Right Selection – Tony Buzan – In Search of Genius

We think like exploding stars

‘We think like exploding stars’

Vijay Dandige

12 November 2008

Since 1974, Tony Buzan’s ingenious creation, the ‘Mind Map’, has helped millions worldwide to

unlock their mental capacities and creative talents

HE HAS ONE mission in his life: to unlock the power of our brains, and show us how to tap and use our creative genius with ease.

He asserts, with conviction, that each one of us is brilliant. Our only flaw: we don’t use even 1 per cent of our brains and we don’t use our brains in the right way.

For nearly four decades, Tony Buzan has taken it upon himself to teach millions how to use their brains properly. He is the inventor of Mind Maps, the most powerful ‘thinking tool’ of our times. He has authored and co-authored 95 books, published in 130 countries. Mind Mapping can virtually be used for everything, whether note taking, planning, remembering, organising, creative thinking, problem solving to shopping and learning. Mind Mapping is taught and used in almost every Fortune company and in countries throughout the world. Over 200 million people do Mind Mapping on the planet. In a rare tribute, The Times of London predicted: “Buzan will do for the brain what Stephen Hawking did for the universe.”

Tony Buzan was in Dubai last week, for a one-day seminar at Dhow Palace Hotel, organised by Right Selection, a Dubai-based organisation that introduces training and development initiatives to companies in the Gulf region that are committed to promoting a learning culture within their organisations. Right Selection is representing Tony Buzan throughout the Middle East (www.rightselection.com).

Tall, impeccably dressed in a blue blazer, his tufts of silver hair giving him the aura of a distinguished scholar, Tony Buzan gets candid with City Times in this exclusive interview.

How did you think up the idea of Mind Map?

In school I was a good note taker. I could write 15 words on a line, 600 words on a page, in good handwriting. In university things became more difficult. So I took more notes, but the more notes I took the more I began to drown. As exam loomed, I found myself frantically going through my notes and underlining key words or phrases and then putting them on memory cards. I realised that these key words were the essence, the nuggets, and the rest was nothing, a waste of energy. Over the next few years, I studied how the great thinkers, Da Vinci, Darwin, Edison, Einstein and others took notes. I studied the nature of memory, the brain cells, the nature of creativity, and the Mind Map evolved. So, it started with key words. In the beginning they were prototype Mind Maps. Then I added colours and images, realising the truth of the adage, ‘A picture is worth 1000 words’ – because we remember with images, not with words. I added codes and curved lines, because curved lines are more attractive to the brain. So the Mind Map became: key words, colours, images, connections and locating them in their right place.

Mind Mapping is said to be based on the concept of radiant thinking. In learning, remembering etc., why is radiant thinking on paper more effective than normal linear thinking?

The way the brain fundamentally thinks is radiant, meaning that it thinks primarily from image centres, and then radiates out. We think like exploding stars. The brain’s thinking processes, especially memory, creativity and understanding are based on networks of information. When you say ‘mango’, the brain sees the picture of the mango, imagines the taste, the colour. So, from that central picture mango, you have the radiant branches, taste, colour, tropics, your favourite mango, mango cakes, mango pudding, mango drink, regions where mangos are grown… all radiating off, with rich sensory details. So, Mind Map reflects on the page the way the brain thinks. The normal listing not only doesn’t reflect it, it interferes with the process.

When did you realise that Mind Map was a powerful tool that could help others as well?

Mind Mapping had made a phenomenal difference for me. It changed my life. I was then teaching in public schools, and also special needs and delinquent children. Once in the late 60s I was teaching this class of delinquent children. And there was this 12-year-old boy who was a hard case. He was written off by everybody. The principal told me to ignore him. Anyway I showed the class how to do a Mind Map. And this boy, deemed as the dullest, did a phenomenal Mind Map about cars, which was his passion. Then he stood in front of the class, which he had never done before and, reading from his Mind Map, told the class about cars, their engines, mechanics etc. And I began to realise that if you could transform a child’s performance and his opinion of himself and transform the other children’s opinion of him, in one hour, then the Mind Map was something pretty powerful.

