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http://traffic.libsyn.com/ymm/YMM051-My-Office-Setup.mp3 Preparing for my move to Abu Dhabi meant that I had to look at my entire office setup and figure out what was important enough to take, and what could be left behind. In reality, I could have shipped anything I needed over, but my goal was to have everything we were bringing fit into the the luggage our family of four would take on the plane. In a perfect world, there are a few more things I could have brought. On the other hand, there are also several other things I could have left. This episode of the You're Making Me Podcast covers what I chose to bring and what got left behind. I'm hoping my experiences will help you out the next time you're deciding what's mission critical on your next trip or move around the world. Right click to download podcast In this episode you'll learn: If I could only bring two things for my office setup, it would be these two. What I regret not bringing the most. Why I'm considering purchasing a portable hard drive Why I still have a 3 year old iPhone. What??? Other items mentioned in the podcast: Here's the selfie stick I mentioned that turns into a tripod. It's the IK Multimedia IP-IKLIP-GRIP-IN Grip 5-In-1 Photo/Video Stand Accessory for Smartphones. Seriously, that's the name. Here's my link on Amazon if you're interested. The Blue Yeti and my office setup – See how I have my audio system setup. I cover the microphone, the boom tripod, pop filter, and ear buds for monitoring the sound. I use the Edutidge lavalier microphone (EIS-003). Here's my video review Any feedback about my office setup? If you have a tip you'd like to share about travelling or moving in regards to equipment, technology, or your office setup in general, please feel free to join the conversation below. Listening Options Subscribe via iTunes Listen on Stitcher Radio (iOS and Android) Get the Podcast only RSS feed or the Full RSS Feed (Podcast and 1-2 posts/week). Right Click and “save file as” for direct downloading Or, click here to go to to top of this page to listen via the on-site player.   Image Credit: This podcast episode was originally published on YoureMakingMe.com. Thanks for subscribing to Visual Productivity. I hope you enjoyed My Office Setup – YMM #51. This blog is a success because of you and your support.

http://traffic.libsyn.com/ymm/YMM050_-_Whats_Up_With_Abu_Dhabi.mp3 Right Click to Download In this episode of the You're Making Me Podcast, I'll cover what I've been up to over the past six months or so. I've also made a pretty significant move to Abu Dhabi, as you can probably guess from the post title and picture. I'll explain why we chose Abu Dhabi, and how things are going so far. Here's what you'll find in this podcast episode: How the physical version of my book Visual Productivity is progressing My upcoming responses to the industry leading Biggerplate.com survey The changes coming to the back end of YMM and how it might affect you And the story about the move Where is Abu Dhabi? Abu Dhabi is located in the Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf. Here's a quick map showing where we're located. Let's connect I'd love to hear your comments about the move, moving in general, or any thoughts on the book. Thanks for subscribing to Visual Productivity. I hope you enjoyed What’s Up With Abu Dhabi? – YMM #50. This blog is a success because of you and your support.

http://traffic.libsyn.com/ymm/YMM047-Brainstorming.mp3 Right click to download podcast This episode is all about Brainstorming. We'll cover the reasons why some people think brainstorming is ineffective, and I'll talk about the study that people have been quoting as proof. We'll also go over some best practices when brainstorming effectively, and I'll also give you an alternative method to generating ideas. That, some history, and a few stories all inside this episode of the You're Making Me Podcast. In this episode you'll learn: Walt Disney's 3-step method to idea generation What Bill Gates was doing in a cabin in the woods How George Lucas and Steven Spielberg created some of the best scenes from Raiders of the Lost Ark Why early brainstormers felt like they were being commandos The 4 original rules of brainstorming Why some people think that brainstorming doesn't work The best practices of brainstorming My alternative strategy… Let's call it Brainstorming 2.0 “The more you rub your creative lamp, the more alive you feel,” ~ Alex F Osborn (Creator of Brainstorming) Other links mentioned in the podcast:  Walt Disney Method Raiders of the Lost Ark Session The Conflict Study –  This links to the actual paper. It's dry reading, but describes exactly what happened during the study. Update: Cornell removed the paper, so I've removed this link. The New Yorker Article – An article that got tons of press. It based it's opinion on the French / US “Conflict” study. Victims of Groupthink – Amazon Link. You'll need to follow the used books to get a decent price. Brainstorming Techniques – Blog post coming soon. Brainstorming Tools – Blog post coming soon. Listening Options Subscribe via iTunes Listen on Stitcher Radio (iOS and Android) Get the Podcast only RSS feed or the Full RSS Feed (Podcast and 1-2 posts/week). Right Click and “save file as” for direct downloading Or, click here to go to to top of this page to listen via the on-site player. This podcast episode was originally published on YoureMakingMe.com. Image Credit: Me Thanks for subscribing to Visual Productivity. I hope you enjoyed Brainstorming – YMM #47. This blog is a success because of you and your support.

