Mind Mapping is a way of method of recording and discovering ideas using creative thinking. This particular technique gets you to create a tree-like diagram that contains coloured branches with words and images on.

This is well worth a watch. Why not try it out on something that you are trying work on right now.

Best quote
“If you don’t have associations, you don’t have connection. If you don’t have connection, you don’t have memory and you don’t have thinking”

Also the fact that the boy in the clip is actually Will Smith’s son in real life adds a bit more meaning to the scene, I think you’ll agree.

Best quote:
“If you want something. Go get it. Period!”

Related:
Ambition To Succeed Tag: Will Smith

“…People will draw others to them just in proportion to their interest in them. As soon as they put themselves in another’s place, takes a genuine interest in there welfare, and does not try to shift the conversation to himself and his own affairs, just so soon and no sooner will others take an interest in them.”

Quite cool. I read that and thought ‘yeah that is so true!’

To read a larger excerpt and the full post including Mike Liman’s thoughts click the following link.
http://www.mikelitman.com/blog/?p=111

Artist: Usher
Album: 8701
Song: Pop ya Collar

“I just pop my collar tip my hat and turn my backs on the ones who hated me”

“They wanna hate you cause you’re a go-getter pop ya collar don’t let ‘em sweat ya”

Inspired by the above quote a talented writer/blogger called Lance uses a tree as a metaphor to describe our journey through life and passion for wealth building. He goes on to write…

“…Maybe, just maybe…money DOES grow on trees. Maybe a tree can provide us with some lessons, some insight into riches, and what that means to us.”

“These are challenging times we’re in today… In the ebb and flow of life, there are ups and there are downs. Let’s look at this in relation to the trees we have in our life, and see if we can’t understand it a little bit better.”

By way of metaphor Lance then goes onto explaining what life lessons we can learn from trees. Below I have included Lances first metaphor about seeds. You can see an overview other the other stages but please visit his site and read the full article…

The Trees In The Forest Of Our Life

Seeds:
Trees start out as seeds (or maybe sometimes from a nut). This seed is planted in the soil, is watered, and begins to grow. In nature, several seeds get planted naturally, and many grow, although not all of them do.

Seeds Life Lesson: Seeds. The ideas we have. The things we go about doing. That which we try. We might plant one, or we might plant several seeds. Some may grow, and some may not. Some things we do won’t continue to resonate with us, and we’ll move on. Others will. The bottom line in all of it, though, is this tree will never grow if we don’t at least plant the seed – if we don’t at least try this thing we’ve been thinking about.

Saplings:
We’ve planted our seed. And our tree is beginning to grow.

Roots: While above the surface, our tree is slowly getting bigger and stronger – under the surface it’s the roots that are really doing the growing.

Storms:
Life might not always be easy for our tree.

Growth:
The storms also bring rain. And followed with sunshine, and good soil, our trees will grow.

Majestic Tree:
We’ve went through the life cycle of our trees. Many have now grown to great heights. It hasn’t happened overnight.

I encourage you to read the full article as well as visit Lance’s website by using the link below.
http://www.jungleoflife.com/2009/03/31/money-does-grow-on-trees

This article was brought to you by www.jungleoflife.com

Here are some of my favorite quotes from the lecture.

“…you don’t know where the bar should be and you are only going to do a miss service by putting it anywhere.”

“Bosses: Respect authority while questioning it”

“You can’t get there alone”

“Apologize when you screw up”

“Brick walls let us show our dedication. They are to separate us from the people who don’t want to achieve…”

“Don’t complain just work harder”

“Be good at something: it makes you valuable”

“Luck is where preparation meets opportunity”

RIP Guru! 17th July 1966 – 19th April 2010

Album: Moment of Truth

Song: Royalty

“The best way, it ain’t always the fast way”

“Wherever I go, I want to take nothing less than the best. Whatever I choose, I choose to do, I have to stand out from all the rest.”

Song: Moment of Truth

“Actions have reactions, don’t be quick to judge. You may not know the hardships people don’t speak of”

Song: Above the Clouds

“Experience is the best teacher”

Song: Work

“I put in work and watch my status escalate”

Song: You Know My Steez

“Its often easier for one, to give advice, than it is for a person to run one’s own life”

For those of you on spotify… here’s the link. For the rest the image links through to amazon where you can preview the entire album

Standout Quotes
“Its impossible to connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect them looking backwards”

“The only way to do great work is to love what you do, if you haven’t found it yet keep looking – don’t settle!”

“If today were the last day of my life would I want to do what I am about to do today?…when the answer has been no for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something”

“Your time is limited, don’t waste it living someone elses life”

I’m sure we can all relate to moments when we felt stuck trying to tap into our own creativity. Did you know that this block is merely your mind at work? Your mind is creating all sorts of assumptions, self-imposed constraints and self-limiting inhibitions. I have found that we can remove these assumptions just by being in the moment; start doing, and stop thinking.

Below is a summary of the seven habits Tina from ‘Think Simple Now’ has found in highly innovative and creative people organized and summarized from Scott Berkun’s “the myths of innovation“.

1.Persistence
Thomas A. Edison “Invention is 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration”

2.Remove Self-Limiting Inhibitions
Encourage ourselves to be open to new ideas and solutions without setting limiting beliefs.

3.Take Risks, Make Mistakes
Thomas A. Edison “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

4.Escape
Our environment can and does effect how we feel.

5.Writing Things Down
Many innovators and creative people keep a journal to jot down ideas and thoughts.

6.Find Patterns & Create Combinations
Ideas come from other ideas.

7.Curiosity
Practice seeing things differently!

To read the full article that explains the points above in more depth and also goes onto sharing some of her own techniques that you can  apply to cultivate creativity . To read the full article written Tina click on the following link;

http://thinksimplenow.com/creativity/7-habits-of-highly-innovative-people

This article was brought to you by www.thinksimplenow.com

ThinkSimpleNow.com

Standout Quotes
“Passion… There is no reason in 2008 to do stuff you hate!”

“9 to 5 you don’t have time?!…Rubbish… 7pm to 2am in the morning is plenty of time to do damage”

“Hustle is the most important word EVER!”

“Position yourself to succeed”

“Everybody has time, stop watching the Lost! (TV Programme)”