How has Mind Mapping grown since its launch in 1974?

It has grown exponentially. Since 1974, I have been asked by businesses and others around the world to come and explain Mind Mapping. Companies like IBM, British Petroleum, leading Management institutes, British Government, Microsoft, Singapore Airlines, HP and many others. I even briefly taught Margaret Thatcher, when she was in the opposition. By 1980, many of the Fortune 500 companies were using Mind Maps. One Boeing man saved $12 million in nine months through a giant Mind Map summarising a 3000-page operations manual on how to build a new aircraft. It began to spread very rapidly. By the 1990s it was getting into governments, where it became a powerful tool for some, like governments of Mexico, China, Malaysia, Bahrain, Singapore, Thailand, Scotland, Germany, Dubai, England and now in America. So, governments globally are using and promoting Mind Mapping. Today, over 200 million people use Mind Mapping.

And how has its acceptance in the educational field been?

At the same time, it began to develop in schools. In education, the star example is Singapore where the ministry of education communicates to 28,000 teachers through Mind Maps. Over 5000 teachers there are trained in Mind Maps to help them teach better. Bahrain has sponsored the World Memory Championship to help children learn how to remember through Mind Maps. In Mexico the Ministry of Health teaches everybody Mind Mapping. And the biggest university, Tec D’Monterey has instituted a programme where 130,000 students in 33 campuses around Latin America will be taught how to Mind Map and will be given extra training in the application of it.

How do you see the development of Mind Mapping software? And what is your opinion of the various Mind Mapping softwares that have come up?

I was always in favour of doing Mind Mapping software. I have worked on nearly every Mind Mapping software that is out there, and none ever really satisfied me. They are not Mind Map software. They are lying. What these softwares produce are not really Mind Maps. Most of them don’t even have images; their lines are straight; they are not flexible; in some you cannot colour properly. They are better than linear notes but they are not better than a proper Mind Map. A proper Mind Map will multiply your thinking capacity by tens to hundreds of times.

So, how did your own software iMindMap come about?

Four years ago, a man called Chris Griffiths came to me. He had an education company that provided video and television programmes for the British Ministry of Education. His company had been using Mind Maps. He told me he thought he could come up with a software that would crack the problem of allowing the computer to manifest thinking like the human brain does. I gave him the go ahead and a year and half later he came out with the first baby software which was subsequently perfected. And this is the software that replicates what human thinking would like. The software is so good, and I’m saying it objectively, that when it came out it went to the top of the Amazon software list in Japan.

How is a Mind Map a valuable tool for developing creativity?

The main aspect of creativity is the ability to generate ideas to come up with solutions to problems. In normal brainstorming a group leader tells his members to come up with ideas, which are noted and listed on a flip chart. But a list cuts off associations between ideas and therefore the exclusive radiant thinking is cut off into shreds in a list, whereas a Mind Map gives you the big picture. You can make more connections and the more connections you can make the more creative you are. So the Mind Map is the creative thinking tool. For example, I used Mind Maps to create every single book that I have written. I brainstorm what I want to write, and do a Mind Map and write the book from the Mind Map.

How effective is a Mind Map when it comes to understanding something that is totally new?

Ultimately, what is understanding? Understanding means nothing but being aware of the focus of the subject and the correct relationship between things in that subject. That is another way of saying Mind Map. A Mind Map gives you the centre and the relationship between the different ideas of it. So, the Mind Map is the demonstration of your understanding.

Having come this far, how do you see Mind Mapping evolving in the future?

My vision is that Mind Mapping will be the standard method for people to take notes. And I do see Mind Map as a very socially responsible, quality-of-life-improving technique. I see Mind Map being used in international conflict situations as a peace-enhancing tool. If the nations in conflict with each other could sit in a big room and, on a giant screen, Mind Map their conflict and their goals and areas of common interest, I think peace would happen a lot more rapidly and functionally. Because they will have seen the whole picture, including all the areas of their wants and needs and their disagreements and they will find some solutions. I see it as a creative thinking tool that will help prevent the kind of crisis the world is in at the moment. I see it as a tool that will help the human race evolve and help pave the way for everybody to be part of the future information democracy. I see Mind Map as a universal language because it deals in images and associations – a language that will help us dissolve differences of race, nationality etc and pave the way for a lot more cooperation and mutual generation of solutions.

