Andrew Stiefel | productivity

Markdown Files, Not Apps

2025-01-17T00:00:00-08:00

Files, not apps. I’m convinced this is the best way to work in the future.

I write down almost everything important in my life: lists, ideas, plans, code, and articles. They form my extended memory. They are a record of what I’ve done, and who I’ve been. That’s why I only use markdown files.

Traditional document and note-taking apps like Word, Evernote, and Notion create data silos and vendor lock-in, limiting your ability to freely move and process information.

I discovered this the hard way when I tried to move between different ecosystems like Evernote and Apple Notes. Sure, there was a way to export my data. But it was a mess. Things broke, attachments went missing, and I spent hours converting, reformatting, and importing.

Markdown is simple

Markdown files solve these challenges through their fundamental simplicity. Any text editor can open and edit them, eliminating dependency on specific applications or platforms. They have all the basic formatting you need for headlines, bullets, lists, and even basic tables.

Markdown is portable

If you use Evernote or Notion, for example, you are helpless without them. If they go out of business you are trapped and have to move your files to another format. You will outlive those companies. I’ve already outlived a few note-taking companies.

I can work with markdown files on any device, forever. I can access them with any text editor I want. This makes them remarkably long-lived. Proprietary formats come and go, but markdown’s open, plain text nature ensures it will likely outlast me. This makes it the ideal format for building a personal knowledge base.

Markdown works offline

There are times when I want to be offline and unreachable, but would still like to jot ideas down in a format that is easily searchable. Working offline is an amazing productivity boost. Why give that up for an online database?

Markdown is ready for AI

This is a use case I wouldn’t have imagined a few years. But it’s the main reason I’m convinced markdown files are the future. Since markdown is just text, AI systems can easily process and analyze your notes.

For example, I can easily grab my “Ideal Customer Profile.md” file and throw it into ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or whatever I’m using at the moment to work with it. I can add my messaging framework, and immediately start brainstorming marketing copy.

I can run a local LLM, point it at a folder of my markdown files, and then interact with my notes by asking questions. It’s like a personal assistant built on everything I’ve learned and experienced.

Conclusion

Everything I write is human readable, and yet actionable with apps and tools. I always have my files available locally, and backups are just making a copy of the folder and putting it somewhere safe.

Markdown is simple, portable, independent, and free — exactly how I want to live.

Tools I'm Using Right Now

2022-08-30T00:00:00-07:00

I’m always curious what tools people use in their work, so I thought it would compile a list of the tools I use for writing and productivity.

With that being said, use what you’re comfortable using or already know how to use. Outcomes are the most important; whatever tools you pick should help you get to the outcomes you want.

But there is a reason why we find tools fascinating. Tools can influence those outcomes, sometimes in a significant way! At least Abraham Lincoln thought so:

If I only had an hour to chop down a tree, I would spend the first 45 minutes sharpening my axe.

So with that introduction in mind, here’s what I’m using today. Hope you enjoy it!

Personal Productivity

Proton Mail: End-to-end enccrypted email for privacy and security

Things: Personal task management

Business Management

Google Workspace: Custom email domain and a business phone number

Wave: Free accounting for small businessess

Knowledge Management

Obsidian: Notes stored in markdown and synced with end-to-end encryption

Readwise: One app for feeds, reading, and highlighting

Marketing

Buffer: For scheduling social media posts

Buttondown: Privacy-first email newsletter software

Fathom Analytics: For privacy-first website analytics

Web Design

Jekyll: Static site generator

Namecheap: For buying domains

Netlify: For simply, static website hosting

Tailwind CSS: Utility-first CSS framework for designing websites

Visual Studio Code: Open-source code editing app

Writing

Copy AI: Side kick for brainstorming and copywriting

Ulysses: Markdown writing app

Just Start

2022-06-28T00:00:00-07:00

How long have you been working on a project with nothing to show?

I am an expert procrastinator. I spent three years building, tearing down, and restarting this blog. The colors were never right, I didn’t like the font, I needed just one more feature to be ready.

Finally, I decided to slim down to just what I need to write. The rest could come later. For now It’s minimal, but it’s all I needed to start.

Today you can publish your writing in less than five minutes. Start with tools like:

The list is endless. So what are you waiting for?

Start writing
Get feedback
Refine your work
Try again

One of the biggest misconceptions about writing or creating anything is that you should start with a strategy: “I’m going to write about X for people interested in Y.”

But here’s the truth: you don’t need a plan to start.

Write about whatever interests you. You’ll eventually find what you enjoy writing about the most and what resonates most with your audience.

You just have to start.

Here are three formats to get started:

Today I learned how to…
Did you read or hear about X? Here’s my reaction…
Someone asked me about X, so here is the answer

Keep a notebook with all the questions people ask you for help with. Write up your answers and publish them.

Eventually you’ll hit your stride — and you’ll probably discover an idea you could never have found while planning your strategy, picking brand colors, and brainstorming topics for your blog.

Start today.