The Second Brain Capture Prompt Pack

Here is a raw transcript from a voice memo I recorded. Clean it up and turn it into a structured note.

Transcript: [PASTE TRANSCRIPT HERE]

Format the output as follows:
- Title: one short line summarising the main idea (not a question, a statement)
- Date captured: [TODAY'S DATE]
- Category: [choose one: Client Work / Content Idea / Strategy / Task / Reference / Personal]
- Core idea: 2 to 3 sentences, plain English, no jargon
- Key points: bullet list, maximum 6 bullets, each one actionable or specific
- Open questions: anything I raised but did not resolve
- Next action: one clear next step with a suggested owner and rough timeframe

Do not add ideas I did not mention. Do not pad. If something is unclear, flag it in brackets rather than inventing an interpretation.

I recorded several voice memos in one sitting. Here are all the transcripts:

Memo 1: [PASTE TRANSCRIPT]
Memo 2: [PASTE TRANSCRIPT]
Memo 3: [PASTE TRANSCRIPT]

Do the following:
1. Identify the distinct topics across all memos (there may be overlap or repetition)
2. Merge anything that belongs together into one note
3. Keep genuinely separate topics as separate notes
4. For each note, use this format: Title / Category / Core idea (2 sentences) / Key points (bullets) / Next action

List the notes in order of urgency, highest first, based on what I actually said. If I did not signal urgency, use your judgement based on the language I used.

I recorded a voice memo about an idea I am considering. I want to know if it is worth developing before I spend more time on it.

Transcript: [PASTE TRANSCRIPT]

My business context: [DESCRIBE YOUR BUSINESS IN 2 TO 3 SENTENCES]

Give me:
1. A one-paragraph honest summary of the idea as I described it
2. The strongest version of the idea (steelman it)
3. The biggest reason this might not work (one specific, honest objection, not a list)
4. A verdict: Worth developing further / Needs more context before deciding / Drop it
5. If worth developing: the one question I need to answer first

Be direct. I do not need encouragement, I need clarity.

I want to capture the key insights from this article in a way I will actually find useful in six months.

Article title: [TITLE]
Source: [URL or publication name]
Date published: [DATE]

Full article text: [PASTE ARTICLE TEXT]

Produce a reference note with:
- Summary: 3 to 4 sentences covering what the article argues, not just what it describes
- The 3 most useful insights (specific, not vague takeaways)
- One direct quote worth keeping (the single most quotable line)
- How this is relevant to: [YOUR TOPIC OR PROJECT]
- Tags: suggest 3 to 5 single-word tags I could use to find this later
- Shelf life: Is this reference likely to age well, or will it be outdated in 12 months? One sentence.

Do not summarise the article structure. Summarise the thinking.

I have a pile of saved links I want to process into my reference system. For each one, I will paste the title and a short description or excerpt.

[LINK 1: Title + brief description or first paragraph]
[LINK 2: Title + brief description or first paragraph]
[LINK 3: Title + brief description or first paragraph]
[LINK 4: Title + brief description or first paragraph]
[LINK 5: Title + brief description or first paragraph]

For each link:
- One-sentence summary of what it is and why it might matter
- Category: [Client Work / Content Idea / Strategy / Tool / Research / Personal]
- Keep or skip: based on the information I have given you, is this worth reading in full? Yes / Maybe / No, with one-line reasoning

Sort the output by Keep first, then Maybe, then No. Within each group, keep the original order.

I just spent time going deep on a topic and I want to capture what I actually learned before I lose it.

Topic I was researching: [TOPIC]
Approximate time spent: [TIME]

Here is everything I found, in no particular order: [PASTE YOUR RAW NOTES, COPIED TEXT, OR MESSY BRAIN DUMP]

Turn this into a structured knowledge note:
- Core question I was trying to answer
- The actual answer, based on what I found (honest, even if incomplete)
- 3 to 5 key facts or findings I want to remember, each with the source if I included one
- Contradictions or gaps: things the sources disagreed on, or questions still open
- What I would do differently if I were researching this from scratch
- Suggested next step: one thing to read, do, or decide

If I have not given you enough to work with for any section, say so rather than filling it with generic content.

