Forte Labs

The modern frontier of productivity.

Oct 17, 2020

Evaluating Your Book Idea

In the beginning, is a message. You have something to say. A message that wants to get out of you. That needs to get out of you or else it w

Jan 22, 2021

The Modern Swipe File

15 Unexpected Uses for Digital Notes

May 7, 2018

Just-In-Time Project Management: A Digital-First Framework for Modern Projects

Technology has transformed every aspect of business, from the tools we use to communicate and collaborate, to how products and services are

Jun 5, 2018

Just-In-Time PM #17: States of Mind

In Part 16, we refined our understanding of Return on Attention by taking into account our biggest constraint as knowledge workers – not jus

Dec 4, 2018

10 Things I Learned as a VA with Tiago

By Kathryn Tongg 1. Establish the preferred method of communication right away. Everyone has a way they prefer to communicate. Whether this

Dec 28, 2017

Progressive Summarization II: Examples and Metaphors

Let’s look at how a single source can proceed through the layers of progressive summarization. These are Layer 1 notes I took on an article

Mar 5, 2018

Progressive Summarization V: The Faster You Forget, The Faster You Learn

In Part I, I introduced Progressive Summarization, a method for easily creating highly discoverable notes. In Part II, I gave you examples a

Jul 21, 2019

Tiago’s 2019 Mid-Year Review

The following are the results of my Mid-Year Review, which I do every year around the beginning of July. It is a simple process of reflectio

Oct 28, 2018

Just-in-Time PM #21: Workflow Strategies

Now it’s time to look at the JIT Project Manager’s toolkit. How do we put these ideas into practice in our day to day work? Through Workflow

Aug 15, 2018

The 5 Challenges of Becoming a Digital Nomad

In Part 1 of the Going Nomad series, I explained why my partner Lauren and I are moving to Mexico at the end of the year. In Part 2, I’ll te

Jan 17, 2018

The Annual Review is a Rearchitecture

I previously described how the weekly review is an operating system, funneling each bit of information you captured during the week to its p

Dec 19, 2017

Supersizing the Mind: The Science of Cognitive Extension

You enter your kitchen for a quick lunch: how is it exactly that your brain solves the problem “prepare lunch as efficiently as possible”? Y

Oct 14, 2019

Interview with Billy Broas of Email Boss

This is an interview with my online course marketing coach and creator of the Email Boss program Billy Broas. It is an in-depth discussion i

Oct 17, 2020

Launching Your Book

Everything you’ve done up to this point has been preparation for this singular moment: the launch of your book. An incredible amount of time

May 20, 2018

Just-In-Time PM #4: Intermediate Packets

In Part 3, I argued that having a personal knowledge base is the linchpin of success in a creative economy. A knowledge base allows you to r

May 31, 2018

Just-In-Time PM #13: Component Thinking

In Part 12, I described the shift from a just-in-case to a just-in-time philosophy of work, using late starts as an example of the benefits

Oct 17, 2020

Crafting a Book Proposal

Your proposal is like a business plan for your book. It needs to justify why your book is worth not just years of your time and effort, but

Mar 9, 2019

The Four Pathways of Modern Book Publishing

In The Future of Ebooks, I laid out a vision for what books could become in a world free of technological constraints. But the modern realit

Feb 13, 2019

The Free Agent Ecosystem

One of the most exciting trends in coming years will be the formation of cooperative working groups made up of independent contractors.  Whe

May 19, 2018

Just-In-Time PM #3: Flow Cycles

In Part 2, I described the sublime and powerful experience of flow, which could be considered the “holy grail” of productivity. I argued tha

Oct 17, 2020

The Ins and Outs of Offers

After you’ve written your proposal and sent it to publishers, the future of your book is in their hands.  If you’ve done your job effectivel

Jul 25, 2018

Why I’m Moving to Mexico

My partner Lauren and I are moving to Mexico City later this year. This post explains why, both to clarify for myself, and to be able to sha

May 1, 2019

Superhuman: The Fastest Email Experience Ever Made

This is a recording of a live walkthrough of Superhuman, an email client that works in the browser and on iOS and connects to any Gmail acc

May 27, 2018

Just-In-Time PM #10: Structure, Features, and Purpose

In Part 9, I explained why it is so important to create placeholders for your work-in-process: to allow you to pursue multiple projects acro