Create a mind map out of your notes

A network-style mind map can grow from a handful of linked notes into a sprawling web of ideas—by using bidirectional backlinks between daily notes and every “entity” worth tracking. After months of use, the map shows colored nodes representing different note types (companies, people, daily notes, and other entries) connected through two-way links, so related items automatically surface as part of a connected graph rather than staying isolated.

Getting started is intentionally simple: begin with a mostly blank graph, then create a new note and link it back to existing notes. In the example, the map initially contains only two nodes—Reflect B company note and Alex McCaw’s personnel note—while a daily note sits unconnected because no content has been written into it yet. Once a user creates a new “to do” note and backlinks it from the daily note, and also backlinks Alex McCaw’s note from that same daily note, the graph immediately gains new connections. The result is a small cluster where Reflect B connects to Alex McCaw, and both connect to the daily note via the backlinks.

That small cluster is the template for expansion. Each new daily note created over time becomes a hub that links to newly mentioned companies, people, projects, and task lists. As the user continues backlinking, the mind map spreads outward—new nodes appear and connect, turning a starting point into an interconnected knowledge network. The practical takeaway is that the daily workflow drives the structure: capture what happens, then backlink everything relevant.

A simple rule of thumb guides what to link: if a term begins with a capital letter, it deserves a backlink. That convention helps ensure the map consistently captures named entities—people, organizations, projects, and other proper nouns—without requiring complex categorization up front.

For organization, the map includes filters that can hide “unlinked” notes (nodes that still appear in the graph but aren’t connected to anything). In the more complex example, some nodes resemble “satellites” orbiting a central area; these are unlinked notes that clutter the view. By toggling filters—such as removing unlinked or blank nodes—the graph becomes cleaner and easier to interpret. Users can also temporarily remove daily nodes to focus on project nodes and the work they’re driving.

In short: build the mind map by backlinking from daily notes to capitalized entities, then use filters to keep the graph readable as it grows from a few nodes into a full network of relationships.