Lists are great but most people tend to think in a nonlinear fashion. Our thoughts come randomly and are often ideas sparked by other ideas. One idea leads to another. A mind map is designed to capture those thought patterns, record them as they come and help organize.

So how does a Mind Map work?
The basic concept is to start with a blank page. In the middle of the page we place our main topic. From that topic we begin to record related ideas, tasks or other items.

We record our ideas as the come. Linking one to another using lines to show how they relate. Some ideas will have many subcategories and others will have only a few. It is not important how your map looks but that you generate and record your ideas as they come.

Here’s a little tutorial demonstration I built to show how to start a simple mind map. You can use mind mapping software or build your own mind map it’s totally up to you. There quite a few mind mapping applications out there some are even free. For this demo I used the free version of Mindmeister (CI is affiliated with Mindmeister).

Some things to keep in mind as you work on your mind map.

• A mind map will take a little work (don’t get discouraged if you don’t complete it in a half an hour while texting to your pals).
• Don’t skimp on the details. The more info you have the clearer your path will be.
• Have fun. Don’t be afraid to dream (you can always edit later).
• Make sure your map is easy to get to and easy to edit, otherwise it will become a chore and end up being ignored.
• A mind map is almost always a work in progress.

Homework: This is the big moment you’ve been waiting for. It’s time to dive in and get messy. Find your mind mapping software of choice and get familiar with it. Pick a random topic and build a simple mind map. The purpose of this exercise is to start getting the hang of building a mind map.

Now that we know our destination it’s time to start planning our trip. This is probably one of the most important steps in the process. First thing we’ll need is a map. The better the map the easier the trip. On the CI podcast, Chris and I began our trip by preparing a mind map. If you’re not familiar with mind mapping or missed the episode I highly recommend going back and giving it a listen (check out CI-ep-206).

We chose to record our journey using MindMeister. It allowed us to collaborate online and update each other with email alerts. We recorded our ideas for the show, this site, and everything else we could think of related to future plans for CI. We refer to and update our mind map all the time. It is in a constant state of evolution. Each time we have a great idea or a shift in direction we refer to the map. Without it we would more then likely forget half the ideas we’ve had. It keeps us focused and also allows us the flexibility to build and grow.

The mind map will be the main building block for the next several lesson plans. In the next post we’ll take a look at how to construct a mind map of your very own.

Homework: Download FreeMind or the free version of MindMeister and begin messing around with them a little bit (I believe you can find tutorials on both sites). Either program will work well for future posts. MindMeister has recently announced a tie in with Google Docs.

Authors note. Do to unforeseen and unrelated events for both Chris and myself we’ve had to take a little time away from CI. Sometimes life just throws you a curve ball and all you can do, is do your best to roll with it. I am slowly but surely getting caught up with all the projects I had to put on hold and am pretty much back to my normal routine. I hope to be able to continue adding to this blog regularly and posting new episodes of the CI podcast in the near future. Thanks for patience and understanding. Pod On!

1. Set up a Twitter account
2. Set up an account on Linked In and find the CI group and sign up.
   
3. Set up a blog and start building your site.

Make sure you add content to your blog on a regular basis. Keep it interesting and have fun with it. Begin commenting on other blogs. Team up with other artists and begin getting your art and name out there. Once you’ve completed your home work add a link to your blog, website and or twitter account in the comment section of this post so we can all find you. Good luck, I look forward to seeing your art.