Keep Going!
If you produce a Mind Map and find that you have a strong negative reaction to
it, do not be dismayed!
Persistence is key in Mind
Mapping, and I would urge you
to “try, try and TRY again”!
This is the mantra of every teacher; persistence is all if you wish to achieve
mastery in any field – including Mind Mapping. Mind Maps will strengthen your
ability to persist as they continue to offer up solutions for you, help you to
dissolve problems and, in the process, give you the energy to keep on trying.
I have mentioned before how you do not need to possess great artistic skill to
become an accomplished Mind Mapper: the more Mind Maps you create, the
better you will inevitably become at them. However, if you really feel inhibited
about your drawing skills, you could find iMindMap software useful, especially
if you draw on this in conjunction with creating Mind Maps by hand. This
software automatically generates thick, organic branches for your BOIs, and
smaller branches for sub-branches. It also includes a library containing
thousands of high-quality images. (See
Chapter 6
,
page 198
, for more
information.)
If you ever encounter a obstacle when you are Mind Mapping, remember that
this is not designed to be a linear process. You do not need to keep banging your
head against a problem. Simply sidestep it elegantly and explore another route!
Get Back on the Horse That Bucked You
Perhaps the very idea of creating a Mind Map has begun to seem like a
daunting prospect: you are anxious about not getting it “right”; you think
you don’t have enough good ideas; you don’t like the way you draw; you
are disappointed by the end results. Here’s what I would suggest:
Mind Map your worries away!
Mind Maps can be an excellent resource for self-analysis and for tackling
personal problems such as anxiety, shyness, excessive perfectionism,
feeling down, and disappointment. If you find that you aren’t happy with
your Mind Mapping results, make a Mind Map about your experience.
You could, for example, start with a central image showing yourself
looking downhearted. Now do a quick-fire Mind Map, expressing openly
and honestly whatever mixed thoughts and feelings you have had about the
Mind Mapping process.
Your next step is to work up this draft into a more balanced and analytical
Mind Map, with Basic Ordering Ideas (BOIs) that explore your emotions in
more depth. Consider, for example:
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