Compounding Context

So you know how you’ve been using ChatGPT for a while now? I was the same. It’s useful, you ask it things, it helps, conversation ends, you start fresh next time. Every conversation is a blank slate.

I found something different. It’s called Claude Code, and the thing that makes it click isn’t that it’s “smarter” or whatever - it’s that context compounds.

Let me explain what I mean.

I have a folder in Google Drive. Inside it, I keep notes about everything - work projects, personal goals, to-dos, even random thoughts. When I start a conversation with Claude Code, it reads a file called CLAUDE.md that points to all this context. So when I ask it something, it’s not starting from zero. It knows what I’m working on. It knows what I care about. It remembers.

Not “remembers” like ChatGPT’s memory feature where it stores random facts about you. I mean it literally has access to my notes, my goals, my ongoing projects. When I’m thinking through something, it has the same context I have.

A concrete example

I have a goals document. It has my Q1 priorities, things I want to focus on, tensions I’m navigating (like wanting to lead more but also not wanting to drop the ball). When I’m processing feedback from work or thinking through a decision, I don’t have to re-explain all of that. Claude already sees it. So the conversation starts at a higher level.

Same with my to-do list. It’s organized by urgency - what’s immediate, what’s important but not urgent, what I’m waiting on from other people. When I brain dump something new, Claude can help me figure out where it goes, what it connects to, what I might be forgetting.

The system I use

I organize everything using something called PARA - Projects, Areas, Resources, Archives. It’s just a way to keep things tidy:

  • Projects: Active stuff with an end date
  • Areas: Ongoing responsibilities (work, health, relationships)
  • Resources: Reference material I want to keep
  • Archives: Done stuff

This lives in Google Drive, which means it syncs everywhere and persists. Claude Code reads from it. So every conversation builds on the last one.

The other piece: Superwhisper

I use a dictation app called Superwhisper. Instead of typing everything, I just talk. This sounds minor but it changes how I think. When I type, I edit as I go. When I talk, I just get thoughts out. Then Claude helps me make sense of them.

So my workflow often looks like: talk out loud about what’s on my mind, Superwhisper transcribes it, Claude helps me organize it, connect it to what I’m already working on, figure out next steps.

Why this is different from ChatGPT

ChatGPT is great for one-off questions. “How do I do X?” “Write me Y.” But every conversation is isolated.

With this setup, Claude becomes more like a thinking partner that actually knows your stuff. The more you use it, the more useful it gets. That’s what I mean by compounding context - the value builds over time instead of resetting every session.

For you

You’re juggling multiple businesses, writing books, doing design work. You already experiment with tools. I think this could fit how your brain works - you could have a Project for each book, an Area for each business, Resources for design references or templates you reuse.

And the voice input piece might be huge for you. Instead of sitting down to “organize your thoughts,” you just talk while you’re doing other stuff, and the system captures it.

I’m not saying you need to set up PARA or use Google Drive exactly like I do. The core idea is simpler: give the AI access to your actual context, and let that context grow over time.

If you want to try it, I can help you set it up. Or just start simple - one folder, one CLAUDE.md file that describes what you’re working on, and see how it feels.