http://traffic.libsyn.com/ymm/YMM046-Visual-mapping-review-series-recap.mp3 Right click to download podcast Just as all good things must come to an end, so must the Visual Mapping Review series (VMRS) – at least for 2014. In this episode, we'll go over some of the things I learned from doing the VMRS, and I'll share the good and the bad from this year. I have some good things lined up for the next few episodes, so make sure you stay tuned. We'll be diving into brainstorming, email, voice recognition, goals, and other fun topics. In this episode you'll learn: How my pronunciation of Java got me in trouble with the “Language Police.” My thoughts on the iOS 8 Upgrade from Apple. Visual Mapping Review Series Recap Why the number of views is down from last year What I liked about some specific mapping programs My key frustration points Other items mentioned in the podcast:  Visual Mapping Review Series 2014 – This is the list post that contains all the videos from the series. Java vs. Java comment on my YouTube video XMind 6 Beta – Will let you try out all of the XMind Pro features during the Beta period (Expires November 30, 2014). YMM.com/love – If you enjoy the podcast, you can let others know by clicking here (takes you to twitter). Listening Options Subscribe via iTunes Listen on Stitcher Radio (iOS and Android) Get the Podcast only RSS feed or the Full RSS Feed (Podcast and 1-2 posts/week). Right Click and “save file as” for direct downloading Or, click here to go to to top of this page to listen via the on-site player.   This podcast episode was originally published on YoureMakingMe.com. Thanks for subscribing to Visual Productivity. I hope you enjoyed Visual Mapping Review Series Wrapup – YMM #46. This blog is a success because of you and your support.

In this episode of the You're Making Me Podcast we're going to talk about visual mapping, Xmind, and even some time blocking. http://traffic.libsyn.com/ymm/YMM045-Visual-Mapping-Review-Series-Update.mp3 Right click to download podcast In this episode you'll learn: The secretive new time blocking beta that I'm involved with. How I managed to get my hands on Xmind 2014. What I […] Thanks for subscribing to Visual Productivity. I hope you enjoyed Visual Mapping Review Series Update – YMM #45. This blog is a success because of you and your support.

http://traffic.libsyn.com/ymm/YMM042-Visual-Mapping-Review-Series-2014.mp3 Right click to download podcast We're starting this year's set of reviews In Episode 44 of the You're Making Me podcast, I'm going to look ahead to this year's visual mapping review series. I've given it a new name, and I'm adding the year because I plan on keeping this going as long as […] Thanks for subscribing to Visual Productivity. I hope you enjoyed The Visual Mapping Review Series 2014 – YMM #44. This blog is a success because of you and your support.

http://traffic.libsyn.com/ymm/YMM043-Do-you-need-to-switch-to-a-tablet.mp3 Right click to download podcast Note: This episode was recorded before the Surface Pro 3 announcement, so I won't be mentioning it during this episode. I'm still happy with my observations, so I haven't added anything to what I've said. In this episode I'll go over my thoughts on laptops versus tablets. I've had the opportunity to play around with a lot of the newer tablets and I've made a decision as to whether it's time for me to leave my laptop and go with a tablet for my main machine. My current laptop works fine, but it doesn't have enough horsepower to edit 1080p videos effectively. That means I'm stuck producing 7 20p content for my YouTube channel. Part of my decision for a new device is based on portability, but my goal is to choose the most effective machine, that will meet all my needs. What went into my decision? I go over a lot of the deciding factors that I believe are important, and I talk candidly about what I like and what I don't like about the Surface Pro, iPad, Ultra Books, Net Books, and Laptops. I'll also explain why I'd rather have one main device than several that I switch back and forth on. What are you going to choose? If you're currently considering switching to a tablet or if you're just interested in how far tablets have come, I strongly recommend you listen to this podcast episode. Whether you agree with my final assessment or not, you can still listen to my list of requirements. You may have different requirements from what I have, so your final decision might be different than mine. In any case, it's good to think about several scenarios before making a decision. Other items mentioned in the podcast: Surface Pro 2 Review Word Lens App – Google just bought this app. If you're current with the You're Making Me podcast, it might still be free. It has in-app purchases that let you translate signs and pictures. Currently supports, English, Spanish, Italian, French, Russian, Portuguese, and German.  (Only converts back and forth with English). Translation quality is a little spotty, but it's super fast. iStick – A USB flash drive that has a regular USB connector, as well as a lightening connector for iPhone, iPad. It's currently on Kickstarter (closing Mid-June 2014) Spread the word If you're enjoying my podcast, you can help me out by giving me a 5 Star rating in iTunes, or by sharing via social media, or by leaving a comment. Listening Options Subscribe via iTunes Listen on Stitcher Radio (iOS and Android) Get the Podcast only RSS feed or the Full RSS Feed (Podcast and 1-2 posts/week). Right Click and “save file as” for direct downloading Or, click here to go to to top of this page to listen via the on-site player.   This podcast episode was originally published on YoureMakingMe.com. https://visualproductivity.net/Episode43 Thanks for subscribing to Visual Productivity. I hope you enjoyed Do you need to switch to a tablet? – YMM #43. This blog is a success because of you and your support.

