Playful LEGO Factory - Crafting Snap-Together Notes

**Created**:: [[2025-04-06 Sunday]] **Link**:: https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk **Duration**:: 7:24 ![Playful LEGO Factory - Crafting Snap-Together Notes](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk) # Summary In this video, Zolt introduces a playful approach to Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) using the metaphor of LEGO. He emphasizes the importance of creativity and flexibility in note-taking, encouraging viewers to treat their notes as building blocks for new ideas rather than rigid structures. Additionally, Zolt outlines four creative constraints to enhance the effectiveness of drawing and writing in the note-taking process. # Key Takeaways - Treat notes as flexible LEGO blocks that can be reassembled creatively rather than as fixed structures. - Utilize illustrations as a means to filter and deepen understanding of ideas, making the note-taking process more engaging. - Implement creative constraints, such as standard sizing for fonts and icons, to maintain consistency and professionalism in visual notes. # Content Hey everyone, it's Jolt here. Welcome to Visual PKM. In last week's video, I talked about randomness and connection in Zettelkastens—how trains of thought emerge over time. Then I got this comment from Risky, who said that to him, Zettokastens just feels too heavy and structured, which stifles creativity. That's why I like to think about my notes not as zetals I must connect into logical sequences, but as LEGO blocks I can use to build anything I imagine. I'm not laying the tracks for the perfect trains of thought; I'm running a LEGO factory. When I read a book or listen to a podcast, I think of it as constructing a scene from a LEGO set. You get a box of LEGO and first build what's on the box, which is like reading the book and understanding the author's message. But then you take it apart and add the pieces to your LEGO collection, and you use your new and old pieces in new creations. I think about every note, every icon as a LEGO block I might use later. LEGO invites play; you don't build the same thing every time. You pour out the pieces on the carpet and follow your imagination. That's how I want my note-taking to feel. But how does this work in practice? I talk about this in Chapter 2 of my upcoming book, Sketch Your Mind. The chapter is called "The LEGO Approach to Playful Thinking." If this metaphor resonates with you, I think you'll love the book. Pre-orders are open now, and I would love for you to check it out. You'll find links in the video description. [* ](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=0) I've set four simple creative constraints for myself. First, if an idea resonates, I don’t just write about it; I create a simple illustration. The act of creating an illustration serves both as a filter and a tool for understanding. Let's see how I would capture this very idea. I recommend you follow along. I start by opening a blank drawing and searching for an icon. My go-to for icons is my own icon library, and only if I don't already have what I need do I go to external sources. This way, I reuse my icons, and they become connectors of ideas in my system. Let's use the filter coffee icon. This is an icon I modified from Flaticon. If you don't already have something similar, open flaticon.com and search for filter coffee. Select the icon, choose the style, and copy the PNG. Creating an illustration for an idea is a filter because it’s easy to copy and paste an interesting sentence from a book, but it takes effort to create a sketch. It’s also a tool for understanding because in creating the sketch, I must think more deeply about the message. Translating the abstract idea into a simple drawing forces deeper engagement. [* ](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=16) Second, I use standard size fonts and icons in all my illustrations. Just as every LEGO block has standard studs and cubes so they always connect, I do the same by creating visual notes that tile well. When you create a presentation, a storyboard, or a book on a page, consistent font and icon sizes make a world of difference. Your work will look more professional. Notice how the two callouts both used font size small. Now, let's also add a title to our card—something like "Sketches Filter and Clarify." I use large fonts for my titles. Third, I capture my illustrations on standard-sized cards. The constraint of a post-it note or index card focuses my attention on what’s truly important. Just like LEGO has different sized blocks, I don't use just one card size; I have smaller and larger ones. I've created a size guide that I keep in my stencil library. We won't go into all the tricks today, but this is my core tool for creating cards that tile well. Adding a frame around your card makes it feel even more like an index card. Finally, I limit my color palette. This speeds up the process since I don't need to think about colors and ensures the cards harmonize when used in storyboards or presentations. Look at my "book on a page" summary for Atomic Habits to see what I mean. I recommend starting with three colors: one main color, one accent, and one secondary for details and lines. Over the years, I've added a few more, but I still mostly stick to those three. [* ](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=127) Once your visual is ready, it's time to flip the card over and add notes and links to the back. In Obsidian Excalidraw, right-click the tab and select “open as markdown.” For now, let's keep our notes simple. Sketching ideas is a practical approach for creating atomic notes in a Zettelkasten system. Notes on the back of the card help articulate the idea and create connections to other notes. Additionally, writing taps into a different dimension of thinking. When you sketch and write, you become an ambidextrous thinker. Writing is your right hand; drawing is your left, but you need both to be efficient at most of your tasks. If you found this quick introduction insightful, I encourage you to explore cohort 13 of the visual thinking workshop. We'll read and explore Lanton’s new book, Tiny Experiments. First, we’ll read it the way Enlor built it. Then we’ll break it down, illustrate key ideas, and reassemble it as a "book on a page." You'll be left with visual LEGO blocks that