A matrix is something within or from which something else originates, develops or takes form.
Using an IQ Matrix for Self-Growth
This article has been written with the intention to help you better read, utilize and understand an IQ Matrix.
As of this writing, there are currently almost 140 190 250 300 hundreds of IQ Matrix maps that have been produced to help you excel in life, at school, in business, and at work.
Each IQ Matrix focuses on a specific topic, providing you with a very specific summary of everything you need to know and do to master each area of your life.
The number of IQ Matrix maps and topic areas are expanding on a monthly basis. Within a few years, my objective is to develop an all-encompassing set of maps that cover every conceivable topic to help you excel in any and every area of your life.
This article will not go into details about each of the topic areas that have been developed into IQ Matrix maps, but rather it will hopefully help you to grasp the concept of an IQ Matrix and how it can be best utilized to assist you with the achievement of your goals and objectives.
Download this Article as an eBook
If you prefer to read this article in a conveniently formatted eBook then please visit the Beginner’s Guide download page. Also, the IQ Matrix Exposed map that you see at the top of this post is available as a free high-resolution pdf download from this page as well. The mind map provides a summary of the article and eBook and is a great companion tool that can be used to help you navigate through an IQ Matrix.
What is an IQ Matrix?
An IQ Matrix is in the simplest terms a learning aid that helps simplify concepts and subject areas. It basically categorizes information into easily digestible chunks, segments, and pieces that help assist with memory, recall and the retention of the information you are learning.
An IQ Matrix is not a mind map, even though it is at times described as a mind map. The reason for this description is that it most closely resembles a mind map in shape and form. However, an IQ Matrix is much more than just a mind map. In fact, it was originally built upon the foundations of mind mapping, concept mapping, and flow-charting. Here is a brief definition of each map type.
Flowchart
A flowchart is a schematic representation of a process that has a start and finishing point. It is used to represent a series of steps that lead to a certain objective or goal.
Concept Map
A concept map is a diagram that shows the relationship amongst more than one concept using connector words and arrows. It is used as a tool that helps to unlock connections and associations between different thoughts and ideas.
Mind Map
A mind map is a diagram representing ideas, concepts, and words that are arranged around a central image or key idea. It is used to structure, classify, visualize and at times generate ideas for the purpose of organizing information, solving problems and making better decisions. A mind map essentially pieces together a subject into effective segments or chunks to help aid memory and recall.
What are the benefits of an IQ Matrix?
There are a number of benefits that you will derive from using an IQ Matrix to help you learn a topic or subject of interest.
Here is a list of benefits in no particular order:
- Improves capacity to unlock hidden ideas and concepts resulting from the interconnection of individual pieces and keywords.
- Improves capacity to remember related pieces of information that are organically connected and associated using pathways, arrows, and images.
- Improves imagination helping you see and envision the topic you are studying in a new and original way.
- Improves your capacity for creative association. Because an IQ Matrix is basically an interconnected structure that links all ideas into a “big picture” overview of a topic, this naturally tends to improve our capacity to associate concepts and ideas with other concepts and ideas in unique ways. This subsequently encourages creative association while stimulating unique insights, thoughts, and answers.
- Improves concentration ensuring your brain is no longer bored to death with linear black and white information. Instead your brain is stimulated with colors, images, connections and unique patterns that form natural associations between concepts and ideas — improving your levels of concentration and focus.
- Improves speed of learning and recall because the human brain learns best when learning is fun, creative, colorful and stimulating.
- Provides an overview of topic areas for easy reference, while encouraging photographic recall and comparison thinking. Because everything within an IQ Matrix is connected to everything else, this naturally allows your brain to compare and make intelligent links between a variety of different ideas and concepts that are presented on the map. Also because you’re seeing a “big picture” overview of the topic area, you can easily discern and reference the areas that are most relevant to your current needs.
- Photographic memory is triggered as a result of the connections, colors, images, and associations that are created while you are reading an IQ Matrix. In fact there’s no better visual way to learn information and ideas then this because it naturally mirrors how the human brain thinks and functions.
- Outlines key areas concisely providing ONLY actionable points, concepts, and ideas. Each IQ Matrix only pieces together the most important ideas and information about a specific topic. You therefore only get precise actionable steps that you can immediately put to use in your own life. There’s no fluff here, just concrete actionable information that will have the biggest impact on your life.
- Outlines key areas clearly for further analysis and research. Because each IQ Matrix is very precise, it’s difficult to go into a lot of depth about a specific topic segment. However, the topics have been designed in such a way that they allow you to simply take an area and conduct your own research if you desire to find out more information.
- Each IQ Matrix is easy to follow and process as the topics are designed in a common sense manner allowing you to get an in-depth overview of what you need to master in each topic area without burdening you with the unnecessary details that most people will never really need to know.
IQ Matrix and the Brain
An IQ Matrix has been designed as a learning aid which can dramatically enhance and accelerate your learning ability. Organically structured, it incorporates fundamental scientific based principles that naturally mirror the brains functions and processes.
Studies have shown that the human brain is stimulated into action by images, colors, feelings, emotions and by associations and connections. This subsequently triggers the incredible process of memory and recall.
