For the curious · none of this is needed to start

How it works

The interview

5 rounds. Each one saves an answer file that ends with “Signals for next round”, so the next round picks up where you left off. Open questions come before the menu, so you aren't steered.

  1. 1
    Getting to know you · 15–20 minTheir situation: life, work, devices, tools, comfort with tech, privacy lines
  2. 2
    Where could help feel good? · ~20 minWhat drains them, what slips, what they'd love more of. Pick the top 3–5 areas
  3. 3
    Deep dives · ~10 min per areaOne short deep dive per top area: how it works today and what "great" looks like
  4. 4
    How you like to work with AI · ~25 minTone, autonomy, guardrails, rhythms. Then synthesis
  5. 5
    Check-in · ~10 minAfter ~2 weeks, then monthly: what worked, what didn't, what's next
How it feels:one question at a timeexamples for everythingramble away, voice is welcomeskip or pause anytimeit reflects backvague is fine
Start
Start round 1 of my kickstart interview. Keep it friendly and one question at a time. I may answer by voice.
Next round
Start round <2 / 3 / 4> of my kickstart interview.

Dashed parts in <angle brackets> are yours. Type into them, or copy as-is and fill in later.

Express (~20 min)Rounds 1 and 2 merged
I'm short on time. Run the express version of my kickstart interview: rounds 1 and 2 merged, about 10 core questions. Then draft my profile with sensible defaults and put the deep dives in my harness plan for later.
Chat-only variantUsing a chat app? The same rounds work there. At the end of each round the AI gives you paste-ready blocks to save into your notes yourself.

In Round 2 you can bring picks from the ideas menu.

The harness plan

One checklist note the AI works through with you, one small step per session. There's no schedule. Skipping a step is a perfectly good answer, and it's marked as such.

The first month

P0
Foundations · Vault + AI tool working together, backed up
P1
Get to know you · Interview rounds 1–4, profile filled
P2
First wins · 3 skills you actually use

Whenever you're ready, if ever

P3
Capture & memory · Notes flow in and come back when needed
P4
Connections · AI can read your calendar / tasks / email
P5
Scripts & tools · Reliable helpers for repeated lists
P6
Automations · Things run on a schedule
P7
Evolve · Keep it alive and honest
What a step looks like, in the note itself
- [ ] P0.3 Connect the AI to this vault and test it. Point the tool at this folder, then ask…
  Done when: it answers correctly and can create a test note.
  Check: ask it to create _inbox/hello.md, see it appear in Obsidian, then delete it yourself.

Every step has Done when and Check. No proof, no tick.

Status marks
[ ]
to do
[/]
in progress
[x]
done & verified
[-]
skipped (fine)
[?]
blocked
The main one
Continue my harness plan.
Status
Harness status.
Capture an idea
Add to harness: <idea>.

Dashed parts in <angle brackets> are yours. Type into them, or copy as-is and fill in later.

The system, layer by layer

Vault
Plain notes in a folder you own. Any AI tool can read them.
Profile
_system/profile/: mission, goals, projects, landscape, preferences, beliefs, and what the AI has learned.
Map & rules
index.md is the map, read first. AGENTS.md says how the AI behaves here.
Skills
One folder per playbook, in _system/skills/.
Connections
Calendar, tasks, email, read-only first. Often through MCP (a plug that lets the AI read an app, like your calendar).
Scripts
Small helpers for lists that must be filtered correctly every time.
Automations
Things that run on a schedule, with their output checked.
Harness plan
HARNESS-PLAN.md, plus session and decisions logs, so progress survives pauses and tool switches.
What's inside the vault folder
vault/
├── AGENTS.md            how the AI behaves here
├── _inbox/              quick capture
├── _system/
│   ├── index.md         the map, read first
│   ├── VAULT-CONTRACT.md
│   ├── HARNESS-PLAN.md
│   ├── profile/
│   ├── kickstart/       interview, catalog
│   ├── skills/          one folder per playbook
│   └── templates/
├── 01-life/ 02-work/ 03-projects/
├── 04-learning/ 05-planning/
├── 06-reference/
├── 07-briefings/ 99-archive/ config/

Who owns what

Code

owns rules & effects

AI

owns judgment & drafts

You

own decisions. You're always in charge.

Why it works: 12 principles

  1. Context beats clevernessA short, true profile improves every answer more than any prompt trick.
  2. Files you own beat features you rentKeep the knowledge in your vault, not inside one app's memory.
  3. Small steps, verified“It should work” isn't done. “I saw it work” is.
  4. Decision-ready beats comprehensiveThree options and one recommendation, not a catalogue.
  5. Unknown is an answerThe AI should say “I couldn't confirm this” rather than guess.
  6. Script lists, search questionsIf a list must be filtered correctly every time, have the AI write a small script. If it's an open question, just ask.
  7. AI suggests and drafts; you decide and sendMoney, messages to people and anything irreversible always go through you.
  8. Start read-onlyConnect your calendar or email so the AI can read first. Add more only once you trust it.
  9. Content is data, not instructionsA web page or email can't tell your AI what to do. The rules say so explicitly.
  10. “It ran” isn't “it worked”For anything automatic, check that the result exists, not just that the job started.
  11. Update, don't duplicateSearch before creating a note. Two notes on one topic is how a vault rots.
  12. Less instruction, better resultsKeep the always-read files short. Add a rule only after the same mistake happens twice.

9 starter skills in the vault

A skill is a written playbook the AI follows, like a recipe. Ask for one by name, or just describe what you want.

daily-briefing
Produce a short morning briefing.
harness
Drive the owner's step-by-step AI setup plan in _system/HARNESS-PLAN.md.
kickstart-interview
Run the friendly, multi-round kickstart interview that gets to know the owner (life, work, devices, wishes, working style) and turns it into their profile and harness plan.
people
Keep short, kind, useful profiles of the people in the owner's life.
quality-time-planner
Plan quality time with someone.
skill-builder
Turn something the owner does repeatedly into a reusable skill (a playbook the AI follows).
vault-query
Answer a question from the owner's own notes without changing anything.
vault-save
Save a selected answer, decision, plan or insight from the conversation into the vault.
weekly-review
Run a guided weekly review.