new usecases from Alex Finn

usecases/second-brain.md

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+# Second Brain
+
+You come up with ideas, find interesting links, hear about books to read — but you never have a good system for capturing them. Notion gets complex, Apple Notes becomes a graveyard of 10,000 unread entries. You need something as simple as texting a friend.
+
+This workflow turns OpenClaw into a memory-capture system you interact with via text message, backed by a custom searchable UI you can browse anytime.
+
+## What It Does
+
+- Text anything to your OpenClaw via Telegram, iMessage, or Discord — "Remind me to read a book about local LLMs" — and it remembers it instantly
+- OpenClaw's built-in memory system stores everything you tell it permanently
+- A custom Next.js dashboard lets you search through every memory, conversation, and note
+- Global search (Cmd+K) across all memories, documents, and tasks
+- No folders, no tags, no complex organization — just text and search
+
+## Pain Point
+
+Every note-taking app eventually becomes a chore. You stop using it because the friction of organizing is higher than the friction of forgetting. The key insight is: **capture should be as easy as texting, and retrieval should be as easy as searching**.
+
+## Skills You Need
+
+- Telegram, iMessage, or Discord integration (for text-based capture)
+- Next.js (OpenClaw builds this for you — no coding needed)
+
+## How to Set It Up
+
+1. Make sure your OpenClaw is connected to your preferred messaging platform (Telegram, Discord, etc.).
+
+2. Start using it immediately — just text your bot anything you want to remember:
+```text
+Hey, remind me to read "Designing Data-Intensive Applications"
+Save this link: https://example.com/interesting-article
+Remember: John recommended the restaurant on 5th street
+```
+
+3. Build the searchable UI by prompting OpenClaw:
+```text
+I want to build a second brain system where I can review all our notes,
+conversations, and memories. Please build that out with Next.js.
+
+Include:
+- A searchable list of all memories and conversations
+- Global search (Cmd+K) across everything
+- Ability to filter by date and type
+- Clean, minimal UI
+```
+
+4. OpenClaw will build and deploy the entire Next.js app for you. Navigate to the URL it provides and you have your second brain dashboard.
+
+5. From now on, whenever you think of something — on the road, in a meeting, before bed — just text your bot. Come back to the dashboard whenever you need to find something.
+
+## Key Insights
+
+- The power is in the **zero-friction capture**. You don't need to open an app, pick a folder, or add tags. Just text.
+- OpenClaw's memory system is cumulative — it remembers *everything* you've ever told it, making it more powerful over time.
+- You can text your bot from your phone and it builds things on your computer. The interface is the conversation.
+
+## Based On
+
+Inspired by [Alex Finn's video on life-changing OpenClaw use cases](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41_TNGDDnfQ).
+
+## Related Links
+
+- [OpenClaw Memory System](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw)
+- [Building a Second Brain (Tiago Forte)](https://www.buildingasecondbrain.com/)