you can reuse in your own thinking, with notes that actually invite play. Registration closes next Saturday, so now's the time to jump in. If that sounds exciting, check out the link in the description. Thank you. [* ](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=442) # YouTube Details ## YouTube Description 🚀📕 Book Launch site http://sketch-your-mind.com/ ✏️ Sign up for the Visual Thinking Workshop: https://www.visual-thinking-workshop.com/ 🚀 Cohort 13 starts on 12 April 2024. We'll be reading Tiny Experiments by Anne-Laure Le Cunff 🧑 💻 Join the Techno-Visual PKM Community https://www.visual-thinking-workshop.com/tvpkm ---- In this video I share how shifting from trains of thought to LEGO blocks has transformed the way I think about notes. Instead of building rigid sequences, I focus on creating modular, reusable blocks that invite play and creativity. I walk you through the four visual constraints I use to make my notes tile well—so they’re easy to reuse, remix, and build with. This idea is at the heart of Chapter 2 in my upcoming book Sketch Your Mind—pre-orders are open now. I also share details about Cohort 13 of the Visual Thinking Workshop, where we take a book apart like a LEGO set and rebuild it as a Book-on-a-Page. Thanks for watching! --- Timestamps [00:00](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=0) Welcome [00:06](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=6) Райски’s comment on the structure of Zettelkasten [00:27](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=27) Why I think of notes as LEGO blocks, not chains [00:45](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=45) Running a LEGO Factory of ideas [01:39](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=99) Chapter 2 of Sketch Your Mind: The LEGO Approach to Playful Thinking [02:05](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=125) My 4 creative constraints (1st: illustrate each idea) [02:30](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=150) Obsidian-Excalidraw demo: sketching a LEGO block [03:41](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=221) 2nd constraint: use standard sizes [04:28](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=268) 3rd constraint: work with standard-sized cards [05:10](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=310) 4th constraint: simplify your color palette [05:45](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=345) Adding back-of-the-card notes in Obsidian [06:18](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=378) Sketching + writing = ambidextrous thinking [06:37](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=397) Join Cohort 13 of the Visual Thinking Workshop ---- If you find my videos helpful, please say thanks by buying me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/zsolt 📩 If you want to connect, you can reach me: (@zsviczian) on the Obsidian Members Group (OMG) on Discord, or on 🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/zsviczian ---- Visual PKM: 📽️ Knowledge Discovery Using Icons https://youtu.be/_OEljzZ33H8 📽️ Colorful Second Brain - Part 3: Simple rules for beautiful and reusable sketches https://youtu.be/r9oB1SlK1GU 📽️ Debunking Visual Myths: What Science Says and How to Leverage It for Better PKM https://youtu.be/_3-OmhLeZUA 📽️ Rethink Writing https://youtu.be/rWghRyI_MFc 📽️ The Compass of Zettelkasten https://youtu.be/7rnsULzez-g 📽️ Idea Integration Board https://youtu.be/Lq2ZKDF9gOQ 📽️ Idea Mixer https://youtu.be/ItV8PEaPorE 📽️ 6 Strategies for Linking Visual Thoughts https://youtu.be/qiKuqMcNWgU 📽️ Visual Zettelkasten https://youtu.be/uoNHkCLsp3g 📽️ 4D PKM https://youtu.be/3S3oIsaK17U 📽️ Visually Connect Ideas https://youtu.be/mvMQcz401yo 📽️ Digest What You Read https://youtu.be/yy4b6geeQSY 📽️ How are these related? https://youtu.be/N6EFydv0tug Book on a Page Summaries: 📽️ Atomic Habits https://youtu.be/FfOYjTnyPbs 📽️ Building a Second Brain https://youtu.be/3i4CiImIYYA 📽️ The Extended Mind https://youtu.be/oXMKF8zqG6E 📽️ How To Take Smart Notes https://youtu.be/o49C8jQIsvs My tools and processes: 📽️ The Excalidraw-Obsidian Showcase: 57 key features in just 17 minutes https://youtu.be/P_Q6avJGoWI 📽️ Getting Started with Excalidraw https://youtu.be/QKnQgSjJVuc 📽️ Getting Started with ExcaliBrain https://youtu.be/8LE_QdYQZVk ------ Visual Thinking Workshop: https://www.visual-thinking-workshop.com/ Obsidian: https://obsidian.md Excalidraw-Obsidian: https://github.com/zsviczian/obsidian-excalidraw-plugin/ Blog: https://excalidraw-obsidian.online/blog --- Attribution: The "white" LEGO construction video is by Dx21 from Pixabay. https://pixabay.com/users/dx21-24119034/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=video&utm_content=131159 LEGO factory snippet is from https://youtu.be/dKr1T1RzkUo ## YouTube Transcript [Hey everyone, it's Jolt here. Welcome to](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=0) [Visual](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=4) [PKM. In last week's video, I talked](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=5) [about randomness and connection in](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=7) [Zettocasten. How trains of thought](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=10) [emerge over time. Then I got this](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=13) [comment from Risky who said that to him](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=16) [Zetto casting just feels too heavy, too](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=19) [structured that it stifles creativity.](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=23) [That's why I like to think about my](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=27) [notes not as zetals I must connect into](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=29) [logical sequences, but as Lego blocks I](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=33) [can use to build anything I imagine. I'm](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=36) [not laying the tracks for the perfect](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=40) [trains of thought. I'm running a Lego](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=43) [factory. When I read a book or listen to](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=47) [a podcast, I think of it as