Concise Learning Blog

Meeting with Dan Roam That’s a picture of my napkin after...

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 06:27:37 -0500

Meeting with Dan Roam

That’s a picture of my napkin after meeting Dan, the author of the bestselling books The Back of the Napkin and Blah Blah Blah.

At the short session where we met, he talked about the importance of visual thinking (see his video: The Fox and the Hummingbird) and how to help facilitate communication between our verbal and visual minds (aka vivid thinking = visual (vi) + verbal (v) + interdependent (id)).

Here are 3 points that resonated with me:

1. By translating words to diagrams, we facilitate better understanding and new ideas. To help do this, use the FOREST technique (Form, Only the Essentials, Recognizable, Evolving, Span Differences, Targeted).

2. Solutions become apparent when we map our problems by connecting isolate concepts into a whole picture. As Dan said, “Whoever best describes the problem is the one most likely to solve it.”

3. Visual thinking is simple (everyone can do it) but not easy (something new you have to learn and experiment with). The important thing is to get started.

If you haven’t yet, check out Dan’s books to learn more about visual thinking.

Have you heard of Pinterest? It’s a cool, new way to collect and...

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 07:55:15 -0500

Have you heard of Pinterest? It’s a cool, new way to collect and share images and videos.

I’ll be using it to collect images of mind maps. Take a look at my start-up collection: http://pinterest.com/mindmaps/. I’ll be adding mind maps to this regularly, so let me know if you have any maps you’d like me to add to this collage. You can also follow new mind maps via RSS.

Pinterest also has an iPhone app, where you can explore, post , and repin posts, all from your phone.

Check it out, you just may like it.

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Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:39:31 -0500

Do College Freshmen Feel Academically Prepared for Classes?

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 10:42:05 -0500

Do College Freshmen Feel Academically Prepared for Classes?:

Dry-Erase Board Paint for Your Room This gives kids an entire...

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 07:15:56 -0500

Dry-Erase Board Paint for Your Room

This gives kids an entire wall to draw on. Good-bye blue paint.

"Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions;..."

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 06:48:03 -0500

““Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.””

Income Tax Mind Map With the new year comes a new tax season. As...

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 11:02:00 -0500

Income Tax Mind Map

With the new year comes a new tax season. As you begin to prepare for your income taxes, it helps to have a checklist. Personally, I use a mind map because it allows me to take notes and capture more information than a checklist. This mind map can serve as a basic template, which you can customize to fit your needs. I hope you find it useful for organizing your information and preparing your tax return.

Download mind map at http://www.biggerplate.com/mindmaps/4YFq57gs/tax-preparation-checklist.

Download image at https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/lmKsltD_lze83fD6InwS_tMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink.

Life After College Roadmap College can be some of the best years...

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 11:00:00 -0500

Life After College Roadmap

College can be some of the best years of your life, but what happens after graduation? Here’s an infographic by Jenny Blake that will help you start planning your future.

20% OFF Sale on How to Study with Mind Maps To celebrate the...

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 18:01:00 -0500

20% OFF Sale on How to Study with Mind Maps

To celebrate the almost 1-year anniversary release of HTSWMM, I’ve cut down the book price by 20% until the Feb. 25 anniversary date.

Thanks for helping spread the word!

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Wed, 11 Jan 2012 15:35:31 -0500

January Student Success Newsletter Best wishes for a wonderful...

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 07:53:52 -0500

January Student Success Newsletter

Best wishes for a wonderful 2012!

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Sun, 01 Jan 2012 07:49:27 -0500

Mind Map of 25+ Websites for Holiday eCards Have you mailed your...

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 13:49:50 -0500

Mind Map of 25+ Websites for Holiday eCards

Have you mailed your holiday cards yet?

Not to worry, you can still send an e- card. Here is a collection of 25+ websites to help you find that one, perfect card for anyone.

Any others that you like?

Download mind map at http://bit.ly/s2L9PH.

Best wishes for a wonderful 2012!

Mindjet for Android Mindjet has acquired Thinking Space and has...

Sun, 18 Dec 2011 07:36:00 -0500

Mindjet for Android

Mindjet has acquired Thinking Space and has relaunched the mind mapping app as Mindjet for Android. It’s now available for FREE.

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Sun, 18 Dec 2011 07:33:01 -0500

December Issue of Student Success Newsletter.

Sat, 03 Dec 2011 07:18:15 -0500

December Issue of Student Success Newsletter.

"The difficulties are not what make life so difficult. What makes life difficult is trying to avoid..."

Sat, 03 Dec 2011 07:16:00 -0500

“

The difficulties are not what make life so difficult. What
makes life difficult is trying to avoid the difficulties.

When you can accept that life is always going to have
difficulties, it becomes much less difficult. When you stop
running from the challenges, they become much less
challenging.

Living a good life is not living a life without problems.
Living a good life comes from acknowledging, facing, and
then transcending each problem as it comes.

If you let the problems get you down, you’ll always be down.
Choose instead to let the problems get you up, get you
going, and get you working on solving them.

Choose, in fact, to be thankful for the problems. For in
each problem is a new opportunity to create value and to
move life forward.

A life with no problems is no life at all. Live with the
problems, work successfully through the problems, and enjoy
a rich and fulfilling life.”

-Ralph Marston”

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Sat, 03 Dec 2011 07:14:56 -0500

Mind Map on How to Catch-Up in School Work During the College...

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 07:00:00 -0500

Mind Map on How to Catch-Up in School Work During the College Thanksgiving Break

Thanksgiving break is a great opportunity to catch-up with school materials in time for the finals, which are only few weeks away. Here is a 1-page mind map that will help you get back on track and ready for finals.

Image is available at https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/WoSpcIZkQ7BOa5DS-it3Vg?feat=directlink.

Mind map is available at http://bit.ly/vdPEFw.

Happy Thanksgiving!

PLAYING IT COOL IS OVERRATED. Everything has a story,...

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 06:54:21 -0500

PLAYING IT COOL IS OVERRATED. Everything has a story, everything is cinematic. YOU HAVE A presence. Does anyone ever truly feel like an adult? Everyday is wacky Wednesday. stop ditching yoga class, fool. You hold all the cards, my dear. YOU DON’T NEED TO KNOW EVERYTHING RIGHT THIS SECOND. Dress the part. HEELS HELP. Sleep and water solve EVERYTHING. Anyone would be lucky to have you. So what, you suck at sending cards? Pinch yourself, this is your life- pretty cool, huh? Gypsy girls are the best kind of girls. Don’t feel bad about not feeling bad. DON’T DOUBT THAT YOU ARE DESERVING. Human touch. Be pleasant, it’ll make their day better. Don’t peer too far into the future….. TAKE THE PRESSURE OFF OF YOURSELF. She is drawn to the moon. Send light to your friend, she’s going to need it. I miss the sound of his VIOLIN. What are you waiting for? But, I like you. IT’S OKAY. Truffle Oil. Don’t doubt your opinion, it is VALUABLE. Enthusiasm is CONTAGIOUS. Bring something to the table. Not everyone can be 100% all of the time. “Best” is subjective. He just doesn’t realize how awesome you are, silly boys. Laundry < Dancing naked. You shouldn’t have, but you did, so let it go. SEX. Sing out LOUISE! You’re a pretty little thing, you. Butterflies are fun. Cake > Apples. YOU GOT THIS. Call your best friend. All the THINGS. Budgets will never be your strong suit. IT’S OKAY. love, love, love, love, love. Be humble. LISTEN. RELAX.