Simplify your system, download my template - A personal knowledge system
The problem of a growing knowledge base
You’ve implemented the PARA structure. You’ve created the folders Projects, Areas, Resources.
The first month, everything works great. You know where each note is. You easily find what you need.
But after 3-6 months, the Resources/Productivity folder has 50 notes.
You open the folder. You see a list:
- The Pareto principle
- Dopamine detox
- The Eisenhower matrix
- Parkinson’s law
- The Pomodoro technique
- The 2-minute method
- The 80/20 rule
- Deep Work
- … 42 more notes
The question: how do you see the big picture?
Which of these concepts are more important? How are they connected with each other? Where do you start studying the topic?
Without an answer to these questions — your knowledge base turns into a dump. The information is there, but there’s no access to it.
What happens after 6 months: my experience
I had 80+ notes on productivity. Summaries of books, articles, videos.
When I started a new project — for example, a video about time management — I’d open the folder and think: “Where do I start?”
The Pareto principle? Or the Eisenhower matrix? Or Deep Work?
I’d spend 20 minutes scrolling through notes. I’d open one, another, a third. I’d try to remember what they were about.
And then I’d realise: I don’t have a map.
I’d gathered the bricks. But I hadn’t built a house.
What is a MOC (Map of Content)
A MOC is a summarising note that gathers all the key ideas on a topic in one place.
It’s not just a list of links. It’s your understanding of the topic.
Metaphors to understand it:
- A book’s table of contents — shows the structure, the sequence, the logic
- A city map — shows how the districts are connected with each other
- An instrument dashboard — shows the most important things at a glance
How a MOC differs from a regular note
| A regular note | A MOC note |
|---|---|
| One idea | A collection of many ideas |
| Atomic | Structuring |
| ”A brick" | "A house plan” |
| Example: “The Pareto principle” | Example: “MOC - Productivity” |
How a MOC differs from a folder
A folder is just a container. It doesn’t explain how the notes are connected.
A MOC is an interpretation. You decide:
- Which notes are more important
- How they group together
- Which principles unite them
- How to apply them in practice
A story: where the MOC concept came from
The MOC concept was popularised by Nick Milo, the creator of the LYT method (Linking Your Thinking).
He was working on a huge knowledge base in Obsidian — thousands of notes. And he ran into a problem: “How do I manage this chaos?”
The solution: create entry points into topics. Notes that serve as navigation centres.
The idea isn’t new. It’s a digital version of what scholars have done for centuries: create indexes, tables of contents, summaries of their summaries.
Luhmann, the creator of Zettelkasten, called these “hub notes” — hub notes that connect other notes.
The anatomy of a good MOC note
A good MOC note consists of 4 elements:
- The key question — why this topic exists
- Principles and pillars — the fundamental ideas
- Connections with notes — specific concepts, grouped by principles
- Application in practice — the connection with projects and life areas
Let’s go through each element.
1. The key question
Why a question, not a title
For now, the title “MOC - Productivity” explains nothing. It’s just a label.
A question creates a direction of thought: “How do I maintain progress without burning out?”
Now every note in this MOC answers this question. Not about productivity in general, but specifically about your problem.
How to formulate the key question
A good question is:
- Personal (about your life, not abstract)
- Specific (not “how to be productive”, but “how to make progress in projects with a tendency to perfectionism”)
- Practical (you can answer it with action)
The connection with the CODE method:
In the CODE method you compose 12 filter questions that reflect your interests and goals.
A MOC’s key question is one of these 12 questions, detailed for the topic.
Examples of key questions for different topics
MOC - Productivity
- Bad: “What is productivity?”
- Good: “How do I maintain progress in projects while keeping my energy and avoiding burnout?”
MOC - Psychology
- Bad: “What does psychology study?”
- Good: “How do I understand my emotional reactions and make conscious decisions?”
MOC - Video editing
- Bad: “How do I edit video?”
- Good: “How do I create dynamic videos in DaVinci Resolve in the minimum time?”
MOC - Finance
- Bad: “How do I manage money?”
- Good: “How do I achieve financial independence with an unstable income?“
2. Principles and pillars
Principles are the fundamental ideas on which everything else is built.
