Nobody drifts to success
Napoleon Hill, the author of ‘Think and Grow Rich’, stated that you don’t have to be a fortune teller to be able to predict someone’s future. You can do so by asking him or her one simple question: ‘What is your one definite purpose in life – and what plans have you made to attain it?”
He goes on to say that if you asked 100 people this question, 98% will say something like, “I’d like to make a good living and become as successful as I can.”
He believes that while this sounds good on the surface, if you dig a little deeper, you will find a drifter who will never get anything out of life except the leftovers of truly successful people – Those who have a definite purpose and a plan for attaining it.
To be successful, you have to decide exactly what your goal is and lay out the steps by which you intend to reach it.
Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich is attributed by some to be the book that created more millionaires than any other book. While his principles may work if you want to be a millionaire, it also works for the achievement of anything in life. At the core of his principles, is the fact that we are the master of our own destiny, the captain of our ship.
In the movie ‘Invictus‘, Nelson Mandela, the great South African leader and visionary, is portrayed as living by the following mantra:
’…I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul…”
This quote comes from the poem ‘Invictus’ by William Ernest Henley, who himself survived tuberculosis of the bone at the age of twelve and had to have a leg amputated when he was 25. In the 1800′s, this was something that many people didn’t survive, but he went on to lead an active life until he died.
It is stated that Nelson Mandela had this poem written on a scrap of paper in his prison cell, while he was incarcerated. Imagine being imprisoned for 27 years because of your principles and still holding on to the belief that you are the captain of your soul!
If you continued with the comparison of human beings to ships, the following analogy may be useful:
Picture a ship without a rudder, drifting wherever the tide may take it. What chance has that ship got in drifting into a rich and prosperous port? If, on the other hand, you were on a ship with a captain on board, went up to him and asked him where he was going, he will be able to answer you in one sentence.
I have in a few articles before, mentioned how valuable Mind Maps can be in charting your course. You could use Mind Maps to firstly build your vision, and then set SMART Goals to achieve them.
Start by visualizing small successes and then move on to bigger and bigger ones. You don’t have to define success in money terms, like Napoleon Hill does, but do go ahead and define what success means to you.
To Nelson Mandela, it meant the freedom of a nation!
In many people the desire for wealth is just not great enough, but they may want spiritual success, or overcome some bad childhood experiences. Whatever your idea of success is, build your vision for the future, set those goals, put your plan in place, and…
Bloom’s Taxonomy – The Psychomotor Domain and Mind Mapping
I’ve had a few comments about the last few articles being a bit too academic. Words like taxonomy, cognitive, psychomotor, etc. don’t roll easily off the tongue.
I’ve tried to make it as simple as possible and to paraphrase the great Einstein, ‘I’ve tried to make it simple enough, but not too simple‘.
I will nevertheless publish an article summarising all of this next week in one simple to read article. I am putting together a Mind Map of the article at the moment and hope that all the principles of the three domains can be reflected clearly in that article. I have not written the article yet and may be setting myself up for failure, but let’s wait until it’s published…
The Psychomotor Domain explained
The Psychomotor Domain mainly covers the acquiring of a physical skill like manipulating a tool or instrument, but it can be applied to the learning of any skill, including art, music, sport and Mind Mapping.
Bloom did not develop categories in this Domain, as he did in the Associative and Cognitive Domains.
Other academics did however do that.
Current Theories
The theories below are academic studies of the Pshychomotor Domain. Each of them are divided into categories like Bloom did with the Associative Domain and the Cognitive Domain. The categories and the website link below are included in case you want to explore the subject further.
Simpson (1972)
- Perception
- Set
- Guided Response
- Mechanism
- Complex Overt Response
- Adaptation
- Origination
Dave (1970)
- Imitation
- Manipulation
- Precision
- Articulation
- Naturalization
Harrow (1972)
- Reflex movements
- Basic fundamental movement
- Perceptual
- Physical activities
- Skilled movements
- Non-discursive communication
These theories are nicely summarized on this website: Psychomotor Taxonomy Summary.
