The Anthropology of You: What Your Notes Reveal About How You Think
Your brain leaves a trail…
There’s something oddly fascinating about stumbling upon an old notebook or a half-forgotten digital note. You read the words, and for a second, it feels like you’re seeing a past version of yourself—someone who was curious about that idea, obsessed with that question, or wrestling with that realization. It’s a little like time travel. But if you step back and look at your notes as a whole, they become something even more intriguing: a map of your mind.
Most people think of notes as just a way to remember things—facts, quotes, passing thoughts. But what if they’re actually clues? Evidence of how you think, what draws your attention, and what patterns quietly shape your choices?
That’s the idea I want to explore today: treating your notes like an anthropologist would. Because if you start seeing them as artifacts of your inner world, you might discover things about yourself that you never noticed before.
A Quick Side Note: I’ve seen a lot of new faces here—welcome! If you found me through the Personal Knowledge System article, I’d love to know what resonated most for you! Please leave a comment!
Your Notes as a Mirror
Every note you take is a breadcrumb. A tiny piece of something that, for whatever reason, mattered in that moment. Maybe it was a phrase that sparked something, a concept you wanted to chew on later, or an insight that felt too good to lose.
But when you zoom out, those individual breadcrumbs start forming a trail. Look at enough of them, and suddenly, you’re not just seeing isolated notes—you’re seeing yourself.
What kinds of ideas do you keep coming back to?
What topics make you hit “save” without hesitation?
What words or metaphors appear again and again in your notes?
If you’ve never done this kind of reflection before, it can be eye-opening. You might notice you’re collecting thoughts on creativity more than anything else. Or that you keep saving articles about unconventional careers. Or that, weirdly, you always write down ideas using metaphors from nature or architecture.
Your notes aren’t random. They’re reflections of how your mind works.
Reading Between the Lines
Anthropologists don’t just study what ancient cultures left behind—they study why they left it behind, what it meant in context, and how it connects to the bigger picture. You can do the same with your own notes.
Try this experiment:
Go through a collection of your past notes. (This could be a note-taking app, a journal, or even old Post-its you’ve stuck in books.)
Look for patterns. Do certain themes, topics, or questions pop up repeatedly?
Ask yourself: Why does this keep showing up? What does it say about what you’re drawn to, what you’re trying to figure out, or what problems you keep circling back to?
Sometimes, you’ll spot something obvious. Other times, a theme will emerge that surprises you. Maybe you didn’t realize how much you cared about the intersection of psychology and creativity. Or that every time you save a quote, it’s about freedom, not success. Or that you’re constantly jotting down ideas for projects you never start (which might tell you something about your hesitations, not just your interests).
Patterns in Your Thinking = Hidden Insights
Here’s where it gets interesting. Once you start noticing patterns in your notes, you can ask: What does this say about what actually matters to me?
Because sometimes, we tell ourselves we care about one thing when our notes tell a different story.
You might think you’re obsessed with productivity, but your notes are filled with reflections on play and spontaneity.
You might believe you’re interested in one career path, but your notes suggest you keep getting pulled toward something else entirely.
You might assume you’re a logical thinker, but your notes show that metaphors and visuals are how you actually make sense of the world.
It’s easy to forget that your own brain leaves a trail. Looking back at your notes is a way of stepping outside of your own head—seeing yourself from the outside, instead of just being yourself. And that distance can be powerful.
Turning Self-Knowledge into Action
So what do you do with this insight?
Follow the threads. If a theme keeps showing up, dig into it. Read more, write about it, experiment with it.
Challenge assumptions. If your notes tell a different story than your conscious beliefs, sit with that. What if your real interests aren’t what you thought?
Design your system around how you actually think. If you’re a visual thinker, maybe mind maps work better than bullet points. If you thrive on connections, linking notes might be more valuable than rigid folders.
The goal isn’t just to collect more notes—it’s to use them as a tool for self-discovery.
Because at the end of the day, your notes aren’t just a random collection of words. They’re a record of how your mind works, what you care about, and where your curiosity naturally leads you.
And if you pay attention, they might just help you figure out what you’re really here to do.
Over to You
Have you ever gone back through your old notes and spotted a pattern? Or discovered something about yourself that you didn’t expect? I’d love to hear about it—drop a comment or reply to this email and share what you’ve found.
And if this idea resonates, go back through your notes today. You might be surprised at what’s been hiding in plain sight.
Thanks for restacking, @Margaret Fleck !
Thanks for restacking, @Cecilia !