What else would you like to share about Mind Maps?

What I would like is that everyone should find out about it, learn about it and apply it. I would like more and more people to join the growing family of global Mind Mappers. I want every parent to make sure that their child has Mind Map software. I want every parent and every teacher to make sure that children know about their brain. I want millions of people to learn how to teach this. The biggest problem in the world at the moment in terms of human existence is starvation. Two billion people are starving. The starvation of thinking is the main cause for physical starvation. So, if everyone is taught how to think, physical starvation would not exist. So, teaching people thinking skills, helping them develop their intelligence is for me the prime way of preventing global physical starvation. I want people to join the family to stop mental starvation. I want the world to be filled with warriors of the mind.

Tony Buzan LIVE! In the Gulf

Right Selection Events, Dubai, U.A.E.
www.rightselection.com

The end of October brings Tony Buzan back in the region, in Manama, Bahrain as a celebrity in the “Festival of the Mind” program. Tony is here once again to provide valuable input about the true potential of the mind and the brain.

After Bahrain, Tony takes off for Muscat where he will be received by Gautam Ganglani of The Right Selection Group. Gautam is the Buzan Partner for the United Arab Emirates and neighbouring countries and through Right Selection; Buzan has been invited to Muscat, as the evening’s speaker on the 27th October for Infinity Motors. Tony would focus on Leadership through Mind Mapping, Creativity and Innovation.

That night, Tony will be whisked back to Bahrain as he presents his workshop the next day, 28th October on Mind Mapping and Creativity, organized by Gulf Training Solutions who are Right Selection Events’ partners in Bahrain.

Tony and Gautam fly in to Dubai from Bahrain on the 28th night and over the next two days, interact with the curious media and avid clients of Right Selection to keep them updated about how rapidly Tony work is spreading and being appreciated all over the world including Mexico, Egypt, Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, Australia, South Africa and Jordan. In the process, Tony has gained many fans of his Mind Maps including Microsoft’s Bill Gates and ex-U.S. vice President Al Gore.

Parents, teachers and children wait excitedly in Dubai as they have a date with Tony Buzan on the 31st of October. Tony’s popular workshop “Power Learning” was a huge success last year. He is back again this year to teach them, with a lot of colour and fun, about how useful and powerful the Mind Map tool is, even at an early age, starting from 7 years. He will share how our memory and creative skills can be developed very effectively to help expand the mind to achieve much more than we think is possible. http://www.rightselection.com/event_register.aspx?page_id=14&event_id=

21&date=10/31/2008%2012:00:00%20AM

Tony will head back home on 31st October after an arduous but highly exciting trip to the Gulf.

www.rightselection.com

http://rightselection.wordpress.com/category/tony-buzan/

www.buzanworld.com

www.imindmap.com

Resources for New Mind Mappers

Do a search in any search engine for mind mapping and you’ll get thousands and thousands of hits. Finding the right resources to learn more about mind mapping or to simply update your knowledge, can be a tough task.

In this post I am going to highlight some resources that I have found useful over the years in mind mapping.

Websites

Websites are a great place to start when you need information on mind mapping. There are so many sites out there that have great articles and both hand-drawn mind maps and software mind maps.

Our first website is really an aggregation site of all the mind mapping sites out there. The mind-mapping.org site is a huge collection of mind mapping software, articles, websites, blogs and there’s even a search engine that covers all the latest articles on mind mapping.

The second website I recommend is Chuck Frey’s, The Mind Mapping Software Blog. Chuck’s blog is a great resource for those people who do all their mind mapping using software applications and presently his articles cover productivity, tips, and product news and reviews of the latest mind mapping software. A great site to visit if your in need of some advice on getting the most from your mind mapping software.

