The Mind Mapping Technique:
How to Create a Mind Map
The mind mapping technique provides a simple, intuitive, and powerful way to tap into your creativity.
What is a mind map?
In essence, a mind map is a diagram that allows you to represent your ideas and their connection to each other graphically in a very intuitive way.
In fact, it's so intuitive, you may have created a mind map before and not realized it.
When you've completed the mind mapping technique, you'll have an interesting diagram in front of you that looks like a complex crawling spider.
It may look complicated to anyone else, but if you've gone through the mind mapping technique the ideas and their connection to each other will make perfect sense to you.
There are many great resources on the internet on mind mapping technique, and even some great free mind mapping software out there.
But, no need to make it so complex. At it's core, it's a pretty simple exercise that anyone can master. (If you want to get fancy, you can find mind mapping software and other innovation software out there. But for now we'll keep it simple.)
Here are the major steps to make the most of your the mind mapping technique:
Step 1: Grab Your Supplies
Grab everything you'll need for your mind map. This includes:
- Pencils and pens
- Crayons or markers (if you'd like to use color)
- The largest sheet of paper you can find quickly
- A creative attitude
Step 2: Find the Right Location
Choose somewhere you can remain uninterrupted for your designated amount of time. (For your first mind map, allow at least 20-30 minutes.)
Also, choose somewhere you feel "creative." When doing creative work, I prefer places that are clean, calm, and quiet.
Getting yourself in the right place to get into the zone will greatly help with establishing good mind mapping technique.
Step 3: Use Music to Get in the Zone (optional)
On my Creativity Exercises page, I discuss the benefits of music to help get the creative juices flowing.
And for good mind mapping technique, you'll definitely want to have the ideas flowing.
If possible, choose some music that's designed to bring your brainwaves into the alpha level.
If you don't have that, choose some MUSIC WITHOUT WORDS that will relax and inspire you.
Step 4: Choose the Center of Your Mind Map
What topic do you want to create a mind map about?
It could be anything: ideas for a family vacation, considerations when looking for a new job, a book you might write, the steps in a project. . .and so on.
Literally, it could be anything for which you want to get your ideas down, generate new ideas, and organize them in a way that makes sense to you.
Once you have the subject, write it in the middle of the paper and draw a circle around it. This forms the center of your mind map.
For example, if you wanted to make a map to record ideas you have for a new website, it would look like this.
Step 5: Begin Building Branches
Once you have the center, the fun starts from there. Essentially, you'll build branches, and sub branches, and sub-sub-branches off your center circle.
To begin, identify the main topics contained in your subject.
To continue with our example of a website you want to build, list the types of sites you'd like to consider build as branches off the side. In our example, we've listed possible sites about cooking, travel, fitness, careers, and pottery.
Feel free to start using colors as you build.
Which colors do you choose? Whichever make sense to you!
Step 6: Create More Branches, Sub-Branches, and Sub-Sub Branches
After you have the center circle and the first level of branches, you've reached the heart of the mind mapping technique.
Let it flow! Try to generate as many ideas as you can. Don't critique your ideas.
For, now just get them down on paper, no matter how silly or far out they may seem. You can always come back to refine and edit later.
Step 7: Exhaust Your Ideas
Be sure to exhaust all of your ideas. Once you think you've finished, just sit there for another 10 minutes and look at your mind map and see if anything else comes to mind. It probably will!
Be sure to get all your ideas out. Once you're there, make any final adjustments to this version, such as rewriting words you can't read well because you wrote them in a creative flurry. . .
Step 8: Step Back and Look at Your Mind Map
As you finish and step back and look at your mind map, adopt a mindset of curiosity and ask yourself these questions:
- What do I notice?
- Where are most of the ideas grouped?
- Which ideas came easily?
- Which were harder to generate?
- How excited am I about this mind map overall?
- How excited am I about specific parts of this mind map?
By taking a look at your mind map with a curious mind to see what you notice, you'll gain interesting info for when it comes to put your mind map to action.
Step 8: Share Your Mind Map With Someone (Optional)
While this step is not necessary, sharing your mind map with someone can help you take your mind map technique to the next level.
Choose someone, of course, who will be helpful, positive, and reinforce what you're trying to do.
As you talk through it and share it with them, new ideas will surely emerge.
Step 9: Translating Your Mind Map to Action
Once you've finished with this version of your mind map, you're ready to harness all the creativity you've generated.
You could:
- Create an action plan from your mind-map. To do this, identify priority actions, and sub actions, and then assign everything a date.
- Use your mind map to make a decision. Pay particular attention you gained from noticing your mind map with curiosity. Ask yourself the questions in Step 7 to help guide your decision.
Or, if want to remain in the creative space a while longer you could:
- Create a new mind map, using one of your sub-branches as the major theme and take it several levels deeper
Or, use your creativity to figure out next steps!!!
Congratulations. If you've followed all the steps in the mind mapping technique, I bet you were able to generate a lot of creative ideas for whatever you're undertaking.
Use mind maps frequently to refine your mind mapping technique. I usually do my mind maps by hand, but if you want to get fancy check out some software to refine your mind map technique.
Once you get the hang of it, you can use the mind mapping technique very quickly for just about anything.
Good luck!
Leave Mind Mapping Technique and Return to Creativity Exercises Main Page Leave Mind Mapping Technique and Return to BPGR Home
Related Articles
|
Subscribe To This Site