constructing](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=50) [a scene from a Lego set. You get a box](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=54) [of Lego and first build what's on the](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=57) [box. That's like reading the book and](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=60) [understanding the author's message. But](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=63) [then you take it apart and add the](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=66) [pieces to your LEGO](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=69) [collection. And you use your new and old](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=71) [pieces in new](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=74) [creations. I think about every note,](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=76) [every icon as a Lego block I might use](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=79) [later. Lego invites play. You don't](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=83) [build the same thing every time. You](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=86) [pour out the pieces on the carpet and](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=89) [follow your](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=92) [imagination. That's how I want my note](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=93) [takingaking to feel. But how does this](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=97) [work in](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=100) [practice? I talk about this in chapter 2](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=101) [of my upcoming book, Sketch Your Mind.](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=104) [The chapter is called the Lego approach](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=107) [to playful thinking. If this metaphor](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=110) [resonates with you, I think you'll love](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=113) [the book. Pre-orders are open now and](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=115) [I'd love for you to check it out. You'll](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=119) [find links in the video](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=122) [description. I've set four simple](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=124) [creative constraints for](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=127) [myself. First, if an idea resonates, I](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=129) [don't just write about it. I create a](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=133) [simple illustration. The act of creating](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=136) [an illustration serves both as a filter](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=140) [and a tool for](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=144) [understanding. Let's see how I would](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=146) [capture this very idea. I recommend you](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=148) [follow](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=151) [along. I start by opening a blank](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=152) [drawing and searching for an icon. My](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=155) [go-to for icons is my own icon library.](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=159) [And only if I don't already have what I](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=162) [need do I go to external sources. This](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=165) [way I reuse my icons and they become](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=168) [connectors of ideas in my system. Let's](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=171) [use the filter coffee icon. This is an](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=175) [icon I modified from flat icon. If you](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=178) [don't already have something similar,](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=182) [open](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=184) [flaticon.com and search for filter](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=185) [coffee. Select the icon, choose the](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=188) [style, and copy the PNG.](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=191) [Creating an illustration for an idea is](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=195) [a filter because it's easy to copy and](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=198) [paste an interesting sentence from a](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=201) [book. But it takes effort to create a](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=203) [sketch. It's also a tool for](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=206) [understanding because in creating the](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=209) [sketch, I must think more deeply about](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=211) [the message. Translating the abstract](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=213) [idea into a simple drawing forces deeper](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=216) [engagement.](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=220) [Second, I use standard size fonts and](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=221) [icons in all my illustrations. Just as](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=225) [every Lego block has standard studs and](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=228) [cubes, so they always connect, I do the](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=231) [same by creating visual notes that tile](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=234) [well. When you create a presentation, a](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=238) [storyboard, or a book on a page,](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=241) [consistent font and icon sizes make a](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=243) [world