue pill and choices. So why not kind of externalize that in this

piece of software. So let's go back to New No, MC and say the matrix and I have pre written

one sentence So, first off, what am I trying to do here? I'm not trying to make a critique

of the movie, I could, I absolutely could. But for my purposes, what I like are the ideas,

the concepts that I that I glean from different sources such as movies like The Matrix, and

Morpheus presents Neil with this choice, the infamous red pill, blue pill. And so what

I'm going to do is just highlight this, I'm actually just going to hit the bracket, and

then bracket button again. And so I've created a potential new note. Now once I click on

it, now it's a new note over here, here it is, right? That's pretty cool. That's really

powerful. That's awesome. So what's so cool about red pill blue pill? Well, it's really

about choices and the willingness to to have one's beliefs challenged. And you know, the

more I thought about this concept I threw in a second sentence, which is perhaps it's

so difficult to take the red pill Because we lose that sense of control, right? And

sense of control, it's definitely something that's integral to a lot of my thinking about

when I, you know, feel in charge of what I'm trying to accomplish. And other times when

I feel like chaos is taking over. So I know that's a note in the future that I want to

create. But here's the thing, right? Now, I can just add these brackets, and it won't

create the new note until I click on it. So it's just kind of a placeholder, it's a reminder

for myself. Here's the other thing though, this reminds me of something. So I might type

here. Related, and let's call this adversity paradox. Cool. Now let's click on it to create

the new note. adversity paradox. And so the adversity paradox is this crazy idea that

we're never really seeking out adversity in our lives. But when we find it, we tend to

grow from it. So it's the idea that we get Stronger from the stressors in our lives.

I mean, that's pretty fascinating to me. So I'm thinking about this idea. And it makes

me think immediately to a book that I had to read in high school and I fell in love

with actually is by Viktor Frankl and is Man's Search for Meaning. And he makes the argument,

he's a Holocaust survivor. He was, and he makes the argument that it's not sex that

brings us meaning, like Freud would say, it's not power that brings us meaning, like Adler

said, it's suffering that brings us meaning. Now, like, nowhere in the adversity paradox,

is the concept of Viktor Frankl. But because of how our brains work from our own personal

experiences, in this case, mine, I was able to make this connection. And to me, this is

really powerful. And this is the power of linking your thinking is because you can create

these thoughts over time and they start to grow and build which we'll get into more.

So I'm just going to make the victor from Note I'm not going to touch it right now.

And I'm going to go back to the adversity paradox.

What else? What else? What else?

Maybe

never note could learn a thing or two from this concept. Alright, so now we tied Evernote

back into this. And this takes us to the next really cool aspect of linking your thinking

which is backlinks also known as linked mentions. So right now check this out. We're in this

note called adversity paradox. And it has a link mentioned to red pill blue pill. Let's

click back to that. Now what does that mean? on red pill blue pill it links to the adversity

paradox. So going back to the adversity paradox, here's the link mentioned right Now that we're

at red pill blue pill, we have that the matrix links to it, right. And we can even read in

context that it says Morpheus presents Neo with the choice. So we can click on that.

And now we're back to the matrix now. So that's how these linked mentions work. And it's a

great way, as you look at OneNote, to see all of the different connections that you've

made, which takes us to the last point, the last part of this demo, which is the graph

view.

Now check this out. This is pretty cool.

This is what we made in the program today. We started with note star, basically never

note didn't like note star, and was jealous of note star. And so when we linked the two

we formed a new relationship. And now these two notes are linked. And we can we can build

context through that link. And then never note. Well, we didn't go in this order, but

now it's connected to the adversity paradox. Which is connected to Viktor Frankl. adversity

paradox is also connected to red pill blue pill, which is connected to the matrix. So

in this way we have created all sorts of contextual goodness. So let's take a step back in a short

amount of time. We've made all sorts of new connections. We've externalized them in a

program like obsidian, and we started to grow them and cultivate them. And the magic is,

let's go back in because let's say a year passes, and I get back to this red pill, blue

pill, and I'm thinking to myself, you know, this reminds me of something that just happened

yesterday to me and I and I write this in. This reminds me of something that just happened,

etc, etc. And so do we see what's happening here? This note doesn't lose its value over

time. Its value actually grows in time as I have more experiences and I externalized

experiences, the connections grow. Why is this important? First and foremost, when you

link your thinking, you improve your ability to recall those memories, those those thoughts,

those ideas. And that's the most important thing. We want to be able to have confidence

that we can find what we're looking for when we want to find it. That is first and foremost.

And when we link we have a better chance of remembering. Secondly, it allows us to build

things as we're seeing here. So we might not start with the perfect, Michelangelo sculpted

out of marble, but we can get there slowly over time, right? And that's just through

our own experiences that we're adding value to our existing collection of thoughts. But

practically, you might be thinking, why is this important? Well, it depends. I mean,

if you're somebody who is a creator, this is the perfect way to create a new article,

or make a new speech, because you've already done 80% of the work. Now is just crafting

it and honing it for whatever particular medium that you hope to deploy it in. But I find

that a lot of value just comes from having conversations with other people. And and having

this in the back of my mind, I'm making all sorts of leaps of insights across genres and

domains. And it just makes every conversation that you enter that much more interesting

and fun and engaging. Because now when you're listening, you're more actively engaged because

you're trying to, you know, understand, whatever that person is saying, in some other concepts

that you've taken some time to really flesh out. And this is where newness and novelty

comes from. And that's going to wrap up our first video on the basics of obsidian. We

didn't just cover the how but we really dove into the why. And I hope you can start to

see why this is so exciting. Hey, if you like this video, it's the first in a series of

videos on covering the note making up obsidian as if you are a complete beginner. If you

liked it, please subscribe below because there will be Many more. If you liked it also, hey,

give it a thumbs up, make a comment down below. I'll do my best to answer. I'm so thankful

that you watch and look forward to seeing you in the next video.