digest
Short Summary
Main recommendation: Take reading notes in a single pass using a color-coded system with Post-it tabs and matching highlighter and pen colors, then revisit the chapter only for key ideas. The speaker reads Henry Kissinger's World Order in French for personal improvement and claims this method suits people who cannot read and take notes at the same time.
Key Points
- Use a fixed color code so every note type looks the same each time: green for definitions, orange for people and events, and pink for main ideas and themes.
- Read the chapter straight through first, stopping only to place a Post-it marking anything worth returning to, so reading progress is not interrupted.
- Build a key at the front of the notebook that matches each highlighter color to its Post-it color.
- Revisit the chapter three separate times, but only revisit the specific passages marked as important, not re-read the whole chapter each time.
- Research and reflect on main ideas after the reading session instead of pausing to do so during reading.
Details Worth Noting
- Concrete instructions:
- Title the notebook at the top of the first page.
- Create a color key at the beginning of the notebook listing each highlighter color and its matching Post-it color.
- Use a green Post-it and green pen for definitions: highlight the heading, then write the definition in green. Start with broad information and narrow toward the summary.
- Use an orange Post-it for people and events: the heading is orange, the term is black, and dates and lifespans are written in red.
- Use a long pink Post-it for main ideas and themes: highlight the heading in pink and write the description in a pink pen.
- At the end of each section, separate the summary with a small pencil line and summarize, or leave space to summarize.
- Do the reading pass first, placing Post-its on anything to define or research, then go back through the chapter in three subheading-focused passes.
- The speaker used an A6 notebook from Hema ("Hey Mo"), and admitted the green color ran out at the start, so some definitions appear in a different color, which they accepted rather than letting the color code interrupt work.
- The speaker says this is a study habit for people who study like them and was used for self-improvement reading, not for a class.
Bottom Line
A consistent, pre-set color system plus a single uninterrupted read-through lets you capture definitions, people, and themes without slowing your reading.
