We may earn an affiliate commission when you visit our partners.

A Second Brain with Obsidian

In this hands-on guided project you will learn how to use the knowledge base app Obsidian. With its powerful interface, Obsidian makes it easy for anyone to structure note taking dynamics suitable for a variety of purposes: from personal journaling, to study or work notes. On top of that, one can establish links across notes and quite literally build a digital brain based on all of these connections, powered by Obsidian's Graph View.

Enroll now

Or subscribe to Coursera Plus

And get unlimited access to Coursera

Two deals to help you save

We found two deals and offers that may be relevant to this course.

Save money when you learn. All coupon codes, vouchers, and discounts are applied automatically unless otherwise noted.

Valid for a limited time only

Future-proof your career

Access O'Reilly books, live events, courses, and more. Save with an annual subscription.

Take

15%

off

What's inside

Syllabus

Project Overview

What if you could turn your thoughts and reading highlights into a digital repository with great search-ability and network based visualizations? That's what Obsidian allows you to do.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Provides real-world, hands-on training in the software Obsidian

Taught by Danilo Oliveira Vaz, an experienced instructor in this software

Suitable for learners with a range of experience levels, from beginners to advanced users

Covers both the basics of Obsidian and more advanced techniques

Provides opportunities for learners to practice and apply their skills in a real-world setting

Specifically designed for learners interested in using Obsidian for personal journaling, study notes, or work notes

Save this course

Save A Second Brain with Obsidian to your list so you can find it easily later:

Save

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in A Second Brain with Obsidian with these activities:

Review markdown syntax

Show steps

Refresh your knowledge of markdown syntax, which will be essential for creating notes in Obsidian.

Browse courses on Markdown

Show steps

Read an online tutorial on markdown syntax.
Practice formatting text in a markdown editor.

Create a mind map of your thoughts

Show steps

Create a mind map of your thoughts to get a better understanding of how the different parts of a concept relate to each other.

Show steps

Choose a topic or concept that you want to map out.
Write down the main topic or concept in the center of a piece of paper.
Draw branches off of the main topic for each of the subtopics or ideas that you have.
Continue to add branches and subtopics until you have a complete map of your thoughts.
Review your mind map and make any necessary adjustments.

Write a summary of a chapter

Show steps

Write a summary of a chapter in your own words to improve your understanding and retention of the material.

Show steps

Read the chapter carefully.
Identify the main points of the chapter.
Write a summary of the main points in your own words.
Review your summary and make sure that it is accurate and complete.

Four other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all seven activities

Discuss the course material with a classmate

Show steps

Meet with a classmate to discuss the course material and compare notes to improve your understanding.

Show steps

Find a classmate who is willing to study with you.
Set up a time and place to meet.
Go over the course material together and discuss any questions that you have.
Compare notes and make sure that you understand the material.

Create a digital notebook for a specific project

Show steps

Create a digital notebook for a specific project to organize your notes, thoughts, and research.

Show steps

Choose a project that you are working on.
Create a new notebook in Obsidian.
Add notes, thoughts, and research to your notebook.
Use the backlinks feature to connect related notes together.
Use the graph view to see how your notes are connected.

Contribute to the Obsidian community

Show steps

Contribute to the Obsidian community to share your knowledge and learn from others.

Show steps

Join the Obsidian community forums.
Answer questions from other users.
Write tutorials or blog posts about Obsidian.
Contribute to the Obsidian plugin ecosystem.

Read 'How to Take Smart Notes' by Sönke Ahrens

Show steps

Read 'How to Take Smart Notes' to learn about the Zettelkasten method, which can help you take better notes and organize your thoughts more effectively.

View How to Take Smart Notes: One Simple Technique... on Amazon

Show steps

Buy or borrow a copy of 'How to Take Smart Notes'.
Read the book carefully.
Take notes on the key points of the book.
Apply the Zettelkasten method to your own notes.

Career center

Learners who complete A Second Brain with Obsidian will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Knowledge Management Analyst

Knowledge Management Analysts are responsible for creating and maintaining knowledge bases and other resources that help organizations capture, store, and share information. Obsidian, a knowledge base app, can be a valuable tool for Knowledge Management Analysts as it allows them to easily structure and link notes, creating a digital repository of information that can be easily searched and visualized. This course can help Knowledge Management Analysts learn how to use Obsidian to create and manage knowledge bases that are tailored to the specific needs of their organization.

See salaries and explore the career path for Knowledge Management Analyst

Data Analyst

Data Analysts collect, clean, and analyze data to identify trends and patterns. Obsidian can be a valuable tool for Data Analysts as it allows them to easily organize and link data from multiple sources, creating a comprehensive view of the data that can be easily searched and visualized. This course can help Data Analysts learn how to use Obsidian to create and manage data sets that are tailored to the specific needs of their organization.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Analyst

UX Designer

UX Designers research, design, and test user interfaces to ensure that they are easy to use and enjoyable. Obsidian can be a valuable tool for UX Designers as it allows them to easily organize and link notes on user research, design ideas, and test results, creating a comprehensive view of the user experience that can be easily searched and visualized. This course can help UX Designers learn how to use Obsidian to create and manage knowledge bases that are tailored to the specific needs of their organization.