Sometimes you need a kick to start your mind mapping. Mind Map Inspiration is a great site for new mind mappers to see what exactly can be done with hand drawn mind maps. As well as providing lots of examples of mind maps, the site also contains four free e-books.

Books

Before the internet these was books. Tomes of knowledge and information right there at your finger tips. The only book I can recommend is The Mind Map Book by Tony Buzan. I have had a copy of this book for about 10 years and I always end up flicking through it from time to time. It’s the best place to start if you want to learn about mind mapping from the man who popularised it. The book covers all aspects of mind mapping including the foundations of mind mapping and scenarios where mind mapping can be used.

Videos

Despite the fact that books have been our source of knowledge for centuries, the Internet has thrown us another medium that is proving very popular with people looking to learn about mind mapping. Online videos provide a great way of seeing the visual side of mind mapping that you don’t get from reading a book or an article. It gives you the chance to see a mind map evolve from it’s central idea. These two videos are both great to watch if your looking to find out more about mind mapping but want to see a more visual side of it.

1. Maximise The Power of Your Brain – A video from Tony Buzan explaining the power of mind mapping.
2. How To Map Your Mind – A great demonstration of using the open source mind mapping application, FreeMind.

As a final note, if your looking for other resources on mind mapping then you could always keep reading the articles on this site by subscribing using RSS or email!

Happy mind mapping!

Psycological Approach : A Positive Way

• A quick one because got work to do.One or Two of my articles may snap some people , but , readers have to accept this opinion just as the way I accepted other opinion as well.I have shifted my mind on this matter and go on by improving myself.
• Those articles will be used as my Case Study when one day I will lead a company.In this case , to expand our mind , TONY BUZAN MIND PRACTICE METHOD is one of the way to improve ourself.
• Remember , advanced country will be more advanced than us in future.It is a time for us to cope up with future challenges.
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Unleashing the Mind at the Festival

I will be attending, no, helping out during this weekend’s Festival of the Mind at TAR College as a result of my usual busybodying. (This is what happens when you are the unofficial committee member of Mensa Penang by virtue of your husband being a committee member!)

But lest you think that I’m being dragged there, no lah, I am quite happy really to join in these social events.

This weekend is one of those exciting events – I missed the Tony Buzan mindmapping workshop sometime ago because Nic forgot to tell me about it.

In our relationship, I am the timekeeper, the walking rolodex, the appointment manager so if he tells me there’s something going on somewhere, I make a note and decide if we want to go or not. Apparently it slipped his mind the last round.

This round though I will be going for the Festival of Mind, partly to help out at the Mensa Penang booth and partly to listen to the talks. Which you probably are going to ask me, if I adore these brain games stuff and IQ stuff, why am I not in Mensa?

Good question but I’m not mad. I enjoy sudoku, rubik cube, treasure hunts, vocab games and all those intellectual quests but I am not interested to know if I belong to the top 2 per cent of the population – the high IQ population that is. I might realize I am not in that exclusive population and then, what do I do?

Anyway, if you have some time this weekend and want to learn speed reading, mindmapping, how to increase your brain power, how to be essentially smarter, how to make yourself seem smarter than you already are, then attend any of the talks and demos at TAR College.

Date: 25 – 26 October 2008
Time: 9:30am – 4:30pm
Venue: Kolej Tunku Abdul Rahman
(Penang Branch Campus)
77, Lorong Lembah Permai Tiga,
Tanjong Bungah, 11200 Pulau Pinang

Full details of talks and everything else over at http://tinyurl.com/5b3qkc

Tickets (though free), on a first-come, first served basis, will be issued 30 minutes before each talk. Each participant is entitled to collect a maximum of 4 tickets at one time. So get yours fast. I am sure the tickets will be going like hot cup cakes.

Oh beware of clicking the links at the UTAR website – they are PDFs and open without warning once you click it.