After reading many of the theories, I felt that there had to be simpler, practical approach to the subject. Once again, Tony Buzan, the inventor of Mind Maps, came to my rescue. After many hours researching this topic and reading through reams of theories, I’ve decided to use three main sources for this article. The first one is the Mind Map Book of Tony Buzan and the second one is Outliers, by Malcolm Gladwell.
The third one is my understanding based on personal research and use of the theory.
Understanding the Psychomotor Domain using the three A’s
In the Mind Map book, Tony Buzan describes how ancient Eastern masters developed students. They received only three basic instructions: ‘obey’, ‘cooperate’ and ‘diverge’.
The student started with complete submission to the will of the master and obeyed all instructions without questioning. The aim was to imitate the master as accurately as possible, only asking for clarification where necessary.
This was followed by cooperation whereby the student could consolidate and integrate the information by asking appropriate questions. The student would also assist the master in analysis and creation.
Finally, the student will diverge after learning everything the master could teach. The student will then honour the master by continuing the traditional of further development, often leading to new ways of doing things.
When it comes to Mind Mapping, Tony Buzan recommends that you follow the three A’s:
- Accept
- Apply
- Adapt
Accept
Set aside any preconceptions you may have about your mental limitations. Follow the Mind Mapping laws exactly. Imitate the models given as precisely as you can. You can learn to Mind Map by example by looking at the Mind Maps of others. We provide lots of free examples on UsingMindMaps.com.
Apply
After basic Mind Mapping training, Tony Buzan recommends that you do at least 100 Mind Maps based on what you have learned. We recommend that you follow the Mind Map Principles and the Seven Steps in creating a Mind Map. You may even want to put this together in a holistic Learning Management Program.
In the process of doing this, you will start developing your own Mind Mapping style. By experimenting with Mind Maps in your Personal life, at work, in business, or in your learning, you will start realising what works well for you and what doesn’t.
Adapt
After doing 100 pure Mind Maps, you can start experimenting with ways of adapting your Mind Maps. Feel free to experiment, but keep the basic principles in mind. If you break any of the principles, at least know the reasons why. In that way you can rest assured that you will be able to defend your position and use it with confidence.
We are very keen to hear about your Mind Mapping experiences. Let us know your experiences by commenting on our blog or submitting your story on our Website. We will publish your story and give you recognition for the story!
Practice makes perfect
Malcolm Gladwell, in his book ‘Outliers’, tells us of a case study involving violinists. Violinists were evaluated at various stages of their life. All of them were recognised as having above average talent at age five. Yet, by the time they reached twenty, it was very evident who was going on to play professionally and who was just going to do it as a hobby, or teach at a government school.
The difference, he noted, was the amount of hours they spent single mindedly trying to improve their playing. By the time they reached 20, the top performers had put in over 10,000 hours of practice, while the poorer performers only put in about 4,000 hours.
There was very little that differentiated the top from the bottom performers. The main differentiator was the amount of time they spent practising!
You can also become a good Mind Mapper if you start Mind Mapping today and do the recommended 100 Mind Maps. You can also grow your Mind Mapping Skills by looking at good examples, but nothing beats doing it yourself.
Remember that the principle applies to learning any skill. Set aside time on a daily basis to practice the skill that you want to learn. An hour a day for thirty days is better than 5 hours once a week when learning a skill.
Conclusion
While there are many complex academic theories on the Psychomotor Domain, I am suggesting a simple approach of Accept, Apply and Adapt to increase your skills in any field. First find a good mentor, accept what they are saying and then apply it for a sufficiently long period of time.
Only once you’ve done this, should you adapt the principles to suit your needs.
We provide you the Mind Map mentorship you need on UsingMindMaps.com. The site is still young and growing. So bookmark it, subscribe to our RSS feed, or sign up for our monthly newsletter to grow your Mind Mapping skills. We’ll even throw in some free offers!
read moreMind Mapping is for everyone
I often get told that Mind Mapping is only for ‘clever people’.
Nothing is further from the truth!
When you look at the life of Tony Buzan, the inventor of the Mind Map, you will quickly see that the man is a genius. And that was BEFORE he even invented Mind Mapping.
