Are Mind Maps a WASTE OF TIME?

A full breakdown of mind mapping, addressing common problems.

Every week, I distil what really works for improving results, memory, depth of understanding, and knowledge application from over a decade of coaching into bite-sized emails.

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=== Timestamps ===

0:00 Why most mind maps don't work
0:19 "I've tried mind maps and they don't work for me."
4:38 The mind map is a reflection of the mind
6:22 Example: grouping and chunking information
10:16 Common way of doing a mind map
13:20 Mind map #1
14:55 Adding key relationships to the mind map
20:38 Tip #1 for better mind maps
24:03 Tip #2 for better mind maps
27:50 Mind map #1 vs Mind map #2
30:27 What do the top students have to say about mindmapping?

=== References ===

Reference for Tip #2:

Starter references:

=== About Dr Justin Sung ===

Dr. Justin Sung is a world-renowned expert in self-regulated learning, certified teacher, research author, and former medical doctor. He has guest lectured on learning skills at Monash University for Master’s and PhD students in Education and Medicine. Over the past decade, he has empowered tens of thousands of learners worldwide to dramatically improve their academic performance, learning efficiency, and motivation.

[JustinSung]

Every week, I distil what really works for improving results, memory, depth of understanding, and knowledge application from over a decade of coaching into bite-sized emails.

[tullochgorum]

The best justification of mind-mapping I've seen on YouTube. But it misses one of the techniques that I've found most helpful in literally 50 years of exploring mapping techniques and using mapping on a daily basis.

As Justin says, there are multiple ways to categorise any set of concepts. So how do you choose between them? My strong suggestion is to structure each map as an answer to a question - an explicit question that you write on the sheet of paper at the outset.

The brain LOVES questions - that why TV quiz shows and pub quizzing are so popular. So trying to answer a question is a powerful way to engage the brain and structure your thoughts.

And choosing the right question forces you to think through WHY you are learning the topic and what you need to prioritise.

This is something that is rarely if ever suggested by mapping gurus, but once I developed it I found it indispensable.

Try it - you can thank me later!

[HenockTesfaye]

This is gold
I was tutoring my sister when it hit me that the magic of mind mapping is the mental effort and thought put in it WHILE it's being constructed, and not the fancy, colorful stuff.

That's why your mind map basically only works for you. The end product is basically useless for others

[anchalwalia]

Takeaway:- "Mind map is not a mindless map."
"Mindmap is mind's map/ map of your thought process"

[rohitiyer]

I feel like mindmaps will become the new flashcard. People will start to blindly use them as a panacea or silver bullet without knowing the why and how. Like active recall and spaced repetition, people will mess these strategies up without knowing why they work and get frustrated, and switch to something else without entirely unpacking their point. The key is to practice and give yourself time to improve. Learning is complex and takes time.

[annikulke]

you're the only youtube-person of which I really press the like button of EVERY SINGLE video I see, because I'm a poor student who can't afford the course yet and this is my way of thanking you :'-) 😙

[gustavoteles]

KEY POINTS (SUMMARY)
- There are INFINITE ways to do mindmaps. Some of these ways are unsupported by scienthific research.
- The point is NOT the PRODUCT, but the PROCESS of making it
- Therefore, let's try do a mindmap supported by the HUMAN COGNITIVE ARCHITETURE, leading school of thought in education.
- GROUPING and CHUNKING information is important to DEEP PROCESS the information: depends on your TYPE OF THINKING.
- Don't turn your mind map in a NON LINEAR LIST. Try to use it to enhance your DEEP PROCESSING about the topic.
- These important relations have to be intuitive and logical on the mind map. Try to build them with active learning, tought, process and effort
- Tips for a beter mindmap: 1) Male sure your mind map is an accurate reflection of your tought process; 2) Do not avoid the think process of cleaning up the information and organising it;
- If you need to rely solely on repetition, this is a sing that you need to think another way to integrate the information into your knowledge

[kirbymegorden]

