I’ve recently gotten into podcasts, and they’ve quickly become my favorite way to learn. Two experts diving into a deep conversation, and suddenly, you’re learning something brand-new in real-time. But to be fair, whenever I tried to listen at the gym or in the background while working, it was entertaining, but I often found myself forgetting key insights or struggling to put what I learned into practice. 

Enter Granola.ai — a total game changer. It's a Mac app that takes notes while you listen (PC coming soon). Unlike older tools that rely on meeting recordings, Granola works directly with transcripts, making it faster and more privacy-friendly. It does not record or save audio of any point during the call. 

And, it doesn’t stop there — it lets you chat with your notes later to dig deeper or clarify what you missed. Now, I can “watch” podcasts like What Now by Trevor Noah or The Diary of a CEO while working and let Granola create detailed notes for me to review.

Here’s how I make it work:

• Open Granola, start a new note, and play your podcast on YouTube at 1.4x speed — quick enough to stay engaging.

• Let Granola work its magic — generate notes, copy them into my knowledge base, and review, which takes a couple minutes. 

• When I have questions, I just ask Granola, update my notes, and reflect.

The magic of Granola? It’s completely transformed how I listen to podcasts — turning passive listening into actionable learning. For example, I recently used insights from a podcast to rethink how I set my 2025 goals — and it’s already making a difference.

And now, after listening to each podcast, I pause to ask myself: “What’s a 1% change I can make based on this conversation?” Those little takeaways are adding up.

👉 Check it out here: Granola.ai

👉 A few recent Granola notes in my library:

• Trevor Noah: My Depression Was Linked to ADHD! Why I Left The Daily Show

• Simon Sinek: Trevor Noah Makes My Brain Hurt | A Bit of Optimism Podcast

• Andrew Huberman: You Must Control Your Dopamine! The Shocking Truth Behind Cold Showers

What's one podcast that's changed the way you think? Let’s trade notes and grow our digital libraries together. 

I pebble you,
Ankit

"I Pebble You" is a heartfelt collection of thoughtful moments — articles, memes, videos, and insights —that spark joy and connection. Inspired by how penguins gift pebbles to their loved ones, it’s a space to pause, reflect, and share. Subscribe to receive these meaningful pebbles in your inbox, and add your own to help build something bigger — because together, we create more thoughtful connections.

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