Is it just me or do I hate surprises like PDFs suddenly popping open? Why can’t they just list them down in a table instead of having me open 6 PDFs just to find out what’s what? It’s plain annoying! (I don’t mind if they warn me first that it’s a PDF. They don’t. They expect everyone to have a PDF reader in their PC. Ugh.)

So, see you there then.

I’m going because I want to see what parts of my brain I haven’t enhanced yet!

Tic-Tac-Toe! Is that how you child makes a decision?

In an ever changing world, the ability to make wise choices and decisions ranks high in importance, due to the complexity of experiences our young minds are exposed to. Their world is one of contradictions and apparent opposites… difference in values between the home and the outside world can cloud impressionable minds; clarity may fade away.

The workshop ”Tic-Tac-Toe” brings structure into the decision making process and enables children to have a tool to think clearly and choose well thought out options, rather than follow a trial and error method.

The workshop, based on the 6 Thinking Hats of Edward de Bono andMind maps of Tony Buzan, offers an exposure to the tools, with hands on practice. The sessions are spread over 3 days and conducted in informal activity style. Ample opportunities for interaction and self expression will be provided.

In the workshop children:

• Understand the tools at a basic level
• Practice exercises in using the tools
• Work out real life situations using the tools
• Apply what they have learnt in their daily life
• Work in teams and respect other points of view
• Become able to confidently express themselves.

About the facilitator: Sheela Ramakrishnan

• Trained teacher specialized in English and Social Studies and Psychology with over 26 years of experience in the field of education.
• Co-author of text books ‘Starting Geography’ and ‘Discovering Myself’ published by the Oxford University Press, in use in schools in India and abroad.
• Trained internationally in activity-based methods of teaching, at Bangkok and Malaysia and in Thinking Skills of Edward De Bono for Education at the UK
• Founder Partner of Edcraft and Director Edcircle. Lead Facilitator for Edcraft Workshops and Consultancy, having conducted numerous sessions for educators, students and industry professionals all over the country.

When, and for whom:

A 12-hour program spread over 3 days for the 9-14 age group

Nov 7, Fri: 5 pm to 8 pm

Nov 8, Sat: 5 pm to 8 pm

Nov 9, Sun: 10 am to 5 pm (breaks, lunch and recreation will be provided during the day long session to ensure participants’ comfort)

Fee:

Rs 2500, inlcuding materials and lunch on Sunday.

BBC Highlights Bahrain

The Festival Of The Mind 2008′ Opening Tomorrow In Bahrain Attracts Major International News Channels To The Kingdom From All Over The World

BBC TV, BBC World Service Radio and BBC Arabic Radio

BAHRAIN: TV and radio crews are flocking in from all over the world to cover the World Memory Championship which is taking place as part of the Festival of the Mind, 2008, Bahrain created and hosted by Bahraini company INTELNACOM. Crews have already confirmed their interest from the BBC World Service, BBC Radio Arabic, BBC TV and South African English Channel.

The largest number of competitors ever to take part in the World Memory Championship will converge in Bahrain tomorrow for the opening ceremony of the Festival of the Mind 2008, Bahrain and the 17^{th ‘}World Memory Championships’ which is being held under the Patronage of H.E. Sheikh Fawaz bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, created and hosted by INTELNACOM, Bahrain and will take place at the Gulf International Convention Centre, Gulf Hotel from 23-26^th October 2008.

The ‘Festival’ is considered a triumph for Bahrain within the circles of memory experts and mind gurus attending, following the huge success of last year’s event in Bahrain and this is evidenced by over 70 competitors registering this year – almost double last year’s number. In addition the event is a great hit with the local community who take full opportunity of the subsidised mind learning workshops that are held during the few days.

Mr Fuad Mubarak, Deputy Chief Executive of INTELNACOM, said “We are thrilled to be bringing you, once again, The ‘Festival of the Mind’ an exciting event that has something for everyone and puts Bahrain in the world’s spotlight. Together, under the patronage of H.E. Sheikh Fawaz bin Mohammed Al Khalifa we also bring you one of the worlds most spectacular mind sporting events – the 17^th World Memory Championship. This is truly a festival that will benefit everyone.”

