Life Capsule 2.1 Pre-Flight Check
Stage 2.1 Pre-Flight Check
Mission Outcome
By the end of Pre-Flight Check, you will have accepted the mission, set up your core tools - browser, AI Ally, Mission Console, Mission Time Log) - and completed your Pre-Flight Check discovery.
Estimated Steady Voyager Time
30 - 60 minutes (if this is your first Life Capsule) | 15 minutes (if you completed Life Capsule 1)
Critical Alert
If you completed Life Capsule 1, please skip steps 1 - 3 since you have already prepared your browser, bookmarks bar, and AI Ally.
Prepare Mission Equipment
Start the timer on your timing device, and follow the steps below to prepare the equipment that you’ll need for your journey.
Step 1. Internet: Choose Browser + Show Bookmarks Bar
Decide which internet browser you’ll use for this mission, then turn on the bookmarks/favorites bar so your tools stay visible.
- Chrome: three-dot menu in top-right corner > bookmarks & lists > show bookmarks bar
- Edge: three‑dot menu > settings > appearance > show favorites bar > always
- Safari: view > show favorites bar
- Firefox: right‑click on an empty area of the toolbar > bookmarks toolbar > always show
Step 2. AI Ally: Choose and Bookmark
- Choose the AI tool you’ll use as your AI Ally for this capsule and open it in your browser.
- Bookmark your AI Ally in your bookmarks bar.
Perplexity.ai Pro has been used to enhance (not write) this capsule. There are free tiers available as well as with ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, and others.
It’s your choice whether you allow your AI Ally to train on your data. If you prefer not to, go to Settings > Activity (or a similar section) and toggle data use off.
Step 3. Unscripted Folder: Create and Organize
Set your bookmarks bar to always show. Make a dedicated Unscripted folder on your bookmarks/favorites bar and save your AI Ally inside it.
Step 4. Mission Console Set Up: Understanding Your Story
NotebookLM is is Google's AI research assistant that works only from sources you give it — PDFs, docs, links, YouTube videos — and transforms them into organized insights, summaries, and multimedia outputs.
Alternative: with some imagination and a library, all of the activities in this capsule can be completed within a physical journal.
Your notebook is your mission console for this capsule—it’s where you’ll organize sources, track your story, decisions, and progress.
Data & Privacy NotebookLM is a free tool provided by Google; this capsule is not created by or officially affiliated with Google. You are responsible for what you upload—only add non‑sensitive information and materials you have the right to use, and avoid sensitive personal data such as financial or health records. Your notebook stays private to you unless you choose to share it.
Prepare for Takeoff
To prepare your mission console:
- Go to the NotebookLM site and sign in with your Google account.
- Create a new notebook in the main dashboard.
- Rename it to __________’s (your name) Work & Vocation, and treat this as your private console for this capsule.
Your console has three main zones:
- Sources – the documents, links, and notes you’ve added for this mission.
- Chat – your mission console AI copilot, grounded in those sources, where you can ask questions and explore ideas (this is different from your AI Ally of choice that pulls from additional sources outside of the mission console).
- Studio – the space where you capture notes, summaries, and overviews as you progress.
You’ll use these three zones together as your cockpit for the capsule to load your sources, ask questions, capture insights—then return to your Life Capsule to complete each mission.
Step 5. Mission Console: Add a Cover Image
If you’d like, tap the notebook cover emoji and choose one that you’d like to go with this notebook.
Select the cover image to upload a photo or artwork that represents your work, vocation, or a career you are interested in pursuing. If you don’t have an image available you can download a free one from a site that offers images for legal reuse:
The Met - Open Access collection (public-domain artwork with CC0 no rights reserved license)
The National Gallery of Art (free image downloads; use the ‘available for download’ filter)
Unsplash (select high-quality photos free to use for any purpose, with optional attribution)
Reflection Exercise: when you chose an image, take a moment to reflect on why it resonates with you right now.
Step 6. Mission Console: Add Your Mission Time Log
- Select ‘Add note’ and title it ‘Mission Time Log’.
- Copy/paste Mission Time Log text in box below.
- Once the log is completed with your times you can convert to source.
Note: mission speed will vary based on time spent in each activity and your level of technical skill. You can always aim for Steady Voyager pace so you don’t go too deep into any single task and delay overall completion.
Step 7. Calendar: Accept & Commit
If you choose to accept this mission, pick a time window to dedicate to your adventure and reserve a block in your calendar.
Support & Pacing
Pause when needed or if emotions rise.
Final Step: Mission Time Log
Stop your timer and record the start & end times for this stage in the Mission Time Log.
Checkpoint 1: Your Life & Work Discovery (unlock next stage)
Move through each Unscripted discovery with intention - it forms a recurring framework of focus—core themes that guide the questions and help you notice patterns in your life and work. They’re designed to give you a way to zoom out, re-orient, and decide what matters most in your current season even as the rest of your story keeps unfolding. Take your time.
Who You Are Today
Prompts to define your current identity —roles, routines, and how you show up in this season of life.
Roots & Grounding
Prompts to explore your foundation — values, influences, and experiences that have shaped your perspective.
Life Design & Intention
Prompts to bring clarity on how you want life to feel and function— priorities, boundaries, and lifestyle.
Prompts to map out your personal goals across health, relationships, growth, and fulfillment.
Professional Vision & Direction
Prompts designed to clarify your business direction, professional objectives, and what success looks like for you.
Tools, Tech & Time
Prompts to evaluate the systems, digital tools, and workflows that facilitate or hinder your daily productivity and time management.
Interests & Future Exploration
Prompts to capture what you’re curious about, learning, or wanting to explore next.
Reflection & Integration
Prompts to pause and synthesize—what stood out, what shifted, and what matters most moving forward.
The more honest and thoughtful you are here, the more powerful the next stages will be:
