Why AI forgets you every single time

Hey, Yunus here 👋

Two weeks ago, I shared how I finally tackled a problem that has been slowing me down for months. A problem you may have run into too: AI keeps losing context.

If you’re running multiple projects like apps, newsletters, products, etc.. each assistant only understands a fragment. None of them hold the full picture.

A lot of you replied with "SYSTEM" to my last email. So here it is: the full, detailed breakdown of how I give AI a single, unified brain to operate from.

⏩ Shortcut: In a hurry? Grab the Second Brain Starter Kit → and start building now.

📁 The Architecture: Folder-Based Context

Most people use AI via a web chat. But for this to work, you need an AI that lives inside your file system.

I use a modified PARA folder structure. Every time I start a session, I point the AI to this root directory:

YunusSecondBrain/
├── 00_Meta/              ← The "Brain Layer" (AI reads this first)
│   ├── Identity_Context/
│   │   └── Business_Map.json   ← The Master OS
│   ├── System_Prompts/
│   │   └── Agent_User_Manual.md ← How thoughts are processed
│   └── History_Log/
│       ├── Decision_Log.md     ← Strategic Memory
│       └── Changelog.md        ← Technical Memory
├── 10_Projects/          ← Active Projects
│   ├── P_Inbox_Experiments/
│   │   ├── brand_guide.md
│   │   └── posts.md
│   ├── P_Project_X/
│   │   └── context.md
├── 20_Areas/             ← Ongoing Responsibilities
│   ├── A_Finance/
│   └── A_Health/
├── 30_Resources/         ← Knowledge Bank
│   ├── R_Marketing/
│   └── R_Coding_Snippets/
└── 40_Archives/          ← Completed/Paused Projects
    └── P_Old_Portfolio/

📄 The 3 Strategic Files

1. Business_Map.json — The Operating System

This is the single source of truth. It’s not a task list; it’s a structured map of how your business actually works. AI parses JSON perfectly, navigating meaning instead of isolated tasks. It tracks:

• Your legal and financial structure.

• Revenue patterns and project portfolios (apps, products, services).

• Active Focus Zones: Exactly what matters this week.

2. Agent_User_Manual.md — The Instruction Set

Your "Second Brain" needs to know its role. This file defines:

• Interaction Protocols: "Read 00_Meta first."

• Update Rules: "Always log strategic changes in Decision_Log."

• Writing Style: Ensuring the AI speaks your language, not "AI-speak."

3. Decision_Log.md — Strategic Memory

Ever have an AI suggest a strategy you already tried and hated? This file stops that. It captures the deeper layers AI usually misses: what we decided, why we chose it, and what we rejected. Now, when AI helps me, it navigates based on past lessons, not generic advice.

🛠 Which Tool Should You Use?

To use this system, your AI must have direct access to your folder structure.

🚀 The "Session Start" Prompt

Once your folders are set up, you don't "chat" with AI. You "onboard" it. In Antigravity or Cursor, I use this:

🔄 3 Habits for Permanent Context

1. Update the Map: If you start a new project or change a revenue model, it goes in Business_Map.json immediately.

2. Log the 'Why': When you decide to pivot, write 3 lines in Decision_Log.md. The AI will never suggest the "old way" again.

3. Project-Specific Context: Every project folder must have its own context.md or brand_guide.md. AI should know as much about your brand as you do.

🎁 Download the Starter Kit

I’ve stripped out my private details and created a Second Brain Starter Kit for you to copy. It includes the blank JSON structure, the Manual, and the Log templates.

→ Get the Second Brain Starter Kit (Notion & Zip)

📬 Quick Test (Do This Now)

Open your AI tool. Paste this exact prompt:

If the answer is empty or wrong → the Starter Kit above fixes that.

If it's accurate → I want to hear from you. Seriously.
Reply and tell me what system you're using. You figured out something most people haven't, and I'm genuinely curious how you did it.

Talk soon,

Yunus 🚀