See salaries and explore the career path for UX Designer

Technical Writer

Technical Writers create and maintain documentation for technical products and services. Obsidian can be a valuable tool for Technical Writers as it allows them to easily organize and link notes on technical concepts, product features, and user instructions, creating a comprehensive knowledge base that can be easily searched and visualized. This course can help Technical Writers learn how to use Obsidian to create and manage knowledge bases that are tailored to the specific needs of their organization.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Writer

Information Architect

Information Architects design and organize information systems to make them easy to find and use. Obsidian can be a valuable tool for Information Architects as it allows them to easily organize and link notes on information architecture, user needs, and content strategy, creating a comprehensive view of the information system that can be easily searched and visualized. This course can help Information Architects learn how to use Obsidian to create and manage knowledge bases that are tailored to the specific needs of their organization.

See salaries and explore the career path for Information Architect

Project Manager

Project Managers plan, execute, and close projects. Obsidian can be a valuable tool for Project Managers as it allows them to easily organize and link notes on project plans, tasks, and deliverables, creating a comprehensive view of the project that can be easily searched and visualized. This course can help Project Managers learn how to use Obsidian to create and manage knowledge bases that are tailored to the specific needs of their organization.

See salaries and explore the career path for Project Manager

Business Analyst

Business Analysts analyze business processes to identify opportunities for improvement. Obsidian can be a valuable tool for Business Analysts as it allows them to easily organize and link notes on business processes, user needs, and system requirements, creating a comprehensive view of the business that can be easily searched and visualized. This course can help Business Analysts learn how to use Obsidian to create and manage knowledge bases that are tailored to the specific needs of their organization.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Analyst

Researcher

Researchers conduct research to answer questions and solve problems. Obsidian can be a valuable tool for Researchers as it allows them to easily organize and link notes on research questions, methods, and results, creating a comprehensive knowledge base that can be easily searched and visualized. This course can help Researchers learn how to use Obsidian to create and manage knowledge bases that are tailored to the specific needs of their research.

See salaries and explore the career path for Researcher

Product Manager

Product Managers research, develop, and launch products. Obsidian can be a valuable tool for Product Managers as it allows them to easily organize and link notes on product requirements, user feedback, and market research, creating a comprehensive view of the product that can be easily searched and visualized. This course can help Product Managers learn how to use Obsidian to create and manage knowledge bases that are tailored to the specific needs of their organization.

See salaries and explore the career path for Product Manager

Consultant

Consultants advise organizations on how to improve their performance. Obsidian can be a valuable tool for Consultants as it allows them to easily organize and link notes on client needs, industry trends, and best practices, creating a comprehensive knowledge base that can be easily searched and visualized. This course can help Consultants learn how to use Obsidian to create and manage knowledge bases that are tailored to the specific needs of their clients.

See salaries and explore the career path for Consultant

Writer

Writers create content for a variety of purposes, including marketing, journalism, and fiction. Obsidian can be a valuable tool for Writers as it allows them to easily organize and link notes on story ideas, character development, and research, creating a comprehensive knowledge base that can be easily searched and visualized. This course can help Writers learn how to use Obsidian to create and manage knowledge bases that are tailored to the specific needs of their writing.

See salaries and explore the career path for Writer

Editor

Editors review and edit written content to ensure that it is accurate, clear, and concise. Obsidian can be a valuable tool for Editors as it allows them to easily organize and link notes on story ideas, character development, and research, creating a comprehensive knowledge base that can be easily searched and visualized. This course can help Editors learn how to use Obsidian to create and manage knowledge bases that are tailored to the specific needs of their editing.

See salaries and explore the career path for Editor

Teacher

Teachers educate students in a variety of subjects. Obsidian can be a valuable tool for Teachers as it allows them to easily organize and link notes on lesson plans, student work, and grading, creating a comprehensive knowledge base that can be easily searched and visualized. This course can help Teachers learn how to use Obsidian to create and manage knowledge bases that are tailored to the specific needs of their teaching.

See salaries and explore the career path for Teacher

Student

Students learn in a variety of subjects. Obsidian can be a valuable tool for Students as it allows them to easily organize and link notes on class lectures, readings, and assignments, creating a comprehensive knowledge base that can be easily searched and visualized. This course can help Students learn how to use Obsidian to create and manage knowledge bases that are tailored to the specific needs of their learning.

See salaries and explore the career path for Student

Librarian

Librarians help people find and use information. Obsidian can be a valuable tool for Librarians as it allows them to easily organize and link notes on library resources, research methods, and user needs, creating a comprehensive knowledge base that can be easily searched and visualized. This course can help Librarians learn how to use Obsidian to create and manage knowledge bases that are tailored to the specific needs of their library.

See salaries and explore the career path for Librarian

Reading list

We've selected ten books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in A Second Brain with Obsidian.

How to Take Smart Notes

Save

Provides a step-by-step guide on how to take effective notes using the Zettelkasten method, which popular note-taking system that integrates well with Obsidian.

A Second Brain with Obsidian

Two deals to help you save

What's inside

Syllabus

Good to know

Save this course

Activities

Career center

Reading list

Share

Similar courses