He was the editor of the International journal of MENSA from 1968-1971. In case you don’t know it, MENSA is the ‘Hight IQ Society’.
From the Mensa website:
‘…Membership of Mensa is open to persons who have attained a score within the upper two percent of the general population on an approved intelligence test that has been properly administered and supervised…’
He has also authored, or co-authored, more than 95 books on the brain.
He has founded the Mind Sports Olympiad, the ‘brain Olympics’.
He is a consultant to multinational companies, academic institutions and governments.
Looking at his credentials inspired me to get involved in Mind Mapping. It naturally inspired and motivated me to not only use it everywhere in my daily life, it also inspired me to talk and write about Mind Mapping.
Yet I find it to be doing the exact opposite for many. His genius is a ‘put off’ for people, who see themselves as ordinary people, and who may even view themselves as underachievers.
It is in response to this that I started to write and speak about Mind Mapping.
I left high school with a pretty average result. I am not a member of Mensa. I do not consult to international multinationals, academic institutions, or governments, (yet).
Yet, I believe that Mind Mapping has helped me become successful and reach my full potential.
It has helped me to get a Postgraduate Education, plan and set up websites, write about Mind Maps, learning and the brain, teach using Mind Maps, Project Manage, speak in forums, design systems, manage people, solve problems and much more…
I’ve started another website, UsingMindMaps.com, which I envisage to grow into an authoritative Mind Mapping resource that is easy to navigate and understand. You can even leave your own experiences of Mind Mapping on the website. Go ahead, let the world know of your experiences with Mind Maps. Don’t be afraid of whether you can write well or not. We will even edit your story, while ensuring that you still get the credit and that it remains your idea.
The crazy thing about all of this, is that my love for Mind Mapping soon became my favourite hobby. I can even go a step further, and state that my hobby is the wonderful brain.
I started writing this article at 5:30 am. on a Saturday morning. (Perhaps I’ve become a bit obsessive!)
I could not do this, if Mind Mapping did not give me an abundance of benefits, untold competitive advantages and lots of pleasure.
There seems to be a need for an ‘ordinary’ person like myself promoting Mind Mapping. There are many geniuses out there promoting Mind Mapping. I am not one of them, yet I hope you can learn as much (or maybe more) from me, as you can from them.
You too can benefit from Mind Mapping, whether you are an overachiever, an underachiever or just an average achiever.
Mind Maps will help you achieve your full potential, because you will be using the full cortical skills of your brain. By combining both your linear, logical brain and your creative, artistic brain, you will soon start to perform on the same level as many geniuses.
Your achievements could quite easily match those with High IQ’s.
In other words, the genius can be awakened in you.
If you haven’t used Mind Mapping before, I suggest you explore the articles on UsingMindMaps.com where can get access to lots of free articles, enrol for the newsletter, get access to some free training and even publish your own story on using Mind Maps in your daily life.
Using Mind Maps
If you’ve been observant, you may have noticed that I’ve been referring to, and providing links to, articles on UsingMindMaps.com.
Today, I would like to position the reason for setting up UsingMindMaps.com.
MindMapTutor.com is a blog, which is the final resting ground of my weekly articles. My steadily growing subscriber base can go to MindMapTutor.com for archives of older postings.
While this has served me, and my subscriber base, very well, it is not the easiest site to navigate. The current highlights and featured articles are easy to get to, but older articles were not very easy to access.
I get numerous emails and questions about topics that I’ve already written about. I often point people to the article on MindMapTutor.com and also inform them that the site has a very good search function. While this helps you after the fact, the site does not allow you to find articles on the topic you want easily in the first place.
I therefore decided to set up a website that makes it simple, easy and fast to get to the relevant topics. The site UsingMindMaps.com will cover the various uses of Mind Maps in your daily life, each with its own easy to find category. The site has a simple menu structure, with menu items on the left hand side. The articles are listed right there, under the categories, for ease of access.
The articles have also been structured to lead you through the topic at hand and also link you to overlapping topics in a natural, flowing way.
