Have you heard of Mind Mapping? It’s not an entirely new concept of course, but it has been refined into a tool unto itself for bringing that which we wish to create into form. Mind mapping is a popular technique for visually outlining information – almost like a literal and sometimes handwritten version of a vision board.
I am a huge fan of mapping, and charting. It is the only way I can get all of my creative ideas out of my swirling mind and into something tangible that I can process.
Using pen and paper (or markers, coloring pencils, pastels, anything that suits your fancy) really helps to keep the creativity flowing. These diagrams can be simple or elaborate, and you can buy software or invent your own designs.
Either way, they help you to turn your great ideas into concrete actions, and can be particularly useful when working in a group setting to help everyone get on board with what they would like to see come to fruition as a collective.
When you visualize how you want your life to go, it’s almost as though you are mapping out a plan.
You don’t just visualize one aspect of that new life. You try to imagine all the steps you may need to take to get where you want to be. It gives you a foundation for something to strive for.
It also sets up your brain to redefine your neural pathways. When this happens, you increase the chance of accomplishing your goals and bringing your visions to life.
Try to narrow in and focus on what you are daydreaming about.
This makes sense as your daydreams are often about what you desire. For instance, if you have always wanted to start up a business, you will not only think about that in your daydreams, but you will think about exactly what kind of business you want to start. You will see yourself in the role.
When you do daydream about the things you’d like to create, try to write down your thoughts. This can be the start of your plan, and you can set out to formalize it. One way to do this is to create a mind map, and anytime you imagine something, add it to that mind map.
It’s easier today to visualize how you want your life to be.
If you do an image search for your ideal life, you can find some good ideas that can help in your visualization. You may even find some videos on YouTube that can help you come up with ideas to further your vision.
You could try to come up with a vision board. This is similar to finding images on the web but instead, you peruse old magazines that you have or that you ask to obtain from your friends. The web is a great place for ideas but don’t overlook traditional methods.
It’s important to continue to visualize the life you want. This reinforcement makes it become an integral part of your life, which means you will take the correct steps to move toward your dreams and goals.
So Just What Are the Benefits Of Mind Mapping?
You Will Give Your Creativity a Solid Boost
Mind mapping sparks creative thinking. Forget about editing for a while and focus on getting all your thoughts down on paper. Dive into some free form writing, and allow yourself to explore streams of consciousness. Sometimes staying focused is hard, so I’ve written about some ways to keep focused on your own creative projects.
Mind Mapping Helps to Encourage Collaboration
This one’s got to be my favorite. You can use mind mapping as an individual or group activity. Communicating information visually makes it easier for other team members to understand the message and strengthens group memory.
You Will Notice an Increase in Your Productivity
Honestly, mind mapping really does this. If I get everything out on to a piece of paper before bed, I will wake up with a solid idea the next morning of what needs doing that day. Being better organized will free up more time for exciting new projects … and you’ll just feel better about your work in general.
You Will Naturally Learn to Be More Effective
Everything that you do will feel more organic, and in time, more innate to you. It can be difficult to carve out and clarify your voice in a sea of so many voices. The dynamic nature of mind mapping is ideal for getting effective results. Not only that, but structuring your ideas and then getting feedback will promote greater engagement with your work than passive reading.
How to Get Started with Mind Mapping
Decide What Your Central Topic Will Be
Try to state your main subject in three words or less. Make it the central image of your diagram.
Next, brainstorm ideas that relate to the central image, and draw lines or arrows from the main concept to each of your points. As you go, highlight sub-topics and add details where needed. Keep in mind that there are no rules; you can go in any direction so long as your map offers a structure that makes sense to you.
As you structure your ideas, it can be helpful to use colors or images to highlight key points. Finally, review your map and determine if any new connections can be made or if any ideas need to be further developed. With a solid foundation, you can now begin the process of writing content and formulating a plan of action.
Check out the Pursuit Goal Journal to help you get started in your exploration.
Make a List of All of the Relevant Subtopics
Brainstorm about everything related to your main idea. You’ll be adding subtopics as branches using additional lines and shapes branching out from the center.
For instance, to create an outline for a blog post on interior design, you can brainstorm topics related to interior design such as colors, furniture, flooring, lighting, and so on. Then, lay out the branches for each one of them.
From there, you will be able to add your notes, comments, and ideas for each one of the branches. This approach will save you time and ultimately help you to create a thorough, creative, and unique post that will engage readers.
Organize Your Topics into Categories and Relationships
Now you can start thinking about groupings and the way things relate to each other. This will suggest how to position and connect different elements.
Let me use an example for my writing and coaching clients. An important part of organizing ideas is to create categories and group related topics together. Grouping similar topics under broader topics will help make the content more organized and easier for your readers to understand. By organizing your content into categories and relationships, it can help readers to understand how the topics are connected and make the content look more organized and detailed.
It can also help to break longer pieces of content into sections that readers can quickly digest, and it can help them to see how the pieces of content fit together to tell a bigger story. With these steps, you now have the tools to create unique content that will leave a lasting impression on your readers.
Create Links to Supporting Information
To keep your map easy to read, you may want to create links to external resources. For example, an organizational chart could reference staff biographies or a document for a meeting could link to minutes from previous sessions.
