Map Your Mind Unleash Creativity, Plan Effectively

The recent Bradley Cooper movie Limitless (2011), explores the idea of unleashing the power of the mind though an experimental drug, NZT, and increasing brain-function capacity from the average 10 per cent to a superhuman 100 per cent. Instead of the drug NZT, Tony Buzan offers a simpler solution to increase your effective functioning – a mind map. In this fast-paced world with technology-driven changes, information overload, and utmost competition, a mind map can help to attain clarity, improve memory, and make an action plan for one’s life. One can also plan presentations and identify career goals with mind mapping. The best way to map out information, deal with emotional confusion, or brainstorm for creative projects is to lay it all out with bright colours and images using this fantastic tool. Buzan opines, “I am sure that mind maps will become the ultimate tool for knowledge-management in the world.”

BRAIN-WARE
The fact is that the human mind remembers things and sorts out information by association, and not simply in words but also in terms of images and emotions. Mind maps, then, are an intuitive tool that can really reflect your thoughts and ideas on a subject. Buzan elaborates, “Mind maps are easy to use and uncomplicated to create. They are a natural expression of the way that a person’s brain has worked since birth. The brain is programmed to access and process images faster than words, which is the primary idea used in mind maps. So they are really very intuitive and easy.”

MUGGING OR MAPPING?
Students can benefit enormously: mind maps are the answer to handling the excess information that students have to learn today. Student Rahul Khanna improved his marks dramatically by switching to mind mapping while taking notes and preparing for exams. He says, “I struggled with the vast amount of revision notes I had and was unable to remember all the key points. Then I converted all my notes to mind maps, reducing the number by 95 per cent. The mind mapping tool has been a blessing and I am sure to get into a reputed college now.”

PERSONAL DASHBOARD
Mind mapping can help you in a number of ways. By mapping out the information like a tree, it becomes easier to see ties and connections. Not just information, but relationships also come to light. Forget the old lists of pros and cons by which you may weigh a potential partner, a mind map is the way to go. Says Buzan, “An important area where mind maps can be used is in understanding and managing your relationships with friends, colleagues, and family. You can work out your problem areas and strengths.” Make a ‘personal dashboard’ mind map — a one map summary of your personal life — and use it to navigate through your challenging relationships.

FUTURE DIRECTIONS
Computer technology will soon develop enough to allow movement of images and words, making holographic, three-dimensional, and interactive mind maps possible. Mind maps will be at the centre stage of the Internet as one global brain with Web 2.0; and it is the youth who are going to benefit the most. Buzan says, “With the recent advances in technology, the younger generation is using the Internet to easily access and edit their maps with their smart phones on-the-go. It is the best way for them to manage their time and improve their memory, creativity, and problem-solving abilities.” So make a map and unlock the limitless possibilities of your mind!

TONY BUZAN’S Life Tips

PASSION People succeed in life only when they follow their real passion. Most people are living in a rut or following the herd and not pursuing their passion, which is the driving force for success.

EXERCISE Dance, workout, or play sports; do any physical activity for at least 30 minutes a day. This will not only keep you in good shape, but also supply more oxygen to your brain, firing more neurons and increasing your memory and learning abilities. Laugh everyday to uplift your spirits.

BE CAREFREE As children, we are totally carefree. The mind is like a sponge, absorbing everything. We are shaped by our experiences in school and college, which is frequently where we learn the concept of failure and form the basis of our reactions throughout life. We create blocks in our mind and this hampers our creativity. So be carefree and childlike at times. Fear of failure limits our possibilities. Removing the fear of failure allows us to realise our creative potential.

HOBBY Make a hobby of your brain, because it will feed you phenomenal rewards. The more you find out about it, the more it gives back, and its potential for giving is infinite. Keep learning new things in which you are really interested.

DAY DREAM The other important thing is to do is day dream and to put your energy in making it come true. Make your own mind map of your life goals and plan it like your curriculum vitae.

Volume 1 Issue 1