I just finished a meeting and want to capture it properly before I move on.

Meeting type: [Client call / Internal / Sales / Discovery / Strategy / Other]
Attendees: [NAME AND ROLE FOR EACH PERSON]
Date: [DATE]
Duration: [LENGTH]

Here is what I remember or noted during the meeting: [PASTE YOUR RAW NOTES]

Produce:
- Meeting summary: 2 to 3 sentences, outcome-focused, not a transcript
- Decisions made: bullet list, specific and unambiguous
- Actions: who does what by when (format: [NAME] will [ACTION] by [DATE])
- Open items: things discussed but not resolved, with suggested owner
- Things to watch: anything that was flagged as a risk, concern, or dependency
- Follow-up message needed: Yes or No. If yes, draft a 3 to 4 sentence follow-up I can send to confirm the above.

If the same point came up more than once in my notes, consolidate it rather than repeating it.

I just had a discovery call with a potential client. I want to capture everything useful before I decide whether and how to move forward.

Prospect name and company: [NAME, COMPANY]
Date: [DATE]
My rough notes from the call: [PASTE NOTES]

Produce:
- Prospect summary: who they are, what they do, and what they said they need (3 to 4 sentences)
- Stated problem: what they told me they are struggling with
- Underlying problem: what you infer the real issue might be, based on what I noted (flag this clearly as inference)
- Budget signals: anything they said or implied about budget, timeline, or decision-making process
- Red flags: concerns about fit, timeline, decision authority, or expectations
- Opportunity score: Strong / Possible / Weak, with a one-sentence reason
- Suggested next step: one specific action I should take within 48 hours

Do not oversell the opportunity. If there are red flags, list them.

I had an unplanned conversation, a coffee chat, a chance encounter, or a quick call, that I want to remember properly.

Person I spoke with: [NAME, and how I know them]
Context: [WHERE and WHY we ended up talking]
What we discussed: [PASTE WHATEVER YOU REMEMBER, AS MESSY AS IT IS]

Capture this as:
- Who they are: one line, written so I will remember who this person is in a year
- What came up that was interesting or useful: bullets, 3 to 6 items max
- Any asks, offers, or commitments made by either side
- Follow-up needed: Yes or No. If yes, what and by when.
- Why I might want to stay in touch: one honest sentence, or note if I do not think it is worth pursuing

This is a relationship capture, not a project brief. Keep it human.

I have an idea I want to capture and think through briefly before I decide whether to develop it.

The idea, as I have it right now: [DESCRIBE YOUR IDEA IN YOUR OWN WORDS, AS ROUGH AS YOU LIKE]

My business or context: [ONE TO TWO SENTENCES]

Do not ask me questions. Work with what I have given you.

Produce:
- The idea in one sentence (sharp, not vague)
- What problem it solves and for whom
- The simplest possible version of this idea I could test in under two weeks
- The one assumption this depends on that I should check first
- Estimated effort to test: Low / Medium / High
- A suggested file name and tags so I can find this note later

This is a first-pass capture, not a business case. Keep it to one page equivalent.

I keep coming back to the same idea or theme and I want to understand why.

The idea I keep returning to: [DESCRIBE IT]
How long I have been thinking about it: [TIMEFRAME]
What usually prompts me to think about it again: [TRIGGER OR CONTEXT]
What has stopped me acting on it so far: [BE HONEST]

Give me:
1. A plain English statement of what this idea is really about, underneath the surface version
2. Whether my stated blockers are the real blockers or whether there is something else going on (be direct)
3. A binary verdict: Is this idea worth acting on in the next 90 days, or should I formally park it for 12 months and move on?
4. If worth acting on: one concrete first step, small enough that I could do it this week
5. If parking: one sentence I can write to myself to close the loop without guilt

Do not validate the idea just because I keep returning to it. Persistence is not proof.

