KODEC

you want to think but there are too many trends

Everyone wants you to unrot your brain, become disgustingly well-read, to think critically, to develop taste. They want you to expand your attention span, to think before you consume, to have a journal ecosystem, and somehow all of these things (that are quite appropriate asks) have been turned into challenges. But if you're like me and you're on your 13182nd TikTok/reel/short, most of that probably didn't stick for you. Now, I'm not saying it's ADHD, but sometimes the mind is ada-huda-ing, so I always keep my “brain workouts” simple. There’s only so much I can incorporate before upkeeping the system overtakes the initial purpose.

Here’s how I think, without too much “setup”:

  1. Mind Map that shit!
    I love a mind map, and use one for everything: brainstorming designs, planning my career, and of course, laying out my interests. (I didn’t realize curiosity maps were a thing until after I drafted this, so... kudos to the trends this time)

    Quick breakdown:

    • You in the middle (obvi)
    • 3-5 main categories of interest (books, birdwatching, psychology, tiles, etc.)
    • Choose 3 specific topics under each that you’ve genuinely wanted to learn more about. (Don’t be afraid to go as niche as possible because the novelty will tickle your brain :3)

  2. Pick ONE topic!
    Just one. Seriously. Pick the topic that’s most interesting to you RIGHT NOW. It’s okay, follow the shiny object. We’ll come back for the rest eventually. Don’t worry about what’s “cool” or “smart”, okay? (My latest deep dive was into sapphic nuns, so I won’t judge).

  3. Pick ONE resource!
    One book/movie/documentary/blog/podcast/whatever! Just one resource about this topic! No list! No syllabus!

  4. Make notes and spiral!
    As you’re watching/reading/listening, make notes of the things that intrigue you. Note what questions come up for you. It doesn’t have to be profound. It doesn’t even have to directly be about the initial topic. If a movie about birds has a soundtrack you like, note that too. The point is to keep the spark going.

  5. Now SWITCH!
    Take the brightest new spark from your notes, find a related resource (JUST ONE), and repeat steps 2 to 5.

And whenever you get bored, revisit the mind map, update it, then choose something else.

This is not a counter challenge, but rather a call to try something simple. Instead of having “a game plan”, let’s skip the excessive prep and get back to thinking faster.