This skill should be used when the user says "12 favorite problems", "twelve favorite problems", "Feynman problems", "capture filter", "what should I save", "I save too much", "I don't know what to capture", "my captures are unfocused", "favorite problems workshop", "identify my problems", "what are my big questions", or wants to create, review, or use a list of guiding questions as a personal capture filter for their Second Brain.
How this skill is triggered — by the user, by Claude, or both
Slash command
/rad-para-second-brain:twelve-favorite-problemsThe summary Claude sees in its skill listing — used to decide when to auto-load this skill
Guide the user through identifying, refining, and using their 12 Favorite Problems --
Guide the user through identifying, refining, and using their 12 Favorite Problems -- the open-ended questions that serve as a personal capture filter for their Second Brain.
Inspired by Richard Feynman, who kept a dozen important problems constantly in mind. Whenever he encountered a new technique or insight, he tested it against all twelve.
Most Second Brain failures stem from one of two problems:
The 12 Favorite Problems solve both: they provide a personal relevance filter that ensures captures are meaningful without requiring judgment on each individual item.
Prompt the user:
"Write down every question, curiosity, challenge, or aspiration you can think of. Don't filter -- aim for 20-30 raw questions across all areas of your life:
- Career and professional growth
- Health and well-being
- Relationships and community
- Creative projects and hobbies
- Financial goals
- Learning and personal development
- Contribution and impact
Start with whatever comes to mind. I'll help you refine them."
Wait for the user's list before proceeding. If they produce fewer than 15 items, prompt with category-specific starters:
"What about [under-represented category]? Is there a question or challenge there that's been on your mind?"
Help the user rewrite each item as a genuine question:
Transformation rules:
Before/After examples:
| Raw Item | Refined Problem |
|---|---|
| Get promoted | How can I develop leadership skills that make me indispensable? |
| Read more books | How can I extract more actionable insight from what I read? |
| Get healthy | How can I build sustainable daily habits that compound into long-term health? |
| Make more money | What skills or assets can I build now that generate income independently? |
| Be less stressed | How can I design my environment and routines to prevent overwhelm? |
| Learn photography | What makes a photograph emotionally compelling, and how can I develop that eye? |
Work through the user's list item by item, suggesting refinements but respecting their wording preferences.
From the refined list, help the user select 12 using these criteria:
Present the selected 12 in a numbered list. Ask:
"Read through these. Do they feel like YOUR questions? If any feel forced or borrowed, swap them for something more personal."
Validate the list works as a capture filter:
"Think of the last 3 things you saved, bookmarked, or found interesting. Does each one relate to at least one of your 12 problems?"
Save the 12 Favorite Problems as a persistent reference:
# My 12 Favorite Problems
**Created:** [date]
**Last reviewed:** [date]
1. [Problem 1]
2. [Problem 2]
...
12. [Problem 12]
## Capture Rule
When encountering new information, test it against these problems.
If it provides an answer, a new angle, or a spark for ANY of them — capture it.
Where to save:
Areas/Personal Development/ or pinned at the top levelWhen the user encounters new information:
"Does this relate to any of your 12 problems? If yes, capture it and tag it with the problem number. If not, ask: is it inspiring, useful, personal, or surprising? (The 4 capture criteria.) If neither, skip it."
Reference the 12 problems during weekly reviews:
"Looking at what you captured this week — which of your 12 problems got the most attention? Which got none? Are the neglected ones still important, or have your priorities shifted?"
This turns the weekly review from a maintenance chore into a strategic check-in.
Review and update the list:
When starting a new project, cross-reference:
"Which of your 12 Favorite Problems does this project address? This helps you stay motivated and recognize relevant captures as they appear."
| Frequency | Action |
|---|---|
| Daily | Use as capture filter (quick mental check) |
| Weekly | Review captures against the 12 during weekly review |
| Monthly | Check for problems that need updating |
| Quarterly | Full refresh — expect 2-3 problems to rotate |
For the complete 12 Favorite Problems methodology and capture criteria:
../para-organize/references/code_framework.md -- Full workshop steps, capture criteria, and AI-enhanced capture workflowsGuides creation, editing, and verification of skills for AI coding agents using test-driven development with subagent scenarios. Use when authoring or debugging skills.
npx claudepluginhub radorigin-llc/rad-claude-skills --plugin rad-para-second-brain