The Underlying Blog

Are You 'Watching' Your Mind Maps?

Lately I've been a little bit disenchanted with my mind maps. Not because of content, just because I would create a map and often not look at it again. Also, when you work in mind mapping for a living, sometimes you just don't feel like going back into a map and fooling with looking at it. May sound crazy, yet if you map it right you've committed a lot of it to memory. I'm mostly talking about content maps... execution maps I live in. It's like the fast food employee who burns out on hamburgers. I love fast food. McDonald's is swell.

What I have been doing though, when I want to brush up on a subject, is just going into MindManager 7, clicking on the 'View' Tab, and throwing it into presentation mode. Then I can just watch the map by continuously hitting 'Tab'. It's entertainment on par with Scarface and Nemo.

Maybe all of you are doing this already, yet it feels like an epiphany for me. And I think the term 'presentation mode' makes us think that it's only for when you're showing it to other people. NOT SO. Maybe Mindjet should call it 'Sit on your butt with some popcorn and be entertained mode'. I rule. You can have that one for free Mindjet.

Much love to all of my readers. Now I've got to go watch CP3 face down San Antonio.

Technorati tags: Kyle McFarlin, Mindjet MindManager, McDonald's, Chris Paul, NBA, Scarface, Finding Nemo

Are You a Dinosaur?

'We are all information managers, whether we acknowledge it or not, the fact that we create, manage and exchange information to gain knowledge is a testament to the human need for expansion.' -Wallace Tait-

 

Amen. A recent theme for me is how impossible it is to stay still: you either get worse or you get better as a recent post by my buddy Rich Schefren illustrates. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO STAY THE SAME. In the 21st century knowledge is a commodity to be managed and if you don't think so you'd better start looking for your jeans in the dinosaur department. Because if you don't acknowledge it, your competitor will... and down the line you'll hear the cannon of competition in the distance, growing louder every day.

Curious to learn what all the fuss is about? You can read Wallace Tait's Interview here:

Assistive Technology: Visual Mapping and the Information Economy

Technorati tags: Wallace Tait, Brian Friedlander, Kyle McFarlin, Information Economy, Visual Strategist, Rich Schefren

The Paradox of Blogging

Someone out there has to have written about the blogging paradox I'm experiencing: When business is booming/busy, I'm a sucky blogger. I mean not just mediocre but terrible. Some of you bloggers out there who work 80 hour weeks and still put up articles on the intellectual motivations of Fred Flintstone and management theories of Barney Fife... my hats off to you, because I seem to be falling short.

Another reason I think I don't blog as much as some of the other mind mapping bloggers is that I tend to think in terms of total systems to the Nth degree. When I start blogging about mind mapping in earnest in the coming months with deep content posts, I'll be coming from a position of having something more comprehensive to say. It's just not my personality to blog this cool mind map or that. Sorry, but that's just the way it is.

In the meantime, I want to refer you to some buddies of mine who are delivering great content to you, NOW. The team at VisualMapper.org, Wallace Tait & Arjen ter Hoeve, are giving away their ebook for free, and I'd recommend taking a look at it. They go DEEP into the subject.

Download the VisualMapper ebook today:

http://ebook.visualmapper.org/

Technorati tags: VisualMapper.org, Blogging Paradox, Barney Fife, Fred Flintstone, Kyle McFarlin, Arjen ter Hoeve, Wallace Tait

Michael Scherotter interview with Ice Cube

Mindjet alumni and Microsoft maverick Michael Scherotter recently had the opportunity to interview my childhood friend (I wish) Ice Cube. On a serious note, I'm a HUGE fan of hip-hop, and Michael got a once in a lifetime chance here that I can't help but envy:

http://channel9.msdn.com/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=390405

I appreciate the depth of Cube's thinking on what technology means to the musical landscape. And I wonder if he'll use the Zune? If not, he can send it to me with a car adaptor.

Check it out now:

http://channel9.msdn.com/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=390405

Technorati tags: Mindjet, Microsoft, Michael Scherotter, Ice Cube, Zune

Business Case for Mind Mapping Found Before Big Foot!

I'm sick of the lack of awareness of what Mind Mapping can do for businesspeople. Day by day, workers/executives/entrepreneurs drown, and I don't use that word lightly because like shark attacks and bull running it scares me. They drown in a sea of e-mail, crappy bosses, projects, romantic affairs (what the *#$%?), operations, files scattered everywhere, PowerPoint Presentations, Excel spreadsheets, relationships, trips, family, American Idol, fried chicken, etcetera. Meanwhile, they get little in the way of tools that truly help them shovel their way out of hell.

