How a human second brain boosts creative and strategic thinking to make your idea a reality

What’s holding you back from turning your transformative idea into a reality: lack of time, scattered focus, or simply too much information?

When you’ve got that big idea that you want to get out into the world, it’s common to feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of thoughts, to-do lists, and potential projects in your head.

But if you’re a visionary leader – someone with a transformative idea, who is ready to make your idea a reality, to share your knowledge with the world, and (perhaps) be on the precipice of advancing human knowledge or improving lives on a global scale . . . then this feeling of being ‘stuck’ can (at best) slow you down, or, worse, lead to frustration or abandoning your vision.

Even with the best intentions, your ideas might remain scattered across Moleskine notebooks, a jumble of half-written presentations or essays, a bunch of screengrabs, or a colourful collection of sticky notes. Without specialised support, you could feel paralysed and never bring your ideas to fruition. What a shame that would be.

But what if there was a way to boost your creative and strategic thinking, clear the clutter, and focus purely on what matters most?

A ‘second brain’ could be the solution to transforming your chaos into clarity, helping you bring your ideas to life.

I’d go further to say that a human second brain can significantly empower visionary leaders by providing essential support in idea execution.

But first . . .

What is a second brain?

A second brain can provide crucial support to help organise thoughts, prioritise tasks, and bring ideas to life.

Tiago Forte popularised the term second brain in his book Building a Second Brain. He describes it as a comprehensive system for organising, storing, and retrieving personal knowledge and information to enhance productivity and creativity.

Forte’s concept of a second brain primarily focuses on using digital tools and technological systems to create a personal knowledge management system that helps individuals streamline their workflows, capture insights, and improve productivity.

As we’ve come to realise in recent years, solutions to various challenges are readily available through technology. And there really is an app for that.

The technological second brain

You can of course use technology to help with organisation, from project management software and note-taking apps to the classic pen and paper (although, yes, that’s not strictly ‘technology’).

I’ve experimented with many tools over the years, like Evernote, Trello, Notion, Joplin, and Zoho Notebook, but I often lose interest once the novelty fades and I’ve run out of design elements to play with. Currently, I’m enjoying using Duck Note, which I discovered through neuroscientist Andrew Huberman’s newsletter. It’s incredibly simple and perfect for capturing fleeting thoughts, memories, and ideas for my future memoir. I then transfer these recorded thoughts to a Word doc backed up on Google Drive for easy access and organisation.

Some people, however, find more structured note-taking apps helpful, especially those whose brains work better with visual information rather than words, such as individuals with dyslexia. For these users, apps that handle text, images, and links with equal ease can be particularly valuable.

Remember that the purpose of using apps to help manage your ideas and resources is to organise, store, and retrieve knowledge and information to enhance your productivity and creativity. If you capture the information, but then later can’t find what you want when you need it, then the app is not useful. As a result, finding the right app may require some experimentation to match your cognitive style. Also consider whether you prefer digital or manual methods.

For example, I use Gboard’s auto transcription feature to record thoughts in Duck Note, as I rarely type directly in it. For deeper planning and thinking, I’ve always valued writing by hand, though typing offers a different creative freedom.

You’ve got to find what works for you. Richard Branson swears by carrying a small notebook for daily jotting — a practice that might resonate with you.

If you’re interested in exploring more about how to choose and use apps for organising your ideas, be sure to check out my forthcoming in-depth guide on the topic.

A human second brain vs technology

Depending on your goals, needs, your big idea, your feelings of overwhelm (or indeed, to an extent, your budget), you might need more than simply a technological ecosystem of productivity apps to birth your revolutionary idea.

You could work with someone who is effectively your second brain.

A human second brain (i.e. another person) can provide unique and creative ideas based on their personal experiences, observations, and understanding of people, which a machine cannot do. Humans can come up with completely new concepts and imagine future possibilities, while machines can only produce results based on what they’ve been taught or programmed to do.

A human ‘second brain’ can significantly empower visionary leaders by providing essential support in idea execution.

Unlike machines, a human second brain brings creativity, personal experience, and a deep understanding of human nature, allowing them to offer unique insights and intuitive responses. This role goes beyond what technology alone can provide, adding a layer of emotional intelligence and adaptability.

