The Art of Organizing Thoughts

First published in 1983 and newly resonant in the age of AI, Shigehiko Toyama argues in The Art of Organizing Thoughts, that knowledge alone is not wisdom, in fact, the more we accumulate, the easier it is to stop truly thinking.

Toyama distinguishes the Glider Mindset trained only to follow instruction from the Airplane Mindset that generates its own lift: curious, self-propelled, and capable of original thought. He shows how to cultivate that powered flight through simple practices: letting ideas “ferment” over time, learning when to sleep on a problem and using selective forgetting as a tool to keep your mind clear and creative.

Part philosophy, part practical handbook, the book offers a calming alternative to productivity culture, aimed at busy, intelligent readers who feel scattered and want a mind they can trust. It invites a return to analogue habits and deep attention, not to do more, but to think better and live more clearly.