---
up:
  - "[[Ideaverse Map]]"
related:
  - "[[Evergreen notes]]"
created: 2020-06-01
---
A BOAT note is a "Block of Atomic Thought" floating alone in an empty ocean... 🚤 ^706f5c

- [[Evergreen notes]] are well-linked, fully formed members of society.
- BOAT notes are teenagers: still growing and forming a unique personality.

In this way:
- Living, evergreen notes = adults
- BOAT notes = teenagers

**Traits of a BOAT note**
- Less defined
- Few links (if any)
- Newly created (or just not fully formed)

Intuitive definition (yes it's very subjective): 
- *A BOAT note is any note that feels less than 33% finished (actualized).*

**Lifespan of a BOAT note**
- *Form*: In the sea of your "primordial idea soup", you quickly make a note. You know it has way more potential to grow, but right now you just want to roughly sketch it out. You have formed a new BOAT note. 
- *Float*: A BOAT note floats in your digital library not fully-formed, but full of potential. 
- *Grow*: But it's not evergreen until these BOAT notes make landfall and grow (connecting with other notes while sharpening its argument).

**Why the distinction matters**
- Just like a blank page is intimidating, so is the prospect of having to create beautiful evergreen notes from scratch.
- By having an intermediate step, you can feel more freedom to quickly form new ideas as you have them—without worrying about perfecting them.
- Later, it's easy (and fun) to return to these half-formed notes and tinker with them. It's an organic process. You don't have to force anything. You just find the BOATs that you're drawn to and start building them up (adding definitions, examples, and links).
- Looking for easy wins? Just look at your BOAT notes and start growing them.
- In this way, you have a system for the incremental development of living, evergreen notes.