How does a human second brain enhance creative and strategic thinking? 

A human second brain in the form of a supportive partner can be hugely beneficial. Some of the most obvious benefits are:

• Idea development, strengthening, and articulation, as the partner understands your ideas and goals almost as deeply as you and serves as a brainstorming partner who sharply questions fine points.

• Stress reduction, as delegation and support reduce the cognitive load.

• Increased focus with help to concentrate on strategic decision-making and creative thinking.

• Enhanced efficiency and productivity by streamlining workflows and ensuring that projects move forward smoothly.

• Increased creativity via the freeing up of your time and the mutual sparking of ideas. 

• Improved cognitive function by reducing the mental clutter and freeing up cognitive resources for more strategic and innovative thinking.

What does a human second brain do?

This enhanced productivity, increased focus and support for decision fatigue is certainly what Tiago Forte describes when he says a second brain is great for freeing ‘our biological brain to imagine, create, and simply be present’.

Now here he wasn’t really talking about human second brains, but this idea of ‘freeing’ the brain is really appealing and is exactly what I strive to offer my clients: a sense of freedom in their creative and strategic thinking.

So let’s consider the concrete ways in which a supportive partner (a human second brain) can achieve this.

A human second brain can:  

• be your thought partner – give feedback, host brainstorming sessions, and challenge your ideas to refine your thinking or point out the holes in your argument.
• categorise your information for easy access and retrieval – something technology COULD do, but a human partner can do it fluidly in a way that works exactly for you.
• provide project management for the execution of your big idea – breaking down large goals into actionable steps, setting deadlines, ensuring progress is tracked and aligned with the overall vision; while fluidly pivoting, reprioritising and refining as things change.

Human second brains in action

Sounds amazing, but is this something that would work for you? You might worry that involving others could dilute your personal touch or creative vision. However, it is common to get specialised expert help from a professional; for example, hiring an accountant to prepare your taxes.

This is something most of us do regularly.

Imagine a long-distance runner with a dedicated support team. The runner’s coach provides strategic training plans and daily guidance, their nutritionist ensures they have the right fuelling and hydration strategy, and their pacer keeps them on track.

If we look at history, we see that Thomas Edison collaborated closely with Charles Batchelor. Similarly, Steve Jobs relied heavily on Tim Cook for operational excellence.

Even the most capable individuals benefit from specialised support to maximise their potential and achieve their goals.

My role as a second brain in making an idea reality

Call it what you like — a coach, a consultant, a strategic ally — a human second brain can be the most valuable investment you make to get your visionary idea over the line.

I personally call myself an elite guide. I offer the services of a human second brain and work as a thought partner, as an organiser, as a project manager.

But it’s the creative and strategic thinking, the brainstorming and hole-picking, and (most effectively) the precise articulation of your ideas, your thinking, your information, that is a specialty that I offer that most coaches don’t.

For me, it’s about being right in there with you. Like the coach running drills by their athlete’s side or the strategist developing a game plan, I immerse myself in your project.

However it’s less about being a sous chef and more about working together on a fairly equal level. It’s also about working so closely with my clients that in a sense I become an extension of them. I get so deeply involved that they think of me as ‘the other half of their brain’.

One thing my neurodivergent clients struggle with is knowing what to give their attention and energy to in the moment. ‘What do you suggest I work on?’ is a question I’m now used to answering. The guidance I give my clients is based on my knowledge and deep understanding of them and their goals.

On any given day or week with a client you can find me:

• undertaking swift and accurate line editing and copy editing, often in real time, with a client
• supporting idea development and giving my own input
• sorting what goes where – organisation at both the macro and micro levels
• doing strategic ideation and planning together

When you choose me as your human second brain, you get multiple roles in one person. What’s more, I apply, in equal measure, my giftedness along with my super-practical skills and detail orientation, my strong logical thinking and grounded reasoning, along with my intuitive creativity and omnivorous knowledge base.

My services are particularly valuable for gifted and dyslexic individuals who face information overload or overwhelm and difficulty maintaining focus.

It’s the big-thinking clients I love supporting, like therapist and theoretician Hope Ray, who says I was able to ‘metabolise [her] 10 years’ worth of content – with all [her] unfinished projects and half-started writings – and [help her] synthesise and produce it all’.