My head is full and I need to get it all out and make sense of it.

Here is everything on my mind right now: [PASTE FULL BRAIN DUMP, AS MESSY AS IT IS]

Sort this into:
1. Actions: things that need to be done, with suggested owner (me / someone else / not yet assigned) and rough urgency (this week / this month / someday)
2. Projects: things that are bigger than a single action and need their own space
3. Reference: information I need to store but do not need to act on now
4. Ideas: things worth thinking about but not ready to be projects yet
5. Discard: things that are not worth keeping in my system at all

For the Actions list, sort by urgency. For everything else, just list them.

Flag anything that looks like it might be urgent but which I buried in the middle of my dump.

I have a content idea I want to capture properly so I can decide whether to write it and when.

The idea: [DESCRIBE IT]
Platform or format I am imagining: [BLOG / NEWSLETTER / LINKEDIN POST / VIDEO / OTHER]
Who this is for: [AUDIENCE]
What prompted this idea: [CONTEXT]

Give me:
- A working title (one option, specific and clickable, not clever)
- The core argument or main point in one sentence
- Why someone in my audience would stop and read this rather than scrolling past
- The one thing this piece needs that would make it genuinely useful rather than generic
- Priority score: Write now / Queue for next month / Good idea, wrong time (with one-line reasoning)
- Suggested tags for filing

Do not write the piece. Just capture it properly.

I want to create a reference note for a tool I use or am evaluating, so I can find it and remember what I know about it later.

Tool name: [TOOL NAME]
What it does, in my words: [DESCRIBE IT]
How I use it or how I am thinking of using it: [USE CASE]
Any notes I have from testing or reading: [PASTE NOTES OR LEAVE BLANK]

Create a reference note with:
- Tool name and one-line description
- Primary use case for my business: what I actually use it for, not what it markets itself as
- Key features I have used or plan to use (3 to 5, specific)
- Limitations or things it does not do well, from my experience or research
- Integration notes: what it connects to, or does not connect to, that matters to me
- Decision status: Using it / Evaluating / On hold / Decided against, with a date
- Tags: 3 to 5 single-word tags

Keep it factual. This is a reference note, not a review.

I came across a framework, method, or mental model I want to remember and potentially use.

Framework name (if it has one): [NAME OR YOUR DESCRIPTION]
Where I encountered it: [SOURCE]
My notes on it: [PASTE WHAT YOU KNOW]

Capture this as:
- Name and origin: who created it and where (if known)
- What problem it is designed to solve
- How it works: the simplest possible explanation in 3 to 5 steps or elements
- When to use it and when not to (one honest sentence each)
- How I could apply it specifically to: [YOUR BUSINESS OR PROJECT]
- An example of it in action: one concrete hypothetical using my context
- Verdict: Worth using / Interesting but not for me / Need to test first

If the framework has a name I got wrong or a well-known source I did not mention, correct it.

I want to capture what I know about a competitor, brand, or market player so I can reference it later.

Company or person: [NAME]
What they do: [DESCRIPTION]
How I encountered them or why I am paying attention: [CONTEXT]
What I know or have noted: [PASTE RAW NOTES]

Create an intelligence note with:
- Who they are: one paragraph, factual
- What they do that is working, based on what I can observe
- What they are not doing, or appear to be doing badly
- How they compare to what I offer or what I am building
- The one thing they are doing that I should pay attention to
- The one thing I do that they do not appear to do
- Tags and date, so I know when I captured this

Do not fabricate data I did not give you. If you are inferring something, say so.

Here are all the notes and captures I added to my system this week. I want to review them quickly and decide what to do with each one.