http://traffic.libsyn.com/ymm/YMM042-Success-comes-from-taking-action.mp3 Right click to download podcast I was thinking about an awesome quote I remembered from the show, The Unit. I binge watched all of the episodes a while back, so I forgot where the exact quote was. Luckily, I was able to do some “Research,” by re-watching parts of some of the episodes. This […] Thanks for subscribing to Visual Productivity. I hope you enjoyed Success Comes from Taking Action – YMM #42. This blog is a success because of you and your support.

http://traffic.libsyn.com/ymm/YMM041-Ignite-a-burning-belief-in-yourself.mp3   In this episode of the You're Making Me Podcast we'll cover ways to stay excited about your goals by Igniting a burning belief in yourself. If you've read my book Diamonds and Silver, you might recognize it as the first lesson our hero learns. This week's Top X of a Topic is on the same topic. X=3 this week, which means I'll count down the three top ways to ignite a burning belief in yourself. Other than that, I've got some news to share, and a little bit of gossip. In this episode you'll learn: Why I want you to stop whispering, “I love you,” at work What it means to go Oliver Twist on something The balloon technique and how it applies to motivation, and why you should NEVER visualize RED balloons. I'll give you an example of an “Fake it 'till you make it” horror story. I'll also tell you why you should still fake it anyway. What I believe is the best motivator know to exist What pouring wine into a glass of vinegar can teach you about changes in your life Other items mentioned in the podcast: The current  XMind package – You get the Visual Productivity eBook,  the tutorial videos, and the companion workbook free if you get it via my link. 99 Red Balloons (With Lyrics) [YouTube] John Travolta Strutting [YouTube] – An example of how to walk with swagger (to Staying Alive by the Bee Gees). It still works. Diamonds and Silver [Amazon] – A link to my book. Ignite a Burning Belief  in yourself is the first lesson from the book. Listening Options Subscribe via iTunes Listen on Stitcher Radio (iOS and Android) Get the Podcast only RSS feed or the Full RSS Feed (Podcast and 1-2 posts/week). Right Click and “save file as” for direct downloading Or, click here to go to to top of this page to listen via the on-site player.   Image Credit: saveen   This podcast episode was originally published on YoureMakingMe.com. Thanks for subscribing to Visual Productivity. I hope you enjoyed #1 Key to Success – Ignite a Burning Belief in Yourself – YMM #41. This blog is a success because of you and your support.

In this episode of the You're Making Me Podcast we're going to talk about some of the latest developments in the area of visual thinking. I also want to say thanks to everyone who's been listening. I've seen a huge spike in listeners during the past few months. I even found a way to include a 5-minute brownie recipe for you to check out. I think you're going to like it. All that in about 13 minutes. http://traffic.libsyn.com/ymm/YMM040-Jump-in-Listener-Numbers.mp3 Right click to download podcast In this episode you'll learn: Why some people can't believe I wrote Diamonds and Silver Why Kevin's so excited about the latest podcast numbers About a new visual mapping tool for Evernote Why you should get the latest version of XMind Some more cool news pieces Other items mentioned in the podcast: Diamonds and Silver – Here's the Amazon link. Visual Mapping with Evernote – Mohiomap. Looks interesteing, but I haven't played around with it yet. Visual Mapping Conference – Starts March 20, 2014 in San Francisco. Tickets are $89 (I said $80 in the podcast). It's still a good deal. Brownie in A Cup – It'll only takes 5 min. Yum! Fazioli Piano – (The Newspaper site took down this link)   Other Listening Options: iTunes Stitcher Smartphone App (iOS and Android) YoureMakingMe.com – Podcast only YoureMakingMe.com – Full Feed (Podcast and 1-2  other posts/week) Image Credit: Lusi This podcast episode was originally published on YoureMakingMe.com. Thanks for subscribing to Visual Productivity. I hope you enjoyed A Jump in Listeners – Wow! – YMM #40. This blog is a success because of you and your support.