It is thought that anyone can train their memory to recall information but it certainly takes discipline for someone to compete at world championship level. The world memory championship commences on the Friday 24^th at 9 a.m. and will take place in a closed session to allow maximum concentration. However, the latest information on results will be fed through to the public visiting the exhibition and the mind games and the days go on. The defending champion of last year, Gunther Karsten from Germany, should expect to face a tough competition with 2 past master champions coming out of retirement for the 2008 challenge.

For those who are interested in mind development, the Festival offers the ideal opportunity with brain development workshops on offer for everyone, from children to adults. The workshops are already taking a number of bookings and teams of people have also lined up to play the Giant Games and Mind Games and to visit the Festival’s exhibition on Mind Development.

Workshops will take place from early morning on the 24^th with both local and international trainers offering presentations. The guru of Mind Mapping, Tony Buzan himself, will offer a workshop on Mind Mapping – open to corporate tables of 10 people at BD30 per person, and individual workshops include such topics as: Mind Mapping; The 8 leadership Success Secrets; Unleash the Power of your Memory; Speed Reading for teenagers; The Power of Positive Thinking; Food for the Brain from as little as BD10.

The Festival of the Mind is an event brought to you by INTELNACOM an innovation company registered in the Kingdom of Bahrain, and focuses on rewarding opportunities offered by emerging high-tech innovation. INTELNACOM actively seeks to identify, develop, fund and bring-to-market concepts and ideas by combining an entrepreneurial outlook with a vision to create bankable solutions for mankind.

The Festival has been sponsored this year by Al Watan, Gulf Daily News, Tourism Club and Microsoft who are donating a number of prizes for competitors of the inter-school challenge in Sudoku, Dama, Scrabble and Chess.

- Ends -

Developing Your Memory

Exams:How To Develop A Super Memory

Tony Buzan is a leading expert on the brain and learning, and was founder of the World Memory Championships. In this film he talks about overcoming the common problems that people have with memory, and using your memory power to its full potential.

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Step 1:

Analyse the problems you have with memory

Think about the kind of situations where you often forget. Analyse what’s going wrong, and set goals for how you want to improve your memory.

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Step 2:

Use associations to help you remember

When trying to remember something, link it to something you will remember easily. The brain remembers better when using association and links.

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Step 3:

Use images to help you remember

Your brain is more likely to remember things if you link them to something visual. The memory works more effectively when it uses images.

Human Brain

Was quiet fascinated by what human brain can do after reading much of “HOW TO USE YOUR HEAD” by Tony Buzan.

All that potential and lateral thinking abilities and that bio super computer that is within your very skull.

though i have yet finish reading the book (at chapter 6 right now) it has already enlighten me on certain areas

and true to the book, a healthy body means a healthy mind.

found this article on the web which provided much information on coping up with your own mood swings, just a piece of information which i think is useful
hope you guys benefit from my findings.

How to Deal with your Own Mood Swings

Everybody goes through their own mood swings. It is a part of life. But how should you deal with it when you are trying to be supportive of your significant other. The first thing to do is not to cover them up, or suppress them in any way. Your own emotional events are just as valid as those of your significant other’s and you should make sure that you deal with the cause of your mood swings.

If, however, you wish to do that without having any negative effect on your significant other, you may want to go to a friend whom you trust. Have someone who you can talk to about your issues, who can help you, so you don’t have to bring it up with your significant other if you don’t want to. However, you should feel comfortable bringing up your issues with him or her as well. You should not have to sugar-coat things either, but you might want to time your discussions so you are not causing them additional distress. You should also try and discover the cause of your mood swings and, if you find that they are caused by your significant other, bring it up to them.

If the cause is something else, then that too should be addressed. Allow yourself to talk it out with your significant other, allow them to be there to support you. If you find that anger is a result of your mood swings, allow yourself to be angry. It may sound hackneyed but try not to direct it at your significant other if they are not the cause. But let them know what you are going through and do not cover your feelings up. It is important that you are in an equal relationship, and this is one step towards maintaining that.