of difference. your work will look](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=246) [more](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=250) [professional. Notice how the two call](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=251) [outs both used font size small. Now,](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=253) [let's also add a title to our card.](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=257) [Something like sketches filter and](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=260) [clarify. I use large fonts for my](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=263) [titles. Third, I capture my](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=267) [illustrations on standardsized cards.](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=270) [The constraint of a post-it note or](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=274) [index card focuses my attention on](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=277) [what's truly important. Just like LEGO](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=280) [has different sized blocks, I don't use](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=283) [just one card size, I have smaller and](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=287) [larger ones. I've created a size guide](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=290) [that I keep in my stencil library. We](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=293) [won't go into all the tricks today, but](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=296) [this is my core tool for creating cards](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=299) [that tile well. Adding a frame around](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=303) [your card makes it feel even more like](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=306) [an index](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=308) [card. Finally, I limit my color palette.](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=310) [This speeds up the process since I don't](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=314) [need to think about colors and ensures](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=316) [the cards harmonize when used in story](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=319) [boards or presentations.](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=323) [Look at my book on a page summary for](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=325) [atomic habits to see what I mean. I](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=327) [recommend starting with three colors,](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=331) [one main color, one accent, and one](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=333) [secondary for details and lines. Over](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=336) [the years, I've added a few more, but I](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=339) [still mostly stick to those](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=342) [three. Once your visual is ready, it's](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=345) [time to flip the card over and add notes](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=348) [and links to the back. In Obsidian](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=351) [Excolit, rightclick the tab and select](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=354) [open as markdown. For now, let's keep](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=358) [our notes simple. Sketching ideas is a](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=361) [practical approach for creating atomic](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=365) [notes in a Zetal casten](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=368) [system. Notes on the back of the card](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=370) [help articulate the idea and create](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=373) [connections to other notes.](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=376) [Additionally, writing taps into a](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=378) [different dimension of thinking. When](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=381) [you sketch and write, you become an](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=383) [ambidextrous thinker. Writing is your](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=387) [right hand, drawing is your left, but](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=390) [you need both to be efficient at most of](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=393) [your](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=396) [tasks. If you found this quick](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=397) [introduction insightful, I encourage you](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=400) [to explore cohort 13 of the visual](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=402) [thinking workshop. We'll read and lure](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=405) [Lanton's new book, Tiny Experiments.](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=408) [First reading it the way Enlor built it.](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=411) [Then we'll break it down, illustrate key](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=414) [ideas, and reassemble it as a book on a](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=417) [page. You'll be left with visual Lego](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=421) [blocks that you can reuse in your own](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=424) [thinking with notes that actually invite](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=427) [play. Registration closes next Saturday,](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=430) [so now's the time to jump in. If that](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=434) [sounds exciting, check out the link in](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=437) [the description.](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=440) [Thank you.](https://youtu.be/rSTEQ2P-ivk?t=442)