Creating links to external resources can also help enhance the content you’re creating, providing readers with more detailed information about the topic at hand. For instance, a blog post about a particular company could link to a news article about recent developments, or a web page about a product launch could link to a video demonstration.
By adding these external links to your content, you not only expand upon your topic, you also add credibility and give your readers a chance to further explore the subject.
Learn to Delegate Tasks. Don’t Be Afraid to Assign Homework!
Do you have a virtual assistant? Or someone that you know has the skills-to-pay-the-bills that can give you a hand up? Get ready for action. Generate challenging assignments. For group and team activities, give each participant specific responsibilities and a due date.
Once you have identified who can help with your content creation, it is important to delegate tasks in ways that make sense for all involved. Break down large projects into smaller assignments and give each contributor a specific role and timeline. If you have an incredibly large project, consider breaking it into categories and assigning specific action items to each group.
Provide the necessary tools, such as templates and research materials, to make the job easier. Remember to give your team members ongoing feedback and good communication to ensure that everyone stays on track and understands the final goal. Following these principles will enable you to successfully collaborate with your team and create content that is high-quality and engaging.
Take the Necessary Time to Review and Evaluate
Look for ways to make improvements as you use your mind maps. You may want to make your labels more concise or vary your color schemes for dramatic, true-to-you effects. Insider tip: you want to create work that you, yourself, will enjoy coming back to time and again.
Don’t be scared to experiment and fine-tune concepts and visuals for maximum impact. Consider changes like tweaking words, refining the layout, or reorganizing components. In order to create work that will truly stand out, you must invest time in review and evaluation. You will be rewarded with a project that looks unique and reflects your own personal touch.
Write Down Key Words and Create Visuals
Many people – myself included – retain information better when they can see the plans and ideas in front of them. Even in rough draft form. Although this is a visual exercise, words play a valuable role. Add a legend to explain frequently used symbols.
For those who use mind mapping to its full potential, it’s a powerful tool. Write down key phrases, ideas, and questions in the nodes of the web. All these pieces are interconnected and the structure is easy to see. You can use multiple colors to denote the web’s hierarchy, strengths and weaknesses, and other aspects. And that’s why it’s an effective way to brainstorm!
With this approach, your amazing ideas are documented in a way that is easier to comprehend, as well as move around and refine. The streams of information then become clear, enabling quick decisions and better understanding. In the end, mind mapping is an efficient process for organizing thoughts – from the big picture to the details.
Develop Some Relevant Templates
As time goes on, you will begin to uncover the processes and methods that work best for you. These will become routine. Over time, you may find that you use similar formats over and over because subconsciously, you know they are working for you. Save your favorite templates to make the process even faster in the future.
Let’s use writing and blogging as an example again. One approach for developing unique content that builds on existing topics is to look for additional angles and perspectives. Adding your own spin to the idea can help create content that stands out and resonates with readers. You can also twist old content into a new context by using different formats, such as an infographic, podcast, or video.
The possibilities are endless! But no matter which route you take, it’s important to remember that quality is key. Interesting content has to be accurate and well-sourced. Keep in mind that it’s also essential to use storytelling techniques and visual elements to engage readers and keep them hooked.
How to Apply the Steps & the Process
Take Steps To Advance Your Projects/Career
Most people get introduced to mapping at a seminar or in a group learning setting. It’s good for many tasks, from meetings to project management to self-help seminars. Give a new and fresh look to your daily to do list, your blog, your website… Maybe work on your design skills to give an impressive visual effect to your creative work.
Make Those Important Decisions
You can also extend this visualizing to other areas of your life. When you’re faced with a tough life choice or dilemma, sketch out all the pros and cons and the perspectives of different players. This is very much akin to vision boarding.
Record Your Thoughts in a Journal
Some of your most valuable ideas are likely to pop into your head when you least expect them. You can experiment with free apps that will let you create maps on your phone, or (my method of choice) indulge in a beautiful journal and a pen that feels good in your hand to write with. Again, allowing for streams of consciousness to pour forth. You can find more in-depth ideas in my post on the many benefits of journaling.
Process Large Volumes of Information
Given the information overload that comes with modern living, it’s easy to see why mind mapping is becoming more common. We yearn for simplicity and creativity, don’t we? Mind mapping is a simple way to deal with a lot of facts in a short time and spot the connections between them.
Mind mapping has the potential to improve your personal and professional life. It enables better planning, consolidates key information, and triggers meaningful insights. Have loads of fun while you imagine, write and draw your way to a better future!
Jenny @ MyLittleMe says
My husband is big into mind mapping. He loves it but I’ve just never tried it.
Liz Mays says
I’ve actually heard of this. It sounds like a good way to get organized.
Amy Desrosiers says
Due to my ADD, my mind is a super busy place, and never at rest. I am so interested in this concept though!
Tiffany Montgomery says
Taking the time to review and evaluate is where I stop short. I plan and start but rarely go back to see if I met the goal or finished the task completely . THanks for this list!
Tami says
I completely forgot about mind mapping! I can use this to write content, build my EO business and plan my homeschooling goals..
Cassie says
I love you added in journals. I have to use certain journals and take them with me on the go. You never know when inspiration will strike. 🙂
karen says
i love this. i definitely need to start my day with some brainstorming to help guide it.
Crystal // Dreams, etc. says
I don’t do mind mapping as often as I should, but it’s so helpful. Thanks for this great reminder to do it more often!