It’s hard not to feel exhausted after talking to Tony Buzan, the mind-mapping guru whose thirst for knowledge still continues to spurn new thought leadership. But what about the man behind the brain? Annie Hayes reports.

Tony Buzan, the inventor of world-renowned Mind Maps, originally had plans to  become an animal behaviourist. Luckily, for the 250 million plus who use his techniques today, he also showed an early interest in people, especially those who others scorned as different - becoming one of the finest mind mapping gurus of our time.

Amongst other things, Buzan has since gone on to found The Brain Trust and start the World Memory Championships, as well as being appointed director of National Educational Initiatives by the governments and governing bodies for education in Scotland, Singapore, Mexico and Australia. And to think it all started with his best friend. 

"My best friend was called 'stupid' but he could recognise birds and butterflies by their flight patterns alone and I began to think about what [people] meant when they said someone was 'stupid' or 'smart'," Buzan recalls.

It was these seedlings of thought that began a life-long love and work with the power of the brain and a pursuit to find out the true nature of intelligence. "The traditional definition of intelligence is to do with mathematical and verbal powers, but there are a whole host of other areas that denote our intelligence, including our social, creative and spiritual powers," he explains. 

Plotting the mind map

And so it followed that he landed the job of Editor of Mensa, a journal representing those with the highest international IQs, between 1968-1971. It was during this period that he had the time to discover more about the mind. 

In 1973, the first public foray into his Mind Maps began when he was approached by the BBC for a possible programme. "I mind-mapped what [the BBC] wanted and it grew and grew," he recalls. "The director said it looked more like a 10-part than a two-part series." 

The series never happened. Instead, Buzan was asked to write a book - he is now the BBC's number one international selling author. However, the concept of mind maps had really started to take hold. 

According to Buzan’s website, a mind map is a 'powerful graphic technique which provides a universal key to unlock the potential of the brain', harnessing a 'full range of cortical skills' including words, images, numbers, logic, rhythm, colour and spatial awareness in a 'single, uniquely powerful manner'. This gives the 'freedom to roam the infinite expanses of your brain.' And, according to Buzan, it can be applied to every aspect of life to improve learning and thinking, at all stages. 

The 'Swiss Army knife of the brain’ is a fitting tag and ongoing refinements have meant the Mind Maps have been developed with key words, more colour, images and codes, and translated to the computer. They have been used for everything from planning weddings to student communication at the Singapore Ministry of Education. 

It has also been of great benefit to special needs communities, including those for people with Dyslexia, as well as businesses that want to mould those considered 'gifted'. Problem-solving is another key area. For instance, Buzan highlights the aftermath of 9/11 when Boeing used the techniques to design new aircraft.

Labels or learning?

Is he comfortable with the label 'guru'? Buzan considers it a compliment but maintains that the term simply translates as being a learner. However, he also points out that it doesn't come without a lot of hard work. To give an inkling of his schedule, he is just approaching the publication of his one hundredth book and last year alone spent nine months travelling to put forward his theories. Alongside this, he also undertakes tireless media and charity work.

Buzan says his boundless energy stems from a solid belief in the human race and its potential. But he also admits to being a keen sportsman, even helping to coach the Olympic rowing squad. "When I undertake long-distance exercise, I find it's a great time to think - it helps me to be more productive," he says. "I love it and do it everyday." He also emphasises the motto: 'healthy body, healthy mind', or to refer to his acronyms: GFGB and JFJB (good food, good brain and junk food, junk brain). 

Poetry is another voracious love. To date, he has written some 4,000 poems, believing it is a "tremendous mental exercise" which "bubbles up like an eternal spring." However, he more humorously recalls the time he wrote a whole series of poetry mid-flight, earning him the  nickname 'the Concord poet'. 

Does he ever switch off? "I hope not because I'd be dead if I did," he laughs. "The brain is still working at 80% capacity, even when we're asleep." Although, you get the feeling that Buzan’s brain is plugging away closer to 100%. 

While he loves to challenge himself, he also loves to relax, finding comfort in living as close to his values as possible. He lists these as honesty, creativity, persistence, learning from mistakes, taking appropriate risks, commitment, living by a positive approach, humour and enjoying his work. For Buzan, work is play and he holds great store by Hypocrites, stating that: 'You'll never see anything as serious as a child at play'.

New horizons

So what's next for Buzan? As you might imagine, 2009 is already jam-packed with exciting new developments, including a new book for the BBC, work with the Memory Championships, a whole new version of mind mapping for the computer, developments in language maps, and not forgetting his work with coaching the Olympic athletes for 2012. There are also three new books of poetry to get to grips with.

For some, the workload would be too over-whelming but Buzan claims that, for him, any such thoughts are quickly put aside. "There is always a solution," he says.

Instead, rather than rest on his laurels or pause to think how much he has accomplished, he admits he is constantly thinking how much more he has to achieve. It seems the belief in the power of the human being, however 'stupid' or 'smart' has never left him. Instead, it is continuing to shape his life, work and passion. In fact, he imparts one underlying wish, that "every brain on the planet is given the power to accelerate".