the ability to take your ideas and knowledge and put them onto paper — yet very few people ever learn how to do this effectively. If you’ve ever sat down in front of a blank piece of paper or the dreaded blinking cursor on an empty computer screen, you know how it feels to get stuck when trying to create outlines or content. A lot of people dream of writing a book or creating powerful marketing content, yet never get around to it because the process seems so scary and heavy. It doesn’t have to be when you understand how to use this very simple approach to creating content that virtually eliminates “writer’s block” and allows your creativity and ideas to flow easily and naturally. In this session, you’ll watch “over my shoulder” as I show you an incredibly simple but powerful tool that will transform the way you brainstorm and think creatively. This is the key strategy that I use to create what many consider a massive amount of content, and I also used this exact approach when I wrote my best-selling book a couple of years ago.
You’ll watch me create the outline of a book from scratch in less than 10 minutes, and see how you can use this same approach to come up with new ideas and concepts for your business.
I’ve used this exact strategy to write a best-selling book, to create dozens of effective marketing pieces and website pages, and to create entire training products and programs that have generated millions of dollars in revenue.
The secret is that it allows you to brainstorm and create the way your brain naturally works – and that explains why it’s so effective.
The video is only 15 minutes long, so enjoy and be sure to post a comment below to let me know what you think!
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49 Responses
Huh I think I know this process…
Roger Hamilton
Nice article, i would like to add that in these ever evolving times people need
to learn from how Social entraprenures bring about a real change to real issues by
recognising the opportunities that lie within failures
Excellent information…just in time for me to write a speech. I will make use of this tool.
Well Greg as always you add great simplicity to a process. I am one of those people having so much in there and can’t seem to get it out. I have paper everywhere with thoughts and ideas on them. I will follow this to where it takes me this weekend and let you know how it goes. I am hoping to get it off the ground and appreciate your boost here.
Mindmaps are a great tool for brainstorming to be sure. I use them for all kinds of things like Greg mentioned, outlining a book, a training program, and even websites.
I always found that I would sit and stare at a blank piece of paper when I had to get any kind of content created. I would start writing, have another thought and by the time I finished writing the first sentence, that second thought had already flittered from my mind. That’s the difficulty of working linearly.
With mindmaps, thoughts are not recorded in order but rather, randomly as they pop into our head. I’m not sure how I ever got a school paper or business report written in the past without them! =:)
Thanks Greg, This is not only valuable content for writers block but also you are giving away great advice for people like myself who are still in the beginning stages of starting a business. Awesome!
This is so powerful, I have been using the pen and paper to start and then put them into a mind map. The truth is the same process is used by UN and the World Bank in conducting Community Programs in Foreign Countries, it’s called PRSP- big name but the process as Gregg said is to create a logical flow of information. It works great every time.
Thanks for going through an example to illustrate how you use a Mind Map. I use the software Mindjet MindManager to create my Mind Maps.
great Idea,,I will start up my e-book very easy……Thank
Greg!! Thank you very much for thinking about our needs and this valuable tool. Actually I’ve heard about mindmaps lots of times but this is the first time I take them into consideration to put my ideas on paper. A well explained video, both in graphics and audio. I love your honesty and clarity every time you post a new blog or info in FB. This is very useful for us. THANK YOU!
excellent info, greatly explained! Thank you!
Thank you so much. I have been staring at the blank paper for too long! Or I have piles of notes and don’t know where to start.. I know now what to do. You idea is great.
Hi, Greg –
Simple but very helpful and effektive !
Fred.
thanks this makes a lot of sense. i have been trying to write a book, but those random thoughts have been distracting me. i will use your idea and buzan’s mind map technique to help me with my task
What a great idea! Thanks, Greg!
~Michelle Fradella-Barfuss
Thanks Greg! Much more fun to do than write another boring outline. Question, how do you organize your research materials?
Thank you! This was 100% what I needed. While I was listening this I was thinking … “I would like to pay some money for this. Some donation or something like that.”. Maybe you can add some “voting” below each topic for example “Pay 5$”, “Pay 10$”, “Pay 25$” and “Pay more” and “This was not for me”.
I was stuck with e-book for a while . All I have is 1st page with Chapter 1 and Chapter 2. But thanks to you I now have clarity how to continue and how to make that e-book done. At this very moment I have attitude to pay some money. When you will send newsletter after some time with course for “just 999$” etc it might be that I would not have that attitude.
How does it get any better than this? Thank you so much, Greg. You are truly the Trusted Authority, and an Expert, too. Continuous blessings to you and yours.
I really liked this. It simplified my writing habit
I really liked this. I will start using this from now on.
Very good approach.
Very good approach.
Thank you Greg.
Thanks Greg !! Great content. I usually use sticky notes to mind map my thoughts. However would love to get hold of a software to do the same on my laptop.