These aren’t specific techniques. They’re directions of thought.
An example for productivity:
- Principle: Managing energy is more important than managing time
- Techniques under this principle: Dopamine detox, Deep Work, sleep rules
How to find a topic’s principles
Method 1: Analysing notes
Open all the notes on the topic. Ask the question: “What recurring ideas do I see?”
For example, in notes about productivity:
- Some talk about prioritisation (Pareto, Eisenhower)
- Others about focus (Deep Work, Pomodoro)
- Others about energy (dopamine, sleep)
Groups = principles:
- Time management (prioritisation)
- Attention management (focus)
- Energy management (recovery)
Method 2: Decomposing the key question
Your question: “How do I maintain progress without burning out?”
Break it into sub-questions:
- How do I choose what to work on? → Time management
- How do I not get distracted? → Attention management
- How do I not burn out? → Energy management
Sub-questions = principles.
Method 3: Studying experts
Look at how experts structure the topic.
For example, David Allen’s book “Getting Things Done”:
- Capture
- Clarify
- Organize
- Reflect
- Engage
These are 5 principles. You can use them as a basis.
Example: MOC “Productivity”
Key question: “How do I maintain progress in projects while keeping my energy and avoiding burnout?”
Principles:
- Time management — choosing the right tasks
- Attention management — protection from distractions
- Energy management — recovery and burnout prevention
- A note system — capturing ideas and knowledge
- Overcoming blocks — working with fears and perfectionism
Three types of application
1. Connection with projects
When you start a project, you open the MOC and think: “Which concepts do I apply?”
Example:
- Project “Release a video”
- I open MOC “Productivity”
- I apply: Time blocking (I block 3 hours for recording), Deep Work (I turn off notifications), The 2-minute rule (I immediately reply to short comments)
2. Connection with life areas
In your life areas you track how theory works in practice.
Example:
- Area “YouTube channel”
- Connection with MOC “Productivity”
- Tracking: am I applying time blocking? Is there progress?
3. Connection with other MOCs
Topics intersect. Productivity is connected with psychology. Health is connected with productivity.
These connections generate bridge ideas — new concepts at the intersection of topics.
More on this — later in the article.
A classification of connections in a MOC
Now let’s go through the types of connections that exist within and between MOCs.
Vertical connections (hierarchy)
These are connections from the general to the specific. From a topic to a sub-topic to a specific note.
Example:
MOC - Productivity
├── Time management
│ ├── The Pareto principle
│ ├── The Eisenhower matrix
│ └── Time blocking
├── Attention management
│ ├── Deep Work
│ ├── The Pomodoro technique
│ └── Dopamine detox
└── Energy management
├── Sleep hygiene
├── Nutrition
└── Breaks
Metaphor: A tree. Trunk → branches → leaves.
Visualisation:
[MOC - Productivity]
|
+-----------+-----------+
| | |
[Time] [Attention] [Energy]
| | |
+---+---+ +---+---+ +---+---+
| | | | | | | | |
[A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I]
Why you need them:
- Navigation from the general to the details
- Understanding the topic’s structure
- Sequential study (principles first, then techniques)
Horizontal connections (same-level)
These are connections between notes on the same level that complement each other.
Example:
The notes “Dopamine detox” and “Digital minimalism” are on the same level. Both are about protection from distractions.
The connection: Dopamine detox is a tool for implementing digital minimalism.
Metaphor: Brothers and sisters. They’re on the same level of the family tree, but have different roles.
Visualisation:
[Attention management]
|
+---+---+
| |
[Deep Work] ← → [The Pomodoro technique]
↕
[Dopamine detox]
Why you need them:
- Comparing approaches (when to use Deep Work, and when Pomodoro)
- Combining techniques (detox + Deep Work)
- Understanding the nuances (how similar concepts differ)
Bridge connections (cross-topic)
These are connections between different MOCs. They create new ideas at the intersection of topics.
Example:
MOC “Productivity” × MOC “Psychology” = “Procrastination as a defence mechanism of the psyche”
This isn’t just about productivity. And not just about psychology. It’s a new idea that was born at the intersection.