In Chuck Frey's new book, The Mind Mapping Manifesto, he throws a harpoon right at the heart of the business world's ignorance of mind mapping, especially felt here in the US (Seriously Europeans, take a moment and savor how mind map friendly your nations are). And priceless is Chuck's new phrase of mind mapping: 'The Savvy Executive's Secret Weapon.' That's pimp.

According to Chuck,

'Not enough executives and entrepreneurs truly understand what mind mapping software is and what it can do for them. This is the best software you've never heard of!

So I decided to do something about that. I'm Chuck Frey, founder of InnovationTools.com, author of the Mind Mapping Software Weblog and of the popular e-book, Power Tips & Strategies for Mind Mapping Software.

I've seen the impact that it can make on the work and lives of people just like you. Mind mapping software can help you to:

• Conquer information overload
• Make better decisions
• Reach clarity faster on key issues
• Become a more creative problem solver, and
• Supercharge your effectiveness

That's why I've written The Mind Mapping Manifesto - to spread the word about the productivity benefits this type of software offers, and to help you to make an informed decision about investing in it. In short, I've built the business case for mind mapping software.'

Well you go Chuck, and hopefully the thought virus you've created spreads. Hells bells, Chuck even encourages you to spread the book around to members of your organization, so I have to imagine the Barons of Linear Notetaking may be waking up very soon. And it may even feature some choice bits from everyone's favorite espresso fiend. This year, let's hope I improve at Halo 3 (has anyone written an e-book on how to enjoy getting your ass shot off?) and mind mapping finally starts to get the recognition it deserves as THE tool that will finally reconcile hippies and suits.

Discover more about the Mind Mapping Manifesto now.

Technorati tags: Kyle McFarlin, Chuck Frey, The Mind Mapping Manifesto, Europe, US

Before I get Stoned in Starbucks by Readers for Using a Computer

In my interview on the Personal Productivity Show, I took great pains to say that one day a week, you should get off of your computer and not work for an ENTIRE DAY. Hot damn and oops, I think I may have shot my big mouth off too soon about turning the technology off. Look, if your idea of a great Saturday is making some computer music or playing some computer games, more power to you... that's hobby, not work. The last thing I want to do is destroy your enjoyment of the one day per week you tell your work where it can go, so if I spoke hastily, my apologies.

And in a lot of ways this is a CYA (Cover-Your-Ass) blog post as I was talking about me above when I said computer music and games (Seriously, I do mind mapping for a living: What the hell were you expecting, running with the bulls and shark fishing?). So, before I get booed out of the local Starbucks, I thought I would give you the insight that my original intention in telling you not to work/touch a computer 1 day per week was since most of you are desk jockeys, the easiest way to free you was to remove the enabler, your computer.

Turns out, this angers a lot of us who have hobby-related stuff on our computers. So... If your hobby is on your computer, orders from headquarters are for you to go crazy with it on your next full day off. Just don't give me any BS about your work being your hobby as an excuse to work. Even if originally it was a mere hobby, it's now a full-time gig and you need a different hobby to keep from going crazy (or too crazy if you're already there). Further, if you love your work and do it passionately 60-100 hours per work, one day a week is needed for proper brain elasticity (I'm not a scientist, but the brain does feel stretched at times). Just make sure you don't check e-mail or do any work. Repeat after me, 'E-mail & Work can kiss my ass on (Day you take off) '. There you go.

I know I'll be hobbying it up on my computer this coming weekend, with e-mail and work kissing my rump the entire time.

If you have any feedback, please leave a comment as there's still a part of me that thinks the computer ought to stay off completely one day per week if for no other purpose than change of scenery. What do you think?

Technorati tags: Kyle McFarlin, Saturday, Personal Productivity Show, Email, Work

My Beehive from Hell Hairdo

Yeah, it's great that I came out against hair dressers whose hair looks like crap in a previous post about eating your own dogfood. Poor people, I found out today how easy it is to be negligent in an area of supposed expertise.

See, I went to see my accountant today (Sunday) and have my taxes done (Pipe down with the hypocrisy exclamation mark: Saturday is my Sabbath). And lo and behold, I'd done an A+ sucky job of systematizing my finances over the past year. I had everything we needed with me... it just took eons to find it all. Not that I'm a finance whiz, but I do tell everyone else to create Projects that turn into Operations - Processes... and meanwhile, I've piled crap onto crap in my own situation. The hell with eating my own dogfood, I need water wings as I'm swimming in the by-product. I made the damn VSS template set... I guess I could live by it in EVERY area of my business, not just those I enjoy (hello Marketing, hello R&D, hello Training & Consulting).

