Writing
Turn notes into useful posts: the Life = Content loop
updated 2026-10-19
To turn notes into useful content, capture what happened while it’s fresh, distill the repeatable lesson, and choose where it belongs. A single note can become a public post, a checklist, an agent skill, or a small tool—or stay private.
I call this loop Life = Content. The point is to reuse what I learn on the job without turning note-taking into a second job.
What is the loop?
| Step | What you do | What you keep |
|---|---|---|
| Capture | Save the observation while it is fresh | Raw note, date, and source |
| Distill | Explain the useful part to a friend | One claim, one example, one next action |
| Publish | Choose a form someone can use | A post, skill, checklist, or build |
This sits close to Tiago Forte's CODE method: Capture, Organize, Distill, and Express. Forte already treats creating and sharing useful work as the purpose of a note system; my loop is just a lightweight weekly habit, not a reinvention of the publishing step. Forte's introduction to Building a Second Brain
How do you keep a second brain useful?
For me, the real test is upkeep. If a system demands perfect tags before I can jot down a thought, I’ll eventually stop using it.
Capture the raw note fast, organize it just enough to find it again, and save the heavy editing for notes that serve an active project.
An archive is allowed to be unfinished. Its job is to help you ship the next piece of work.
Try a 20-minute weekly pass
Set a timer. This is a starting limit, not a rule for every person or project.
- Open the week's captures.
- Pick up to three notes that still matter.
- Distill each into a claim, an example, and a next action.
- Check sources and remove private details.
- Choose a destination. Aim to finish one small useful artifact.
If nothing is ready, do not force a post. A clear private procedure is still progress.
What does a raw note become?
One example from my workflow:
Agent skipped the footer four times. Memory did not help. A pre-call reminder did not help. A post-response hook did.
That note contains a reusable distinction:
- Claim: An instruction asks for a format. A code step can apply the format after generation.
- Example: A required footer can be appended by the output pipeline.
- Check: Confirm that every output path uses that step, including errors and retries.
- Destination: A short how-to or a reusable agent procedure.
Keep the claim within the evidence. One successful fix does not prove that all hooks enforce all rules. The useful article explains the conditions that made this fix work.
A template you can reuse
Working title:
What happened:
The reusable lesson:
One concrete example:
Steps someone else can follow:
Source or evidence:
Limits and exceptions:
Private details to remove:
Destination: private note / skill / post / buildAI can help turn a rough note into a first draft—just tell it to stick to your evidence and flag any gaps. Never let a smooth paragraph invent an experience you didn’t actually have.
What should stay private?
Publish the method, the checklist, and the example you have permission to share.
Keep credentials, client records, private messages, and identifying details out of the public version. Anonymize with care: stripping a client’s name isn’t enough if the remaining details still point to one person or company.
If the lesson depends on private evidence you can’t share, state the boundary or keep the note private. A useful note doesn’t owe the internet a public post.
When should a note become an agent skill?
Use a skill when you want an agent to repeat a procedure. Give it a clear trigger, required inputs, steps, checks, and an expected result.
A post explains the method to a reader. A skill tells an agent when and how to use it. They can come from the same note, but they need different editing.
See the guide to managing agent skills to make the procedure available in your next session.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a specific notes app?
No. Use a tool you will open and can search. I use a private vault for capture and Markdown for public posts. The routine matters more than the app.
Should I publish every note?
No. Most notes are context, reminders, or unfinished thoughts. Publish the few that offer a useful method or example and are safe to share.
How is this different from a journal?
A journal can record the day. This routine adds a review step that finds reusable lessons. The same note can serve both purposes.
How long should the finished post be?
Long enough to explain the claim, show an example, and state the limits. A small lesson can stay small. Do not turn a checklist into a book to make it look important.