Below you will find some interesting facts about the human brain — about how it learns naturally, effortlessly and easily.
The human brain learns best when…
- Thinking in pictures and colors.
- Making connections between ideas.
- Creating associations with existing knowledge and information.
- Categorizing information into groups, chunks, and related segments.
- Remembering clear images, colors and vivid bright concepts and ideas.
All the above facts about the brain are closely aligned and intertwined with the IQ Matrix design.
Learning How Children Learn
Have you ever watched in amazement how easily children learn new concepts and ideas?
The reason why children are so incredibly proficient during these early years is that they utilize all of their senses, they cultivate an optimistic attitude, they make learning fun and exciting, they turn everything into pictures using colors and shapes, and they constantly form associations and connections with existing knowledge and information.
Is it really surprising that children are extremely creative and imaginative?
Don’t you think that the way children naturally learn during these early years is the way adults should continue to learn throughout their later years?
Could an IQ Matrix make this a possibility? You be the judge…
Why would you use an IQ Matrix?
Society has changed considerably over the past 10 years, so much so that it’s becoming ever more difficult to stay on top of everything we need to know and do to achieve our goals and objectives.
A Need for a Complete Reference Tool
An IQ Matrix is designed as a complete reference tool that you can easily refer to on a daily basis to help you stay on track with the achievement of your life’s goals, tasks, priorities, skills, and objectives.
It’s very easy to become overwhelmed with the amount of information that is contained within self-help and business books these days. Each has a story to tell in a slightly different way making learning and applying what you learn confusing and somewhat disruptive. On top of this, who really has the time to read all of these books and then apply every concept that the author discusses?
Organizing Your Acquired Knowledge
Another concern for those seeking to apply what they learn into their lives is the ability to organize the knowledge they have gained in an actionable way.
Unless we are physically capable of organizing the information we learn into manageable chunks in an easy to reference manner, then we will simply miss the bigger picture and fail to act upon what we know.
This is the biggest trap that personal development junkies fall into. They read book-after-book, after book, however, because they don’t immediately organize the information they are learning into manageable chunks, they, therefore, fail to apply it into their lives — which leads to procrastination and eventually stagnation.
Making Knowledge Easily Applicable
I sincerely don’t believe that people have the time or the motivation to read and apply all of the knowledge and information they acquire throughout the day. And for this very reason, I began creating the IQ Matrix posters.
I wanted to help summarize all the most important and relevant aspects of each business, life and career topic area that pertains to the MasterMind Matrix into a reference poster that people can hang on their wall at home, at school, and in the office. Subsequently, users could then take the knowledge areas that are most applicable to their lives and circumstances and instill them consistently and persistently into their psyche through repetition and practice.
It is said, that if you tell yourself a lie over and over again, that you will begin accepting it as your truth and reality. Along the same lines, if you reference an IQ Matrix wall poster, again and again, you will eventually stop procrastinating and start taking proactive action. You take action because of the guilt you have built-up over time from not DOING what you KNOW you should be DOING. 😉
Turning Knowledge into Wisdom
One of the most common excuses people make about why they are not living the life of their dreams is because they simply Do Not Know What To Do!
An IQ Matrix helps turn this unknown into knowledge, and that knowledge into WISDOM by presenting you with what you need to know, then helping you apply this knowledge to your life. Over time this gains you valuable life experience, which turns to wisdom, thusly helping you successfully overcome the obstacles that are currently preventing you from moving forward with your life.
The Structure of an IQ Matrix
As with all things, an IQ Matrix is made up of parts that form a structure. In fact, all the parts within this structure have been purposefully designed to naturally stimulate the brain to help improve your ability to learn the concepts and ideas presented within the map, while boosting your memory and recall of the information you are learning.
Within this section let’s take a look at each of these parts of an IQ Matrix and discuss their purpose.
Branches
A branch is simply a fancy name for a section of the IQ Matrix. For instance, within the IQ Matrix Exposed map (below) there are five branches extending from the middle of the map represented by five different colors.
There really isn’t much else you need to know about branches, however, there are a few things you need to know about pathways which extend along each branch.
Pathways
Pathways are the black organic lines that connect all the words, ideas and concepts together. The purpose of these pathways is to mimic the brain’s organic structure and neurological thought process. They link ideas in a hierarchical structure to aid with memory and recall of information.
Pathways are designed to make reading each IQ Matrix easier and should be used as directional maps that aid your eyes as you move along them.
You should continue reading along the pathway until it comes to a “dead end” or conclusion. If you don’t follow this guideline then it’s very possible you could get lost, as some pathways crisscross along the same keywords. However, by following a pathway to the end and stopping there, you will find it much easier to read and understand the IQ Matrix.
Pathways Example #1
Here is an example from the IQ Matrix Exposed map.
Above is a segment of the IQ Matrix. As an example, I will write down word-for-word how each of these pathways should be read. Please follow along with the IQ Matrix for clarification purposes:
- Definition: Learning aid for categorizing information into easily digestible segments, chunks and pieces.
- Definition: Learning aid for retention of information.
