Video summary

I’m begging you to write essays

Main summary

Key takeaways

Educational

Main ideas / lessons conveyed

  • Essays are a powerful learning tool: They help you learn “deeply,” not just complete an assignment.
  • Great thinkers used essays to advance ideas: Influential writers and thinkers used essays to shape major conversations in politics, philosophy, and views of the universe.
  • The word “essay” matters: Its origin (French essayer / “to try or attempt”) frames essay-writing as an ongoing process of investigation.
  • Writing is the learning, not the finished product: The value of an essay is in thinking through ideas—making mistakes, revising your understanding, and forcing clarity.
  • Essays develop key cognitive skills:
    • Organizing scattered thoughts into a logical order
    • Explaining using your own words (to prove understanding)
    • Gaining perspective by putting ideas outside your mind so you can examine and critique them
  • Perfectionism can block you: Fear of producing “perfect” writing is treated as a misunderstanding—drafts include errors and uncertainty, and that’s part of learning.
  • Consistency matters: Essay-writing should become a habit supported by a productivity system.
  • Essays can be made using flexible formats: Essay-writing is adaptable across medium, topic, and style, with no strict rules.
  • When stuck, use simpler structures first: Start with a point-and-explain approach, then expand your range as you develop your voice.

Methodology / instruction-style content

1) What to remember about essays (conceptual “method”)

  • Treat essays as:
    • Acts of investigation
    • Iterative attempts rather than a single final performance
  • Focus on the process:
    • Put ideas on paper to make them real and inspectable
    • Use writing to discover what you actually know
  • Expect struggle and mistakes:
    • Confusion and errors are normal and necessary for discovering new understanding

2) Build a consistent essay habit (productivity guidance)

  • Write essays consistently (the video emphasizes habit-building).
  • Use a productivity system to reduce friction and procrastination:
    • Prefer a tool that centralizes tasks
    • Use AI suggestions to decide what to work on next when overwhelmed

3) Choose your essay “three features”: Medium, Topic, Style

Medium (where/how you write)

Decide between:

  • Pen & paper
    • Pros:
      • Feels like “real” writing
      • Evidence suggests better retention/understanding due to needed effort and friction
    • Cons:
      • Slower and harder
  • Digital writing
    • Pros:
      • Infinite capacity
      • Searchability
      • Organization via tags/metadata/links
      • Syncing, backups, and portability
    • Cons:
      • Not “perfect,” but more flexible for organizing and scaling

Recommendation: Pick a writing program and stick with it (avoid switching tools monthly).

Style (the tone/structure category)

The video’s example formats:

  • Mini essays
    • Short pieces covering one point only
    • Built for detail without becoming too burdensome for frequent practice
    • Often connected to each other to build a “network” of knowledge
  • Longer pieces (scripts/newsletters)
    • Argue one major point
    • Split into sections guiding the reader from A → B
    • Common flow:
      • Start with the point
      • Then add a story/analogy/reference
      • Link back at the end and explain how it connects to the original point

Additional style categories (with typical purpose):

  • Expository: clear, brief, informative, objective-leaning
  • Argument: pushes a viewpoint; uses logic and reason
  • Analytical: breaks down a work/topic and shows how parts connect (e.g., criticism/reviews)
  • Reflective / personal: subjective; uses experiences, anecdotes, memories to describe society or make meaning
    • Longer reflective form: memoir
    • Intimate forms: letters, journal entries

Rule-of-thumb: Styles aren’t rigid—expect blending, and you can break rules after learning them.

If you’re lost: start with a simple point + explanation format, then learn what works for you.

Topic (what you write about)

  • No strict rules, but suggested guidance:
    • Write about what you care about (it improves clarity and energy)
    • Focus on one point to avoid dilution:
      • Too many tangents confuse you and the reader
      • One strong point beats many weak ones
    • Choose something precise and passionate, suited to the essay’s short length
  • Structure guidance (“hot take”):
    • Skip a formal intro and conclusion if the essay already makes the point well
    • End quickly with a single strong closing sentence
    • Avoid “waffling” and redundant repetition

Speakers / sources featured (as named in the subtitles)

  • Michelle de Monten (French Renaissance philosopher credited with the essay format)
  • Francis Bacon (borrowed/popularized essay technique in England)
  • Ralph Waldo Emerson (used essays for social commentary)
  • Thomas Paine (used essays for political arguments: independence, abolitionism, governance)
  • Friedri Nature (intended as Friedrich Nietzsche; essays/philosophical approach to morality and culture)
  • Orwell (cited as an essay-writing influence)
  • Newton (cited as an essay-writing influence)
  • Natur(e) (cited alongside Orwell/Newton; likely referring to “nature writing,” though the subtitle is unclear)
  • Miyamoto Musashi (attributed quote: to “transcend” limitation by embracing it; Book of Five Rings mentioned)
  • AIFlow (sponsoring the video; used as an example productivity system)
  • Obsidian (the speaker’s note-taking/writing system mentioned for essays/mini-essays)

Original video