The Underlying Blog

Prayer 2 of a Lonely Map Topic

Dear God,

I come to you as I did last week: While Kyle builds himself the ultimate life Death Star in visual maps, we're ignored. I hope he is doing well, even though we never see him in our map.

I hope he pays attention to the people in his life because he's not paying attention to all of the topics in his maps.

That God is good and good will always win... My hope is built on nothing less.

Technorati tags: Kyle McFarlin, Mindmanager, VSS, Visual Strategist Solution, God, Prayer, My Hope is Built on Nothing Less, Star Wars, Death Star

A Couple More Visual Strategist Solution Tips

Hi Everyone,

I was sitting here thinking about what else you should know to make maximum use of the Visual Strategist Solution and came up with a couple you need to run with. If you didn't read the previous tips, check them out here. If you don't yet have the solution, you can get it for free here. These will be especially helpful for those of you getting started with the solution:

1. START AT THE TOP: Make sure you begin with the Life Core Map stored at the top level of the Visual Strategist Solution Folder Structure. It's a visual overlay for the entire solution, and will give you broad perspective on the areas of your life you'll be addressing.
2. You don't have to, yet a great way to start working through the solution is to move through the Life Core Map in CLOCKWISE fashion. And another reminder when you start working with each map, especially for the first time, make sure you hit Shift+F5 to refresh the Files & Folders map part to your system. After you hit Shift+F5 for the first time in the Life Core map, you may find it enlightening to fully expand the topics in the map and look at each hyperlinked map individually to get an idea of the scope of the solution.

Happy mapping everyone.

Go Cleveland Cavaliers.

Technorati tags: Visual Strategist, Kyle McFarlin, Mind Mapping, Knowledge Mapping, MindManager, Gyronix

Quick Tips for the Visual Strategist Solution Template Package

Hi everyone,

I wanted to send out a couple of quick tips to jumpstart your use of the Visual Strategist Solution. If you don't have it yet, get it here.

1. Here's a good one Nick Duffill of Gyronix fame pointed out to me could be a little on the unclear side, so I'll clear it up. After you've installed the solution according to instructions, the first time you open each map make sure you hit Shift+F5 to refresh the File Explorer map part to your computer: otherwise the links won't work because you're not me ;). And further, remember to hit Shift+F5 frequently in the maps so you have an accurate visual overlay of your Files & Folders.
2. When you first open up the Life Core map, be sure to click on the map hyperlink in the floating topic 'Visual Strategist Solution Agenda', directly below the central topic. Whether or not you work with me, this map will give you guidelines for putting the solution into place (I promise I make it even more fun!).

Nothing more for now, just get the solution for free if you don't have it yet here.

Technorati tags: Kyle McFarlin, Gyronix, Visual Strategist, Mind Mapping, MindManager, ResultsManager

The Mind Map Life Framework of Your Dreams... FOR FREE

I've gotten everything related to mind mapping out of my head, have gone a bit bonkers and decided to release it all... FOR FREE.

Why?

A) I hope it makes you want to work with Visual Strategist and use Mindjet MindManager and Gyronix ResultsManager.

B) I know a business-building expert and guru named Rich Schefren who gives away loads of spectacular free content and does blockbuster business as a result.

C) I feel a moral obligation. As a Visual Strategist and Gyronix Certified Trainer, I've worked with hundreds, if not thousands of people on structuring their mind maps and managing projects. If I knew all of the common goals, shared feelings and desired experiences sought, and could give you THE solution at no cost, wouldn't it be a crime not to deliver it to you?

D) I'm in a festive mood with the release of MindManager 7.

What you're going to get with the Visual Strategist Solution template package:

1. A mind map framework from which you can rule the Personal and Professional Realms of your life.
2. A Files & Folders framework to store your mind maps, documents and files that is tracked in the mind maps using the File Explorer Map Part.
3. A set of scenario templates on such topics as Negotiation, Strategic Management, Strategic Relationships and more.
4. A map marker (icon) set to help you portray almost any business, personal or social scenario you may encounter.
5. ResultsManager users get a Life Balance set of Gyronix Projects baked right into the map set. Therefore, you can run Gyronix Dashboards right out of the gate.

All I ask is your feeback, word-of-mouth and consideration.