Metaphor: A bridge between two cities. It connects different territories.
Visualisation:
[MOC - Productivity] [MOC - Psychology]
| |
+-------[Bridge idea]-------+
|
[Procrastination as
a defence mechanism]
Why you need them:
- Generating new ideas
- Deep understanding (seeing a problem from different sides)
- Originality (a combination of topics = uniqueness)
Examples of bridge ideas:
- Productivity × Health = “Physical exercise as a means of boosting cognitive functions”
- Psychology × Finance = “Cognitive biases in investing”
- Video editing × Psychology = “Colour grading to create an emotional response”
A practical technique: the two-windows technique
This is my favourite way to find bridge ideas.
How it works
Step 1: You open two MOCs side by side (in two Obsidian panels)
Step 2: You read the principles and notes from both MOCs
Step 3: You ask the question: “What idea could unite these topics?”
Step 4: You create a new note with the bridge idea
Step 5: You link it with both MOCs
Example: Productivity × Psychology
I open two windows:
Left: MOC - Productivity Right: MOC - Psychology
I read the principles:
Productivity:
- Time management
- Attention management
- Overcoming procrastination
Psychology:
- Cognitive biases
- Defence mechanisms of the psyche
- Fear and anxiety
I ask the question:
“What idea could unite ‘overcoming procrastination’ and ‘defence mechanisms’?”
The answer:
Procrastination isn’t laziness. It’s a defence mechanism of the psyche against the fear of failure.
Three types of connections by content
Besides structural connections (vertical, horizontal, bridge), there are connections by meaning.
1. Semantic connections (logical)
These are connections by cause-and-effect, category, sequence.
Examples:
Cause-and-effect:
- “Dopamine detox” → “Restoring motivation”
- “Lack of sleep” → “Reduced productivity”
Category:
- “The Pomodoro technique” and “Deep Work” — both from the category “Attention management”
Sequence:
- “Capture” → “Organize” → “Distill” → “Express” (the CODE method)
Visualisation:
[Lack of sleep] → [Reduced cognitive functions] → [Mistakes at work]
When to use:
When you’re building the logic of a topic. When you explain why something works.
2. Empirical connections (through experience)
These are connections of theory with your life. With projects, life areas, personal experience.
Examples:
Theory → Project:
- “The Pareto principle” I apply in “Project - A video about productivity”
Theory → Life area:
- “Dopamine detox” I apply in “Area - Health” (tracking in my diary)
Theory → Personal experience:
- “Sleep hygiene” I link with the note “Sleep diary for March” (I see how the rules affect sleep quality)
Visualisation:
[Dopamine detox]
|
+--→ [Project - A video] (I mention it in the script)
|
+--→ [Area - Health] (I apply it before workouts)
|
+--→ [Diary 15.04] (I wrote down the experiment's result)
When to use:
When you want theory not to remain theory. When you connect knowledge with action.
Why it works:
The brain remembers what’s been experienced. If you just read about dopamine detox — you’ll forget it in a week. If you applied it and wrote down the result — you’ll remember it forever.
3. Contrasting connections (through opposites)
These are connections through opposition, comparison, a conflict of ideas.
Examples:
Opposites:
- “Financial independence” ↔ “Debts and loans”
- “Deep Work” ↔ “Multitasking”
- “Internal motivation” ↔ “External motivation”
Comparison:
- “The Pomodoro technique” vs “Deep Work” — different approaches to focus
- “Zettelkasten” vs “PARA” — different principles of organisation
A conflict of ideas:
- “Planning a year ahead” vs “Flexibility and adaptation”
Visualisation:
[Financial independence] ←→ [Debts and loans]
| |
[What leads to it] [What gets in the way]
| |
[Investments] [Impulse purchases]
When to use:
When you want to understand a concept more deeply. Understanding = knowing the boundaries. To understand what “Deep Work” is, you need to understand what “Shallow Work” is.
Why it works:
The brain remembers contrasts better than isolated concepts. “Good and evil”, “day and night”, “hot and cold” — all these pairs are remembered together.
Keep going? Level 3A — The graph and random notes