The first time I failed doing a Livetime Mind Map - Why I stopped stressing and started enjoying the process.

I’ve been Mind Mapping for years. It’s what I do. It’s what I teach.

But that doesn’t mean I’ve always been good at it.

In fact, the first time I ever tried a live, real-time Mind Mapping session in front of an audience, it was an absolute disaster.

🌀 My brain froze.

✍️ My hand shook.

❌ My so-called “perfect” Mind Map was a mess.

And the worst part? I let it get to me.

I was so obsessed with getting it right that I forgot to enjoy the process. I forgot that Mind Mapping is about thinking, creativity, and freedom—not perfection.

That day, I learned an important lesson. And it completely changed how I approach Mind Mapping—not just for myself, but for everyone I teach.

So today, I’m sharing:

✔️ What went wrong in my first Live Mind Mapping session

✔️ What I learned from failing at something I love

✔️ How I stopped stressing and finally started enjoying Mind Mapping again

If you’ve ever struggled with fear of failure, overthinking, or getting stuck in perfectionism, this post is for you.

Let’s dive in.

Let me take you back to the day everything went wrong.

I had been asked to Mind Map live during a presentation.

No pressure, right? Just me, a blank sheet of paper, and a room full of people watching my every move.

I thought I was ready. I’d been Mind Mapping for years, after all.

But the moment I started, I panicked.

🧠 My mind went blank.

🎨 My branches looked awkward.

✍️ My handwriting was terrible.

💭 I second-guessed everything.

Instead of flowing with the ideas, I froze. I got stuck trying to make everything perfect.

It was excruciating. And when I finished, I felt humiliated.

But here’s the thing: No one else saw it that way.

The audience loved it. They found it fascinating to watch my thinking unfold in real-time.

They didn’t care that it wasn’t perfect. They saw the value in the process.

So why couldn’t I?

That’s when I realised:

I needed to stop chasing perfection and start trusting the process.

Looking back, there were three big reasons my first live Mind Map felt like a failure—and three lessons that helped me break free from perfectionism.

I thought my Mind Map had to be beautiful, symmetrical, and flawless.

But Mind Mapping isn’t about perfection. It’s about capturing ideas visually, quickly, and dynamically.

🛠️ What I Changed:

✅ I stopped worrying about symmetry. Real Mind Maps are messy.

✅ I focused on flow and connections, not aesthetics.

✅ I embraced the idea that every Mind Map is a work in progress.

The moment I hesitated, my inner critic started shouting:

❌ “That looks awful!”

❌ “You’re messing this up!”

❌ “Everyone’s watching, and they think you’re terrible!”

And once that voice started, it was hard to shut off.

🛠️ What I Changed:

✅ I learned to ignore the negative voice and keep going.

✅ I reminded myself that Mind Mapping is about ideas, not judgement.

✅ I started enjoying the creative process, instead of stressing about results.

Mind Mapping is supposed to be fast, intuitive, and fluid.

But in that first live session,

I hesitated before every word.

I questioned every colour choice.

I doubted every branch I drew.

And that hesitation killed my flow.

🛠️ What I Changed:

✅ I learned to trust my instincts.

✅ I let the Mind Map evolve organically instead of forcing it.

✅ I accepted that mistakes are part of the process.

After that day, I made a decision:

No more overthinking. No more perfectionism. No more stress.

Instead, I decided to:

✔️ Embrace the imperfection. Every Mind Map is unique.

✔️ Focus on the ideas, not the artwork.

✔️ Enjoy the act of Mind Mapping. Because that’s where the magic happens.

And do you know what happened?

My Mind Maps got better.

I became more creative.

I actually started having FUN again.

Now, whenever I teach Mind Mapping live, I tell my students:

💡 “There’s no such thing as a ‘wrong’ Mind Map.”

💡 “The only mistake is not starting.”

💡 “Trust yourself. Your brain knows what to do.”

And the results?

Game-changing.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, or afraid to “get it wrong”, I want to help you break free and start Mind Mapping with confidence.

That’s why I created The Million Mind Map Project – a FREE training programme where I’ll teach you how to:

✔️ Mind Map like a pro (even if you’re a total beginner!)

✔️ Use Mind Maps to boost creativity, memory, and problem-solving.

✔️ Finally enjoy the process—without fear or perfectionism holding you back.

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