So, I took my family to get the flu shot a few weeks ago. You may be wondering what that has to do with you? Maybe nothing, but if you're interested in learning how to improve your results, why not stay for a while and give the podcast a listen. In this episode of the You're Making Me Podcast, I'll tell you a pretty good story (if I do say so myself), and go over some ways that my less than stellar experience, can help you to avoid the pain of being unprepared for a spike in demand. http://traffic.libsyn.com/ymm/YMM039-What-Happened-On-My-Way-To--A-Flu-Sniff.mp3 Right click to download podcast In this episode you'll learn: What's a flu sniff anyway? Why I think Pinterest could have helped my flu immunization 3 ways to avoid filling out forms by hand How a flu immunization can teach you about your own business / life Let me know what you think If you enjoy the podcast, I would appreciate your ratings as they help the podcast show up in more peoples lists. You can leave ratings (especially the 5 Star variety) in iTunes, or Stitcher and leave a comment while you're there. If you're rating is lower than that, drop me a line. Once I've stopped crying from the shock, I'll happily ready your comments. Other Listening Options: iTunes Stitcher Smartphone App (iOS and Android) YoureMakingMe.com – Podcast only YoureMakingMe.com – Full Feed (Podcast and 1-2  other posts/week) This podcast episode was originally published on YoureMakingMe.com. Image Credit:  nkzs Thanks for subscribing to Visual Productivity. I hope you enjoyed What Happened On The Way To My Flu Sniff – YMM #39. This blog is a success because of you and your support.

The other day I went to my local Starbucks and was served by a guy who showed me that the art of customer service is not dead. I'm also going to show you how my experience connects with a book I just finished reading. Anyway, the story is pretty neat, so check it out. It's short too (about 9 min) so you can listen to it as you continue browsing. http://traffic.libsyn.com/ymm/YMM038-Starbucks-Schmoozing.mp3 Right click to download podcast In this episode you'll learn: What happened during my 9:08 PM trip to Starbucks Why my car almost had a hot chocolate bath When the videos for the XMind Bonuses will be released Two things this guy applied perfectly from a book I just read What's coming up next episode Other items mentioned in the podcast: The Book: Mr. Shmooze: The Art and Science of Selling Through Relationships XMind Bonuses – If you buy XMind through my link, I'll hook you up with all of the bonuses. Other Listening Options: iTunes Stitcher Smartphone App (iOS and Android) YoureMakingMe.com – Podcast only YoureMakingMe.com – Full Feed (Podcast and 1-2  other posts/week) http://traffic.libsyn.com/ymm/YMM038-Starbucks-Schmoozing.mp3 Right click to download podcast   This article was originally published on YoureMakingMe.com. Image Credit: humusak2 Thanks for subscribing to Visual Productivity. I hope you enjoyed What You Can Learn From My Starbucks Schmoozing – YMM #38. This blog is a success because of you and your support.

I sit down again with Greg Gazin to put him through the paces with XMind. We'll go over setting up an XMind capture system, and how to translate those ideas into goals you can take action on. I've also added more content to the FAW (Follow Along Workbook), so that's definitely worth checking out. http://traffic.libsyn.com/ymm/YMM037-Getting-Started-With-Mind-Maps-Pt3.mp3 Right click to download podcast In this episode you'll learn: Why Greg says Visual Thinking is “Unnatural” Why it's important to separate the mind dump from the organization The special sheet I use to maintain focus My top business goals for 2014 MEGA Productivity includes the 45 minute goals workshop Which new bonus I'm added to my Visual Productivity eBook Other items mentioned in the podcast: Greg Gazin Online – Twitter, GadgetGreg.com, or Google him if you want to connect somewhere else. FAW (Follow Along Workbook) – (You need the free XMind program to open this). Includes the Action Sheet. XMind Cheat Sheet – The complete guide on working with XMind. All I ask is that you try my newsletter. Getting started with mind mapping is easy You can follow along with Greg and me as we delve into the world of mind mapping, and explore how well they work as a productivity tool. We’ll go over things little by little, and I’ll share plenty of tips, so you’ll get great value whether you’re completely new to mind maps, or a seasoned professional. You can get involved in the conversation via: YoureMakingMe.com/Episode37/ Other Listening Options: iTunes Stitcher Smartphone App (iOS and Android) YoureMakingMe.com – Podcast only YoureMakingMe.com – Full Feed (Podcast and 1-2  other posts/week) Thanks for subscribing to Visual Productivity. I hope you enjoyed Getting Started With Mind Mapping – Part 3 – YMM#37. This blog is a success because of you and your support.