• Feedback given that the solution I'm releasing is by no means perfect.
• Word-of-mouth that if you like what you see, you'll blog about it, link to it, or even tell someone in person the old-fashioned way ;). 
• Consideration that if you need mind mapping expertise, you'll ponder working with Visual Strategist.

It's worth noting that you can have my solution for free even if you don't have MindManager by downloading the free MindManager Viewer. This release is for EVERYONE.

Now, without further ado, take charge and download the Visual Strategist Solution template package here!

When 5 Types of Mind Maps Are Done

Welcome to the second part of my answers to Chuck Frey's questions. If you missed the first part, check out the Top 10 Software Mapping Mistakes to Avoid here.

In his second question, Chuck is asking when maps are done, a fair question, considering that most people don't know, kind of like when to sell a stock.  Here are my answers:

1. A presentation map is done when it's gone through multiple drafts and you have that polished gem that conveys the original point brilliantly. Use the same discipline as you would with any other office document.
2. An information map is done when it houses the information currently available, with the understanding it is to be updated when new instances come up.
3. A project map is done when the project is completed, best practices from that instance have been added back to the template and Support information has been archived. Here's a great project template from Gyronix.
4. An Area Core Map is never done.
5. A Life Core Map is never done.

 

If you're wondering what an Area Core Map is (#4) and a Life Core Map is (#5), download my free Visual Strategist Solution template package here and be sure to follow the instructions on the download page. It's a complete Mindjet MindManager mindmap framework and file-folder structure to manage the Personal and Professional Realms of your life. If you're a Gyronix fan, it has Gyronix Projects baked in. If not, you can use the Mindjet MindManager Outlook linker to portray Tasks. And definitely use the Outlook linker to portray Contacts and Appointments in mind map form.

5 Things you Didn't Know About Me

My buddy Matt Buchanan saw fit to bless me with the opportunity to tell you five things you didn't previously know about me in a March post. I'm overdue in replying, so maybe I'll try to put in a 6th if I feel ultra inspired.

1. I'm a Harry Potter addict, and I'm really, really wondering if he's going to go out like Tony Montana or Luke Skywalker.
2. Anyone who's seen Wayne's World and knows me says I look and act like the Robe Lowe character in the movie. Realizing the character he played was a sleazeball, they then tell me I'm a 'good' version of him.
3. My weight tends to fluctuate in a 20 pound range: Some weeks it's KFC, some weeks it's not.
4. I nearly died of misdiagnosed asthma when I was 4 years old. I was in the hospital for 4 days.
5. My favorite song is the church hymn, 'My Hope is Built on Nothing Less'.
6. I hope Phil Spector didn't do it. His work with Tina Turner and the Righteous Brothers was spectacular.

Now You'll Never Be Short on Visual Strategy Techniques

My buddy Ron Robison, who writes a can't-miss blog bursting with spiritual and business nuggets of wisdom, sent me a link today to 'A Periodic Table of Visualization Methods'.

Wow, I never knew how much I'd been missing it until I found it.  Lovingly arranged like the table of elements, you just hover over an item and an example with explanation is presented. Seriously, it has everything from the BCG matrix to cartesian coordinates.

Take a look:

Link to A Periodic Table of Visualization Methods

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas Blogosphere! 10 Bucks says I overate today.

Did I mention I like the song, 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day'?

Brave

I want to take a moment and introduce you to a talented young Christian writer, Jarod Osborne, who's recently released his first book, Brave. With a good deal of wisdom to boot, he seems to have noticed we no longer hunt, we shop; we no longer live adventure, we're entertained by it; and we often abandon discipline for creature comforts.

So consider what would happen if we searched for the paths we've lost? In a lot of ways, I think that's what Jarod setout to do. Try reading Chapter 12 here and begin to see where the paths he found led. You can also buy the book at Lulu here in digital or printed form.

(Also ties directly into my recent post on the 3 critical items you should complete no matter what)

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

At the home of family today, I was looking through some Christmas CD's.  To my extreme, extreme dismay, we couldn't locate a single disc containing my favorite Christmas song, "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day", in what is a rather large, quality Christmas music collection.  That it is being ignored in modern compilations bothers me to no end because I think the message of the piece, written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow during the US Civil War in which he suffered the loss of his wife and near loss of his son in battle, are endlessly relevant no matter your faith or creed: It is the idea that good will always win.

I encourage you to look here for Longfellow's words and some explanation of what he experienced in the US' most perilous time as a nation.