The site’s theme is Using Mind Maps, which structures information into the various uses and applications of Mind Maps in your daily life.
While Mind Maps started out as a memory tool, its natural use of both the structured and creative components of the brain gave rise to its application in many walks of life. UsingMindMaps.com will cover each of these aspects.
UsingMindMaps.com is in its early stages, but from the initial feedback, it’s looking good. People tend to spend more time on the site, as they can easily follow the topics of their choice.
Please have a look at UsingMindMaps.com and use the Contact Form to give feedback. Tell us what you would like to see.
We even have a place for you to tell us your stories of Using Mind Maps in your daily life. If you have a good story to tell let us know and we will publish it. You too could have your say!
UsingMindMaps.com has been more work than I initially thought it would be, but I believe it will add even more value to your life than MindMapTutor.com has.
Look out for some freebies coming your way as part of the launch. We are putting together a monthly newsletter, a free email course, ebook downloads and online training.
You will get an email sometime this week about the newsletter and the free stuff.
I look forward to your responses and your stories…
Mind Maps and Lifelong Learning
Lifelong Learning
Arie de Geus
‘Your ability to learn faster than your competitor may be your only sustainable competitive advantage’, is a quote by Arie de Geus that I often use because of the great message it carries.
Arie de Geus gets my admiration because he is not a pure academic only. He started out in ‘the real world’ and progressed to management in Royal Dutch Shell, retiring after working there for 38 years.
He was largely responsible for developing the concept of the learning organisation. His reputation as an academic came after his publication ‘Planning as learning’ in the Harvard Business Review in 1988.
This is rather different to the many management consultants and academics and is best explained by an extract from Arie de Geus’ Website:
“…Business books fall into two main categories. By far the largest is written by academics and consultants, people who tend to be long on theory but short on real-world management experience. Less frequent are memoirs and “how to” guides written by career managers, in which anecdote too often substitutes for insight. There are, however, notable exceptions to the memoir rule. Books such as Alfred Sloan’s My Years at General Motors (1963) and The Living Company (1997) by Arie de Geus, former Shell manager, demonstrate that some multi-talented managers can cross the divide…”
My advice
While I don’t profess to be an Arie de Geus, my articles and advice are largely based on my own experience with Mind Maps and Mind Mapping in the business world, as well as in my studies. The MindMapTutor concept came into being with a collaboration with my wife. She was (and according to her, still is) a teacher. This collaboration enables both a practical, pragmatic approach as well as a strong academic base.
I work in the Information Technology sector and worked for many years as a contractor/consultant, being paid purely for my knowledge and skills in a fast changing career. A career, which needs constant, hard work to keep up to date and even harder work to stay ahead of the pack.
Even though I am a Senior Manager today, I still need to stay up to date with the latest thinking and happenings to ensure that I am constantly implementing world class solutions that deliver a competitive advantage.
Subscribing to the principles of Lifelong Learning is therefore of the utmost importance. If you want to be more successful in your field, starting with a lifelong learning mindset will already give you an advantage, as most people are complacent and coast along.
Leonardo da Vinci
Mind Maps are the ideal vehicle to manage your lifelong learning. It will not only enable you to learn faster, but also provide a link network in your brain that ensures that you start seeing the relationship between various disciplines. This is exactly how the great geniuses like Leonardo da Vinci thought. Da Vinci was a multi-disciplined individual and probably one of the greatest minds that ever lived.
If you have a look at some of his notes, you will see that he used a non-linear form of note taking that included words, images and symbols.
While his notes involved both the logical left brain and the creative right brain, they were not Mind Maps.
The Mind Map
The Mind Map is simply a more organised form of non linear note taking that involves the whole brain.
It is for this reason that I use Mind Maps in my everyday life. I use it for everything from brainstorming to running meetings, from project management to speeches.
I use Mind Maps in both my personal, academic and work life and have been doing this for nearly two decades.
Learning with Mind Maps
In the next few articles, I will be covering the use of Mind Maps in the learning process. This will give you an insight into learning faster than your competitors. Armed with this skill, you will be able to sustain a competitive advantage.