Thanks for this information you have given me a starting point to my new writing part time job.
before i watched this i knew exactly what it was going to be about! i have trained as a trainer in this and do exactly, exactly what you have posted!!! omg!! great minds greg 🙂
Hi Greg, i used the same software and i agree 100 % to your opinion. Every content works so in a much better way and even my business will growth better with this. Great. By from germany
I love mind mapping and have used it for product creation as well as having created a presentation mindmap template that I start with before creating a lecture or talk. I will check out the software you use – I’ve been using buzan’s mindmap software for years (as another software choice)
Thanks Greg….Very useful information,I will use this next brainstorming session.
Similar process to what I use with my book-coaching clients, although hadn’t used it with the mind mapping system. I’ll definitely pass that along to our publishing clients, too. Thanks Greg!
Thank you Greg! This couldn’t have come at a better time for me. I am trying to get all my thoughts on paper for a book and I’ve been stuck recently because I was trying to use the ‘traditional outline method.’ I will put ‘mind-mapping’ to work now. Thanks again!
brilliant thank you, i have never really been into mind mapping in the past but your video has shown me how useful it can be and really got me thinking
Awesome stuff, can not wait to put this to use.
Thanks Greg 😀
Not only good for outline for writing a book, but good for organize your work, and the way you want to express to others 🙂
I’ve used mind-mapping for decades. Agree it’s a great tool.
“Just the piece of the puzzle I’m currently looking for! EXCELLENT EXCELLENT EXCELLENT & thank you very much indeed. When you have a formula (forwardslash) blueprint to work from, you have such a better idea of what your doing. Dramatically increases your chances of success. Thanks again……”
I’ve used mind mapping very little probably because I never walked through the process as you have demonstrated. While you were talking, I followed through and have mapped out my material. Thanks so much!
Hello Greg, I mentioned earlier that I would be making use of this plan this weekend. I did and as well I downloaded XMIND to work in and it is great. In a few short hours I placed so much order to my thoughts and am now able to better focus on main points adding, adjusting and deleting easily. It is better than sticky notes pinned up and moving them from subtopic to suptopic. Thank you..
Thank you Greg, you truly are the one and only successful person who does share valuable information with the 95% of us who are still struggling for whatever reason(s). You truly are an inspiration to me simply because with what you do share and have showed so far I am able to follow true with some results. I have not reached the mega financial life turning point yet but with your help and input I feel that I am truly on the correct path. Love and Blessings to you and your family xxx
Great idea to combat writer’s bloc!
Once again, great content. Thank you Greg. This is a good reminder for me, just need to get it done.
Dear Greg,
I’ve been kicking around ideas for a particular eBook. Mind mapping is good, timely advice for me, a mini-epiphany. Thanks for taking time to video-blog about it.
You mentioned you use Xmind Pro. Why this particular product out of the 8 freeware and 31 commercial mind mapping / concept-mapping packages listed in Wikipedia (n.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_concept-_and_mind-mapping_software), or who knows how many others listed among the 1,630,000 results returned from Google search on “mind mapping software?”
Hi Gregg,
I listened to your webinar.There was such a powerful information in it!
I am a newbie. I participate in Eben’s Guru Blue Print right now. I always watch your content and videos with great interest and for me there is a lot of new information in them.
Thank you for the work you are doing!
May I ask you this question: “If I have an idea which is new for online marketing and I don’t have a list of customers, which powerful partners shall I look for?”
Excuse me for my language skills but english is not my native language.
Thanks for sharing such a information for free with us!
Best regards,
Pravda
Thanks for your comments. The simple answer is to determine who your ideal audience is, and then figure out WHO is already speaking to that audience. That’s really the simplest way to determine who might make good partners for you in terms of alignment.
Thanks Gregg for yet another priceless piece of the success puzzel. I am the king of Blanksville and it frustrates almost to death. As a visual learner this simple and profound idea will save me hours of lost creative productiveness! I can’t tell you how much your programs have helped!
wouldn’t be more productive to brainstorm with others?
It doesn’t need to be either/or. Doing both would be the best option.
This is really unbelievable! Amazing and—- IMMEDIATELY– usable, content!
This will help with content of newsletters as well.
I was really overwhelmed with my topic, and this really breaks it into “bite size”pieces!
Thanks Greg! This was Outstanding! Mary
I agree totally that mindset is important right at the beginning, but in a more personal way – not necessarily about ‘What is a Successful Business Mindset?’ as one of your content ideas, but more ‘What would I personally like to know or have from…whatever your topic is’. But even more important: What would my target audience like to know/ask/have in/from whatever your topic is. These 2 things might not be the same. You need to put yourself in the shoes of your Target Audience, but use your own knowledge and experience to write and construct your Mind Map. You will get an idea of what others want to know from your research before you start Mind Mapping. Knowing this beforehand will running in the background of your Mind Mapping process.
Giving your Target Audience what they want is really what you need to provide. And you personal knowledge and experience would then be the means by which you will provide it with/during your Mind Mapping process.
Great video, and lots of ideas. Thanks.