Idea to Execution

The gap between "I have an idea" and "it's running on my machine" should be one keyboard shortcut.

What you're building today

Today you're building the thing that makes that stop. A strategy folder on your computer that Claude reads every time you open it. Plus a keyboard shortcut that gets you there in under a second. By the end of this, you'll have a thinking environment that remembers what you're working on, how you think, and what matters to you.

Step 1: Open Terminal

Press Cmd+Space to open Spotlight, type Terminal, and hit Enter. This is the command line. You'll paste commands here and hit Enter to run them. That's it.

If something asks for your Mac password, type it and hit Enter. You won't see the characters as you type. That's normal.

If you ever feel lost, type pwd and hit Enter. It shows you exactly where you are on your computer. That's your safety rope.

Step 2: Install Homebrew

Homebrew is a package manager for Mac. It installs tools that don't come with your computer. Copy and paste this entire line:

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

It'll ask for your password and take a few minutes. When it finishes, it may show instructions to add Homebrew to your PATH. If it does, copy and paste those lines too.

To verify it worked:

brew --version

You should see a version number. If you see "command not found," close Terminal, reopen it, and try again.

Step 3: Install Node.js and Claude Code

Node.js is a runtime that Claude Code needs to run. Install it with Homebrew:

brew install node

Now install Claude Code:

npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

Verify it worked:

claude --version

You should see a version number.

Step 4: Set up your Claude account

You need a Claude subscription that includes Claude Code. Two options:

1. Claude Max ($100/mo or $200/mo) at claude.ai. Sign up, then Claude Code uses your account directly. This is the easiest path.
2. API key at console.anthropic.com. Pay-as-you-go. More setup, more control.

Run claude in Terminal. It will walk you through connecting your account the first time.

Step 5: Create your strategy folder

mkdir -p ~/strategy/brain/00-inbox
mkdir -p ~/strategy/brain/10-knowledge
mkdir -p ~/strategy/projects

That gives you:

The brain folder is your capture system. Inbox is messy. Knowledge is what survives. Projects are where real work lives.

Step 6: Create your CLAUDE.md

This is the file Claude reads before every conversation. It's your persistent context. Instead of filling in a template yourself, let Claude interview you and build it.

Make sure you're in your strategy folder, then run Claude and paste this prompt:

Interview me to build my CLAUDE.md file. Ask me one question at a time about:
- Who I am and what I do
- What I'm currently working on
- How I think and make decisions
- How I prefer to communicate
- What I don't need from you

After each answer, ask the next question. When you have enough,
write the CLAUDE.md file in this directory. Use my exact words,
not corporate or generic language.

Claude will ask you questions one at a time. Just answer naturally. Don't overthink it. If the output is 70% right, just say "do this differently." You're thinking with Claude, not at Claude. When it has enough, it writes the file for you, in your voice, using your words.

Every time you run claude from this folder, it reads that file first. Your context compounds. You're never starting from zero.

Step 7: Your first capture

Claude just interviewed you. It knows who you are, what you're working on, how you think. Now let's use that.

Paste this prompt:

Based on everything I just told you, write a file called
brain/00-inbox/first-capture.md with your synthesis. What are
the key tensions or opportunities in what I'm working on?
Use my words, not yours. Be honest, not encouraging.

Claude writes a file to your machine. Open it if you want. It's your thinking, structured, in your own language. That file is there tomorrow. Next week. Next month.

Now the important part. Close Claude:

/exit

Reopen it:

claude

And ask:

What's in my inbox?

Claude reads the file you just created. It's still there. It didn't disappear into a chat thread. This is the difference. Every time you capture something, the system gets richer. Every time you open Claude in this folder, it has more to work with.

Step 8: Install Hammerspoon

Hammerspoon is free macOS automation. It lets you bind any keyboard shortcut to any action.

1. Install it:

   brew install --cask hammerspoon

2. Grant permissions: Open Hammerspoon. It'll ask for Accessibility permissions. Grant them in System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility.
3. Add the config: Click the Hammerspoon menu bar icon > Open Config. Paste this:

   -- Reload config
   hs.hotkey.bind({"cmd", "alt", "ctrl"}, "R", function()
       hs.reload()
   end)
   hs.alert.show("Config loaded")
   
   -- Shift+Cmd+Q: Open Terminal, cd to strategy, run Claude
   hs.hotkey.bind({"cmd", "shift"}, "Q", function()
       hs.applescript([[
           tell application "Terminal"
               activate
               do script "cd ~/strategy && sleep 1 && claude"
           end tell
       ]])
   end)

4. Reload: Click the Hammerspoon menu bar icon > Reload Config (or hit Ctrl+Alt+Cmd+R).
5. Try it: Hit Shift+Cmd+Q from anywhere. Terminal opens, lands in your strategy folder, and Claude is running. Idea to execution in one keystroke.