At some point in life, you feel like you have great potential to achieve goals, but nothing really happens. Sometimes it just takes a boost of the mind, as you confront the ideas in your mind with reality. This is precisely the desired effect for the mind map! This is a method that allows you to draw an overall picture of your goals and dreams. But, how is a mental map carried out? Let’s go through a simple tutorial to help you draw your targets.
What is mind mapping?
It is a diagram that visually organizes information with branching ideas, based on a specific topic. It is a drawing that highlights all the links that exist between ideas and the real concept in reality. Mind maps are an innovative solution that allows you to reflect on goals in life, whether on a personal or professional level.
This diagram gives an overview of the plans to implement to achieve a goal in the short, medium, or long term. This is the most effective way to get directly to the source of the most important things by freeing your thoughts from the limitations of what is called linear thinking.
The importance of defining your goals
Once again, for many people, the term objective conveys a supposed obligation. When people use the term, they are more determined to keep it as a promise made to oneself, to be kept. This is precisely why the mind map is so successful, it is to have a bigger and bigger perspective. You have the possibility to write down everything that comes to mind, at a private or professional level.
Anything that is most interesting at work, for better health, in terms of learning, in a romantic relationship, or even in terms of entertainment… can be written on your mind map. Although there is a multitude of options available to create a mind map, it is recommended that you focus on a project that is close to your heart, because too many goals kill the goal! You can also brainstorm and come back to it months later to take stock of the next steps.
What are the advantages of the mind map?
The mind map has many psychological advantages:
– Better organization of ideas, the diagram makes the classification of ideas more consistent and clear;
– A very effective reminder, you can use the tool to review your upcoming exams by drawing up summaries of the objectives to be achieved;
– A synthesis tool, to summarize a situation or even a document you just read to keep you focused on the most interesting big ideas.
Our tutorial to make your mental map
A mind map is a tool that uses the brain’s logic and imagination. For example, you could draw a sun with branches around it, including whatever ideas come to mind. You have the option of using mind mapping software to make your mind map or just using paper and pencil.
To begin with, it will be necessary to define a specific topic. Then, name your topic by placing it in the center of your page, in keywords, or in short sentences, depending on your preference. You can then brainstorm or go straight to the heart of the matter, i.e. making the map.
For brainstorming, take a piece of loose paper and write down all the ideas that come to mind, without ordering them. Once you have entered all the ideas and made your evaluation, you must choose keywords and classify them into main and secondary ideas.
If you already have an idea of a specific topic in mind, you just need to make a list of the ideas that are related to the topic and start from the middle to track them down to the most important ones.
After all, you can find different types of mind mapping software on the web. The advantage of this option is that you can make changes as many times as you want, the map structure established beforehand. Simpler and more practical, the illustrations are more pleasing to the eye. It is even possible to add animations, colors, or annotations.