Captures this week: [PASTE TITLES OR SUMMARIES OF EVERYTHING YOU SAVED]

For each item, give me a one-line recommendation:
- Action now: needs a decision or action this week
- Move to active project: belongs inside a specific project I am working on
- File as reference: no action needed, just store it
- Delete: not worth keeping

Then give me:
- The 3 captures from this week most likely to be useful in the next 30 days
- Anything I captured this week that connects to something I captured in a previous review (only flag this if the connection is genuinely useful, not just thematic)
- One thing I can do in the next 10 minutes to move the most important item forward

Keep the whole output to a single page. Speed is the point.

I have a backlog of old notes I have not looked at in a while. I want to clear it out.

Here are the notes in my backlog, with dates captured: [PASTE TITLES OR BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS WITH DATES]

For each note, recommend one of four things:
- Act: there is still something here worth doing, and here is what
- Archive: the information is still valid but I do not need to act, just store it
- Revisit in 90 days: too early to act on but not ready to archive
- Delete: this is no longer relevant or was never worth keeping

For everything you recommend deleting, give me a one-word reason so I can spot patterns in what I am saving that I should not be saving.

If any notes from more than 6 months ago look like they were important ideas I never acted on, flag them separately.

I want to do a monthly health check on my second brain system.

Here is what I have captured this month, by category: [PASTE A SUMMARY OR LIST]
Here is what I have actually used or acted on: [DESCRIBE]
Here is what has been sitting untouched: [DESCRIBE]

Give me:
1. A one-paragraph honest assessment of whether my system is working
2. The category where I am capturing most but using least (my dead zone)
3. The category where my captures are translating into action (what is working)
4. One change to my capture habit that would make the most difference next month
5. One type of note I should stop saving because I never do anything with it

Do not suggest I reorganise my entire system. One small, specific improvement only.

I want to save a quote or statistic so I can find it and use it later.

The quote or stat: [PASTE IT]
Source: [AUTHOR, PUBLICATION, DATE IF KNOWN]
Where I found it: [URL or context]
Why I saved it: [ONE SENTENCE]

Format this as a reference card:
- The quote or stat, verbatim
- Source line (formatted for use in content: Author, Source, Year)
- Context: what point was being made when this was said or written
- How I might use this: [in content / in sales conversations / in pitches / for my own thinking]
- Tags: 3 single-word tags
- Confidence level on accuracy: High / Medium / Low (flag if you have any reason to doubt the stat)

If the stat sounds like a number that gets misquoted a lot, note that.

I want to capture key ideas from something I just read or listened to.

Title and author: [TITLE, AUTHOR]
Format: [Book / Podcast / Chapter / Episode]
Date: [DATE]
My rough notes: [PASTE WHAT YOU HIGHLIGHTED, NOTED, OR REMEMBER]

Produce:
- One-paragraph summary of the main argument or narrative
- The 3 to 5 ideas I am most likely to use, in the order I noted them
- The single best line or idea from the whole thing
- What it changed or confirmed in how I think about [YOUR TOPIC]
- Would I recommend it: Yes / Selectively / No, with one honest sentence
- Tags and a suggested shelf location in my system

If I have given you enough to write a short note I could share as a recommendation, add that as an optional extra at the end.

I received feedback I want to capture properly so I can learn from it and track patterns.

Source of feedback: [WHO gave it and in what context]
The feedback, as closely as I can remember it: [PASTE OR DESCRIBE]
My immediate reaction: [HOW DID I FEEL OR RESPOND IN THE MOMENT]

Capture this as:
- The feedback in one neutral sentence, stripped of emotional charge from either side
- What it is actually saying, underneath the surface: the core message
- Whether I think it is accurate, partly accurate, or off-base, and why (be honest)
- What I want to do with it: Act on it / Note it and watch for the pattern / Disagree and move on
- If acting on it: one specific change I could make
- Pattern check: does this echo anything I have heard before? [YES, flag it / NO, first time]

This is for my own learning, not a response to the person. Be honest, not kind.