http://traffic.libsyn.com/ymm/YMM036-Great-Ideas-Its-A-Numbers-Game.mp3 Right click to download podcast Coming up with great ideas is a numbers game. In this episode of the You're Making Me podcast I'll explain exactly what I mean and give you a real world example of how this can apply to you. In this episode you'll learn: One of the big things people challenge me on (Sorry, but I'm right) What's different about the new coffee shop in town How I'm getting a friend to use the “Numbers Game” for his new book An update on Visual Productivity if you're considering buying XMind through me. Other items mentioned in the podcast: Boardgamist.com – Another site of mine. I'll be doing board game reviews, and board games on iOS. It's completely unrelated to productivity, and just one of my ways to “Geek Out.” Table Top Cafe in Edmonton – A coffee shop that has a ton of Euro, Ameritrash, AND classic board games. XMind – You can download XMind for free. XMind Cheat Sheet – Get your copy of the XMind Cheat Sheet from me. All I ask is that you try out my newsletter. Get the XMind Deal If you purchase an XMind license through me, you'll get everything XMind would give you, plus 3 bonuses from me. Bonus #1: Visual Productivity eBook (On Mind Mapping) Bonus #2: Visual Productivity Video Tutorials Bonus #3: XMind Workbook with Templates Here's the buy link again Join the conversation If you're viewing this page somewhere else than on YoureMakingMe.com, then you can click the link below to head over to the site and join (or start) the conversation. YoureMakingMe.com/Episode36/ Other Listening Options: iTunes Stitcher Smartphone App (iOS and Android) YoureMakingMe.com – Podcast only YoureMakingMe.com – Full Feed (Podcast and 1-2  other posts/week) Thanks for subscribing to Visual Productivity. I hope you enjoyed Great Ideas is a Numbers Game – YMM #36. This blog is a success because of you and your support.

I'm happy to announce that the XMind Promo, where you can get 3 free bonuses from me, is up and running. When you buy XMind through my link, I'll throw in the bonuses at no extra cost. I'll also cover some questions from listeners (like how to deal with mind maps when they get too big) and I'll fill you in on the latest XMind Cheat Sheet videos. http://traffic.libsyn.com/ymm/YMM035-Updates-XMind-Promo-Live-and-Comments.mp3 Right click to download podcast In this episode you'll learn: Which is better: pretty or functional mind maps? 3 ways to deal with really big mind maps What's coming up in 2014 How to get your hands on the bonuses from my XMind Promo Other items mentioned in the podcast: XMind Promo (With Bonuses) goes live: https://visualproductivity.net/get-xmind/ Latest XMind Cheat Sheet Tutorials: I'm just finishing up the Mind Toolbox tutorials (Relationship, Boundary, Summary, Labels, Markers, Notes, Drill Down). They should be up by the weekend. yWriter – This is the program I use for writing books and for storing info on my computer. Here's a link to a blog post I did on it including a video tutorial. Get your copy of the XMind Cheat Sheet (It's free) If you're interested in productivity, you should definitely check out my XMind Cheat Sheet. It's a mind map (using XMind, which is also free) and it's crammed full of tutorials. Every tutorial has a YouTube video to go along with it, so you can choose the method of instruction. Other Listening Options: iTunes Stitcher Smartphone App (iOS and Android) YoureMakingMe.com – Podcast only YoureMakingMe.com – Full Feed (Podcast and 1-2  other posts/week)   Every podcast episode has a link setup to get you there quickly. The link to today's episode is: YoureMakingMe.com/Episode35/ Thanks for subscribing to Visual Productivity. I hope you enjoyed XMind Promo Goes Live, and Answering Questions – YMM #35. This blog is a success because of you and your support.