And God bless my accountant, who has given me what I feel is a framework to turn 2008 into the year I systematize financial processes like Lil' Wayne makes mix tapes. I'd give her a shoutout by name, but I haven't a clue if she wants to join this online freakfest I've created at the Underlying Blog. I'm a freakfest! Beautiful.

So, where are you falling short in practicing what you preach, and what is the next action you can take to fix it?

Tonight, my own dogfood smells like crap... tomorrow, I have to eat it. Me, I'll be process mapping some financial stuffery.

So the hypocrite rides again. I'm hungry, it's time for lucky charms.

That's life, and that's the way it is, and it's a good problem to have.

My my, I won't shutup. LUCKY CHARMS.

Technorati tags: Kyle McFarlin, Hair Do, Lil' Wayne, VSS Template Set, Mindjet MindManager, Lucky Charms

No Excuses for Being A Lazyass Blogger... Except Actual Work

Folks, I've sucked about blogging over the last couple few of weeks. No excuses. I've just been a lazy bastard about it. If I were you, I'd probably quit reading it (as if you didn't anyhow... oh wait, here you are).

What I have been doing, again no excuses, is mind mapping the hell out of Rich Schefren's Strategic Profits Live Event at Disney World in Orlando Florida. I'm proud to say the maps I've created will even be included with the Home Study Course Strategic Profits is offering. Life changing event I'll add, not the least of which was Gary Vaynerchuk going nuclear on having a lack of, errr... vision about one's own ascendancy to greatness. And Jay Abraham? The dude is the John Gotti of strategic business building: Teflon, smooth as silk and infinitely compelling. No Jay, I'm not saying you're a gangsta. Killer content, and I no longer have any excuses for being anything less than myself.

Check out Jay here:

Check out Gary here:

 

As much as I love being back in Ohio, hot damn do I miss the sun. I'm sure it was wonderful for the attendees to meet me, and I sure enjoyed making their acquaintance as well. I wonder if it's possible to make Ashland, Ohio and Amish Country the Silicon Valley of the Midwest? WE NEED A TECH COMMUNITY HERE. I love coffee.

Also, I'm a huge fan of Disney. I've loved animation ever since I was old enough to realize it wasn't real (Bambi sucks when you think the bullets will come out of the screen... Actually I'm not partial to Bambi no matter what). Alice in Wonderland, the Jungle Book, Nemo, that's the stuff. So yes, I'm a big kid at heart! My two cents to Disney though: Get some of your plain-clothes crime operatives to watch out for bad parenting in addition to theft as most parents have completely ceded control to their kids... who will slam into you repeatedly while waiting in line for Space Mountain. Say it with me, CUR-MUDG-EON.

One of the things I learned at the event is to BE-YOURSELF. Sometimes I write this blog in my own voice, like now. Other times, I write it like some corporate stooge, attempting to make sure it offends exactly no one and therefore bores the hell out of everyone, not the least of which is me, the author. I have to read this crap as I write it. Sucks when it's blandified oatmeal.

My buddy Brian Friedlander asked me what I've been up to: I'M BACK BAAABBBYYY!!! (Big ups, Joey Tribbiani).

Technorati tags: Kyle McFarlin, Strategic Profits, Mind Mapping, MindManager, Disney, Ohio, Brian Friedlander, Gary Vaynerchuk, Jay Abraham

Welcome to Blogging Mr. Wilcox

One of the sharpest MindManager users around, Andrew Wilcox, has recently launched his very own blog, 'Applications of MindManager' as covered recently by Chuck Frey and Brian Friedlander. Professionally, Andrew operates Cabre, a fixture in the UK for mind mapping training and consulting. He also contributes colossally well thought out responses to questions of all sorts people pose in the Yahoo! MindManager Group.

... I'm thinking maybe Andrew will be the guy who finally sells me on this whole mapping thing...

Andrew, welcome to the blogosphere: I never shut up about fried chicken and cheesy potatoes, so be WARNED.

Check out Andrew's blog here:

http://www.applications.cabre.co.uk/

Technorati tags: MindManager, Andrew Wilcox, Applications of MindManager, Chuck Frey, Brian Friedlander, Cabre, Yahoo! MindManger Group, Kyle McFarlin

The Way of Rabbits or Philosopher Kings?

I've had this nagging thought over the last few years. If human progress keeps up its pace, and we don't do anything overly self-destructive as a species, there should be an abundance tipping point before Captain Kirk is born.

At which point, do we go the way of rabbits or philosopher kings?

(My Answer: Who cares, I'm going to Burger King.)

{not paid to say that but should've been}

Ponder that as it will be a couple of weeks before my next post.

Technorati tags: The Tipping Point, Philosophy, Kyle McFarlin, Visual Strategist, Humor, Burger King