In August 2023, I took the Building a Second Brain (18th) cohort, created by Thiago Forte. It has been a game-changer on how I approach any piece of information. In a lesson we learned about Richard Feynman and his simple but original method to discover solutions to physics and humankind problems: The 12-favorite problems list.
Basically, you just have to list all those problems that come and go on your mind during the day, week, or even years. He suggested always carrying that list with you so that anytime you find something useful you take note and eventually you come to find unseen connections among those problems and particular solutions thanks to the holistic approach and constant recall of the list.
2025
In February 2025, I refined my list and changed from a numbered to a bullet list to avoid the notion of hierarchy and did not force me to have 12 exactly, less is ok too.
- How to apply personalized artificial intelligence tools to my daily day work to achieve more impact in less time?
- How to build product strategies for the main business models?
- How to achieve mastery in systems thinking and first principles thinking?
- How to manufacture and share a mindset so people use it?
- How to manage personal energy instead of just tasks and time management?
- How to identify and track a vision, goals and metrics so a team make them real in healthy terms?
- How to stay physically, mentally and spiritually healthy with the less friction at any day?
- How to interact with data, information and knowledge to frequently get my most innovative and quality work?
- How to identify and balance the wu wei (non-doing / no-hacer)?
2023 - 2024
In my case, I made this list back in August 2023, and I pretend to keep it updated here as much as privacy allows me.
- (very personal)
- (very personal)
- What’s the best way for someone to learning how to learn?
- How to learn to unlearn so you can relearn a topic, skill or relationship?
- How to find the wu wei (non-doing / no-hacer) on each scenario and balance that with the acurate action?
- How to make someone learn a Mindset?
- How to manage energy instead of time?
- How to make people frame a vision and goals effectively?
- How to manage personal knowledge to push the creative process and create more often?
- How to plan, track and manage my career?
- What to do to dissolve mental fog and apathy?
- How to keep every space clean with less effort?
...
How to identify more of your favorite questions
You can try different "prompts", just as in journaling techniques. Start with these:
–What were you obsessed with as a child or teenager? (Ask your parents or caregivers)
–What are the longest-running hobbies you’ve had in your life?
–What common themes or patterns do you notice emerging in your life repeatedly?
–What kinds of stories, art, or music give you goosebumps, make your hair stand up, or move you to tears?
–What pursuits that others consider challenging do you find fun and engaging?
–What do you find your mind wandering to in the in-between moments of your day?
–If you could wave a magic wand and have the ultimate answer to any question, what question would it be?
–If you could travel to the future and ask your future self anything, what would it be?
What would you ask your past self?
–If you read all the books and took all the courses you wanted to, what question would you like to have answered after all that?
–What are your most pressing problems currently?
Here's the list I'm using to write and keep working on more questions:
- How can I…?
- How might we…?
- How can my organization…?
- How can I help others to…?
- How does X relate to Y?
- How do I…?
- What does it look like to…?
- What would be possible if…?
- What do I want with…?
- What would I do if…?
- What would happen if…?
- What would have to be true to…?
All these suggestions come from Thiago's work so if you're interested in learning more, go visit Thiago's post where he explain in detail how to get started on your own 12 favorite problems.