8:20 grouping examples 15:30 when you read 17:50 active learning inquiry 20:40 reflection of you natural thoughts, 25:00 brain cant recall what you haven't registered

[just_tammy]

Its been about a year since discovering your channel and I've tried doing mind maps as well. The problem l think i had is that i always relied on the action of doing a mind map to make me feel like i've done some work. I also had the general idea of a cloud in the center with things shooting out from it. after some time, i'd realize the whole center cloud took away from some key relationships that i failed to include. i've been putting more effort into mindmaps and it doesn't feel like im going through a sequence of steps every time l do. Its a bit different for each topic and thats something that makes it more engaging and active for me. l also tend to talk to myself a lot when i'm mapping out the relationships in my head which ive found for me is pretty helpful.

[DerangedFocus]

8:20 grouping examples
15:30 reading + mind mapping
16:48
17:50 active learning inquiry
18:48
20:40 reflection of you natural thoughts,
21:37
23:08
24:21
25:00 brain can't recall what you haven't registered

[lumina]

This has to be the most helpful video I've ever watched. I never used mindmaps growing up but now that I'm in varsity, the information I need to store has become more dense and challenging. Every time I looked up how to use mindmaps I never came across something comprehensive enough to see how to make connections. Thank you so much for your explanation!

[niquey]

Okay, Justin. You (and your protegees) have effectively changed my mind about mindmaps. I'll definitely look into it again. I think I'm understanding better the point. As you all repeated many times, it's about where your *mind* is in your mindmaps. Thanks!

[donnafoster]

As a writer, I use a version of mind mapping described in the book “Writing the Natural Way” by Gabriel Rico. It works well for finding the theme of my essay. She based her method on Eugene Gendlin’s book “Focusing.”

[AuroraManzeraDecq]

It's really great to see this new video from you. It's less evasive than previous ones, and the overall quality of the video is so much better.
I think it's a great step for you, pushing the paywall a bit further was the right choice. I was happy to have your videos as my secret weapons now that i've been accepted in to medschool, but the insights are worth the tradeoff. Thank you Justin

[AcelLeca]

Keep doing the calls with the students on video. The interactions actually and remarks around the topics were really clarifying why mindmaps often fail.

[krypt]

You have helped me so damn much in school its unimaginable. I went from hiding at the back to being one of the most active participants in class and genuinely understand the concepts that I learn (Ive been using the grinde map for a while (my modded version is just a grinde map but with pokemon and anime analogies))

[SimGunther]

One technique I've seen but has been a well kept secret in the industry is "Smart Widsom" notes. It's great for condensing lectures, but a couple things I noticed was:

1. Directed relationships were necessary
2. Charts, tables, pictures, and flow diagrams were essential for comprehension
3. I needed to do a first draft on scrap paper and iterate on the map on the computer via a drawing program. Computers do help with indexing, but ultimately I needed to think about the concepts and summarise/organize them in my mind before drawing it out on paper for true understanding.

[shrosa]

As a professor and writer, I've used mind mapping (MM)--a la Tony Buzan--for more than 25 years. I've read all his books. It works for me and for the students with whom I have trained to use the method, as one strategy to avoid the blank page when writing papers. It is particularly helpful in language learning (vocabulary). You are correct, there exist many versions of MM, and most of the efforts I've seen are antithetical to Buzan's method. Too many methods, in my opinion, bypass how the brain actually works--their efforts become too mechanical, almost making the process too structured, and too linear rather than tapping into the creative realm. And, then later turning on the left brain, and more linear approach. Frankly, I find people doing more conceptual maps rather than "real" MM. I see no colors, nothing that taps into the patterns and colors and associations that Buzan talked about. I'm a new subscriber. Thank you.

[dean]

A compact/short and sweet mindmap is a good way of explaining things not grasping multiple things all at once ☝🏻

[easiengacademy]

I appreciate you efforts. That wasn't only helpful with studying but also with working, planning and any mental process.