My use of Mind Maps may not always meet the Mind Map Principles of Tony Buzan, but neither did Leonardo da Vinci’s notes.
I look forward to sharing my knowledge of how I use Mind Maps to learn faster and maintain my competitive advantage in the next few articles.
Please feel free to add your comments, if you have similar experiences learning with Mind Maps. And please pass this on, if you feel somebody can benefit by being able to learn faster and easier.
Mind Map your milestones
Philosophical
Since November last year, my articles focused quite a bit on my philosophy of success. Philosophical discussions are often controversial and spark lots of debate, but it’s something I quite like.
You should perhaps also develop your ‘own philosophy of life’. This will ensure that there is always a higher purpose for everything that you do.
Getting Practical
During the first few articles of this year, it started to get more practical, where you actually had to define what it is you wanted to achieve and by when.
Last week’s article on Goal Setting gave a practical method for setting the goals based on the roles and goals article of the previous week.
This week I would like to focus on using Mind Maps to monitor and reach your milestones.
What is a Milestone?
Before, we go any further, let’s look at what a milestone means and how it is used in this context.
The free online dictionary defines a milestone as follows:
- A stone marker set up on a roadside to indicate the distance in miles from a given point.
- An important event, as in a person’s career, the history of a nation, or the advancement of knowledge in a field; a turning point.
We use the concept loosely to indicate a marker or a goal you want to achieve sometime in the future.
By having small wins along the way, you are able to achieve the big wins. The article on SMART goals goes into more detail about this.
On your Goals Mind Map, you will probably have the final outcome of what you would like to achieve. You now need to Mind Map smaller victories on the way to achieving the big goal.
By having smaller successes, you will remain positive and believe that you are on track in achieving the big goal.
How to map your milestones
Many people use a giant year planner to do this. Others use a diary. I suggest you use a Mind Map. A single page Mind Map can give you a high level view of your goals in one glance. You can review whether you are on track or not within a few minutes.
I suggest you structure the Mind Map in the following way:
- Have a nice image in the centre of the Mind Map. Use something that represents success, or winning.
- Draw four branches coming out of this central image, one for each quarter.
- Divide each quarter into months.
- Put the details of your goals into the relevant month.
You now have a framework to map out the whole year’s goals.
Each month should have what you want to achieve and by when. Looking at your Mind Map at any point in time will give you a quick overview of whether you are on track or not.
By setting the milestones of what you want to achieve in the future, you create a yardstick by which to measure yourself. As the old management cliché goes: What you can’t measure, you can’t manage.
What happens when you miss a milestone?
Firstly, don’t worry about it. If you used the Mind Map properly, you would have seen it coming. Even if you didn’t use the Mind Map properly, you can simply cross off the milestone and set it for some time in the future. You will also quickly be able to see the impact on future milestones that may be dependent on the milestone that you’ve missed. Simply move them to the appropriate month.
You can also write down the reason for missing the milestone. Be honest, even if it was due to negligence or ‘laziness’. This will give you a good picture of your behaviour. Only you can decide whether you want to change your behaviour or not.
Messy Mind Maps
Some people feel that this gets quite messy. If you used a big enough page, it is normally okay to look messy, as the benefits of having a full history, with reasons, on one page outweigh the negatives of being too messy.
If you think it is too messy, you can simply redraw your Mind Map monthly, or even quarterly. The old Mind Maps can then be filed and serve as your history.
Another good way to overcome this, is to use Mind Map Software. Mind Map software gives you all sorts of freedom to manage your Mind Maps in the way you want to, as they are so easy to edit.
I’ve attached a PDF Mind Map Template, with the quarters and months already filled in, for you to download and print. If it gets too messy, you can simply print a new one.
Go ahead, set those milestones now and get on the road to success.
Remember, you can comment on any of the articles on MindMapTutor.com to communicate your opinions to the world.
Click here to download Mind Map PDF Template.
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Learn Faster and Easier
'Your ability to learn faster than your competitor may be your only sustainable competitive advantage'. - Arie de Geus
Yet, how much time have you spent learning how to learn?
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English Grammar Mind Map Tutor
