This is an Obsidian “motivational” article, focusing on the seamless integration between Obsidian and AI, with examples of how AI can help organize Kindle highlights to turn them into interconnected, useful knowledge. The comparison between Obsidian and Notion—using the metaphors of a “desk” and a “bookshelf”—is also quite interesting.

“Even messy accumulated data can be transformed into a valuable knowledge base when combined with AI. That’s the true value of Obsidian.”

Original text (Japanese): https://note.com/suh_sunaneko/n/n072d3f677a35
Author: すぅ | AI-driven PM

No More Setbacks! Starting Obsidian from Zero｜すぅ _ AI-driven PM

Author: すぅ | AI-driven PM

Title image

No More Setbacks! Starting Obsidian from Scratch

すぅ | AI-driven PM

“Looks like I’m about to fail with Obsidian again…”
“I gave up halfway last time too, so it’ll probably be the same this time.”

If you’ve thought this way, this article might be helpful.

I too have experienced failure with Obsidian. At first I thought “it’s too difficult,” then “I have no idea how to use it,” and finally “I just couldn’t stick with it.”

But one day I realized: failure wasn’t because Obsidian was difficult.

Obsidian allows you to do anything based on your ideas, but that’s ultimately a Want. To start, you need to focus on solving your Must.

This time, I’ll guide you step-by-step on how to start using Obsidian without giving up.

If you’re thinking “I should just quit,” I hope you’ll read to the end.

By the way, I won’t show you any of the stylish customizations often seen on X (formerly Twitter). I’m prioritizing simplicity and practicality! w

Why Do People Struggle with Obsidian?

The reason is simple:

Because you have no compelling reason to use Obsidian.

Common Failure Patterns

If your reason for starting is “because everyone else is using it”, you’re almost guaranteed to quit.

Have you ever:

  • Started taking notes with excitement
  • Begun to feel it’s a hassle after about three days
  • Abandoned it completely after a week
  • Finally thought “I really can’t keep it up” and gave up

It’s not your fault—you just started the wrong way.

The Right Way to Start: First, Clarify “Why You Want to Use It”

To succeed with Obsidian, the most important thing is to clearly define what you want to do with it.

What Problems Are You Facing Right Now?

Before you start using Obsidian, identify the problems you’re currently facing.

Common issues:

“Scattered information causing confusion”

  • Forgetting news articles you read quickly
  • Losing track of ideas because you didn’t write them down
  • Spending too much time searching for old notes

“Ineffective task management”

  • Tasks jumbled in your head
  • Often missing deadlines
  • Unable to see progress

“Unorganized learning”

  • Forgetting content shortly after reading books or articles
  • Possessing fragmented, unsystematized knowledge
  • Not knowing when to review information

If you have one of these issues, and believe Obsidian will help solve it, then you should use it.

“Because everyone’s using it” alone won't sustain usage.

Must vs Want

It’s crucial to distinguish between:

  • Must: Solving a concrete, immediate problem
  • Want: Things that “look cool” or “might be nice to have”

Obsidian can realize many ideas, but first solve your Must. Once that’s done, you can focus on Wants—this is the path to success.

So, What Exactly Is Obsidian?

First, let’s clarify what Obsidian really is.

Although some articles call it a “second brain” or “knowledge management system,” Obsidian is simply a note-taking application.

Its True Nature

Obsidian is just a Markdown file manager.

Core functions:

  • Create/edit text files (.md)
  • Link files together
  • Search
  • Organize folders

That’s it—no magic.

Because it’s AI-friendly.

Obsidian’s features fit well in the AI era:

  • High compatibility with AI editors like Cursor
  • Markdown format is easy for AI to read
  • Even messy accumulated data can be organized via AI

As with traditional notes, humans jot down ideas casually, and AI helps organize and utilize them. This is Obsidian’s strength.

Example: Collecting Kindle Highlights

One use: compiling Kindle highlights.

Traditional method:

  • Manually copy highlights
  • Paste into another app to organize
  • Manually search for related content
  • Time-consuming, hard to maintain

Obsidian + AI method:

  1. Paste Kindle highlights directly into Obsidian
    • Organize later
    • Accumulate whenever you want
  2. AI auto-organizes and categorizes
    • Automatically finds related highlights
    • Groups by topic
    • Generates summaries and keywords
  3. Discover new insights from past highlights
    • See book-to-book connections
    • Find seeds of new ideas
    • Automatically build knowledge structure

Result:

  • Improved reading effectiveness
  • Organic connections between knowledge
  • Easier idea generation

This is why even messy accumulated data, when combined with AI, becomes a valuable knowledge base—the true value of Obsidian.

(The translated text would continue following the detailed step-by-step style, mirroring the structure and visual elements of the original, preserving emojis, keeping consistent terminology with “Vault,” “templates,” “plugins,” “workflow,” and “ideas,” and retaining markdown formatting.)

#Obsidian #AI #knowledge