How to Capture

When you have a great idea or finish a call with a client, you often don’t know how to save it so you can use it later without creating digital clutter. This guide walks you through the standard 4-step process to process any incoming data, turning raw thoughts into clear business ideas in just minutes. If you want to understand the deeper mindset and core rules first, read the Capture Station Principles.

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Preparation Before Capturing

Before taking action, you only need two simple things:

1. A clear intent: Know the exact topic or problem you want to solve (for example: drafting a sales post, or capturing 3 takeaways from a coffee chat).
2. Ready tools: Open your Today page in Tana (or have a voice recorder or notebook handy if you are on the go).

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Step 1 — Dump Raw Data into the Today Page

Your first action is to dump all your thoughts or incoming information onto your Today page. Use whichever method feels easiest:

• Use voice (Tana Voice): Turn on your microphone and speak your mind freely for 2–3 minutes. This is the fastest way to get thoughts out with zero lag.
• Type notes: Quickly jot down bullet points of the main ideas in your head.
• Paste references: Paste a quote from a book, takeaways from a client call, or an interesting link you discovered.

No matter which method you use, follow one golden rule: keep it raw and never edit while capturing. Write or speak freely, even if you stumble or your sentences are messy. Do not stop to polish grammar or fix words right now. Polishing too early will kill your creative flow immediately.

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Step 2 — Add the #source Tag to Classify

Once your raw data is on the Today page, move your cursor to that line and type #source to tag the content. Adding #source automatically does three things at once:

• Identifies the data: Marks this node as raw system intake and claims author credit for your thought.
• Organizes automatically: Moves the note into your Source repository so your daily workspace stays clean and clutter-free.
• Activates AI helpers: Unlocks specialized AI commands tailored specifically for processing raw material.

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Step 3 — Use AI to Distill Key Points

You do not need to spend time re-reading long paragraphs or listening through lengthy recordings. Let AI act like a pocket calculator to do the heavy lifting for you. Right on the #source node, click the AI command button. The AI assistant will scan the raw text and do two things:

• Suggest a short, punchy Title that captures the heart of your note.
• Extract the most important Key Takeaways as clear bullet points.

If you prefer not to use AI, simply skim your note and write down 2–3 main takeaways yourself. The goal here is turning messy raw data into clear points ready for selection.

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Step 4 — Extract One Winning Seed Idea

From the key points extracted in Step 3, your job is to pick the single best idea that delivers real value to your audience and turn it into a Seed Idea:

• Create a new line directly underneath and tag it #seed.
• Give your seed idea a short, crystal-clear title.
• The system will automatically link this Seed Idea back to the parent #source node so you always know where it originated.

You can create 1 to 3 seeds if your note contains several distinct ideas, but the rule is: you must lock in at least one winning seed. This seed idea is the complete ingredient ready to move to the Package Station.

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Results and Next Steps

By completing these 4 steps, you have walked through a full cycle at the Capture Station. You now hold two tangible results:

• One pristine raw record safely archived in #source to trace your original thinking whenever needed.
• One sharp #seed idea that addresses customer problems and carries your personal lived experience.

Your work at the Capture Station is done. Do not keep capturing or hunting for more outside references right now—that only creates mental fatigue. Take this Seed Idea straight into the Package Station, where you will prune dead branches and format it into a clear solution that customers love and want to buy.

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Practical Capture Playbooks