- Benefits: Improves capacity to remember related pieces of information.
- Benefits: Improves capacity to remember related chunks.
As you can see, when the pathways concluded I didn’t read any further because there was no continuation of that pathway along that specific word.
You must, therefore, look for direct connections and extensions of the pathway to know when or when not to continue reading further.
Pathways Example #2
Here is another example from the same map of a section that we are yet to discuss within this article.
Please follow the IQ Matrix pathways on the map as I present them word-for-word below:
- Overview IQ Matrix gliding eyes over pathways.
- Begin reading from central image moving outwards.
- Begin reading from central image moving along black pathways till they end.
You probably noticed within this example that the two paths are numbered. I will discuss this in detail shortly.
I hope these two examples have clarified how to make use of pathways more effectively.
Colors
Colors are another important part of an IQ Matrix. Their purpose is to distinguish topic segments, to provide clarity and to assist with memorization and recall of the information you are learning.
As you probably can recall from the previous section, the brain learns best when bright images and colors are used. In fact, the brain naturally separates and distinguishes items using colors, which subsequently allows for better memory and recall of information. For this main reason, the IQ Matrix is designed in color rather than in a boring black and white format.
Numbers
At times certain concepts, ideas or pathways are numbered. This indicates a set order that must be followed. It could represent a sequence of steps that one must subsequently move through in order to reach a certain goal or objective.
Within the IQ Matrix Exposed map you can see that numbers are used in the green and orange sections of the map to indicate a progression of steps that must be followed in order to gain value from the concepts and ideas discussed within that specific IQ Matrix branch.
Images
Images have a similar purpose to colors. They naturally stimulate the senses and assist with memory and recall of the information you are learning. However, they are also used as a means of visualizing ideas and keywords in a variety of ways.
Images are linked to keywords, ideas and concepts in the following four ways (all examples are taken from the IQ Matrix Exposed map):
- Images can literally represent words. For example, the word “key” will have an image of a key representing it.
- Images can symbolically represent words. For example, the word “idea” can be represented by a light bulb.
- Images can sound-like words. For example, the word “pinpoint” is represented by an image of a bag of pins.
- Images can metaphorically represent words. For example, the word “hierarchical” is represented by three men sitting at a desk with the first being the largest figure and the third man being the smallest figure.
Images can also be linked to keywords in an action-oriented way. So for instance within the IQ Matrix below you have the words “images can sound like words”. Below and on the right of these words is a cartoon of a male figure using a glass to listen to a conversation. This cartoon image represents “sound-like” and is an action-oriented representation of that word.
It’s also important to point out that at times more than one word within a certain section of the IQ Matrix can be represented by the same image. This doesn’t happen often, however it can be quite relevant at times.
Finally, images that are related to keywords are often touching the colored section of the word or they are in close proximity to the keyword that they are representing.
Use these images to help you remember and recall the keywords and concepts they are representing, and you will quickly develop the capacity for a photographic memory.
Symbols
Each IQ Matrix uses a number of symbols that are used to enhance and aid in reading each IQ Matrix.
Here is a quick description of the main symbols used within some IQ Matrix maps.
- Find Information Symbol: This symbol indicates that you may want to conduct a little more research on this particular topic in order to grasp a more thorough understanding of the concepts presented within the IQ Matrix.
- Important Point Symbol: Identifies a major critical point that is important to the development of the topic under discussion.
- Ask Question Symbol: Outlines the questions you can ask yourself to clarify a topic area and move you towards action.
- FS Red: You will see these red dots used most often within almost every IQ Matrix. They are used just like a normal “full-stop”. When you come across one of these while reading the IQ Matrix, simply STOP (pause) and then continue reading along the pathway as though you’re starting a new sentence.
- LT Green: This green dot indicates that something naturally LEADS TO something else.
- BW Purple: This purple dot is pretty straightforward representing the word “between”.
- EG Yellow: This yellow dot represents the word “example” and is used in exactly the same way as would be used when structuring normal sentences.
- = Blue: This blue dot represents the word “equals” and is used sparingly, however you may see it at times when one thing is represented as equaling something else in value or attribute.
- Solution Symbol: This plain light-bulb is used at times within a black circle to represent solutions to problems presented within the IQ Matrix. It’s not used often, but can be found within several maps that are designed around the structure of problems and solutions.
Finally, please keep in mind that some of the earlier IQ Matrix maps I created don’t use some of these symbols. These maps will, however, be updated in time. Also over time as I’ve created more maps, I’ve tried to de-clutter them as much as possible, and I, therefore, don’t use as many of these symbols as often as I did in the past. This helps simplify the map without losing the meaning of the key concepts and ideas.
Reading an IQ Matrix
You might have heard through the grapevine that the only person who understands a mind map is the person who originally created the mind map.
Under most circumstances, I would agree with this statement because many mind maps I have seen have been difficult to fully understand and comprehend. For this very reason, I designed an IQ Matrix — effectively breaking and literally tearing out some of the fundamental rules of mind mapping that make other people’s maps so difficult to understand.
An IQ Matrix is designed with the reader in mind. All of the pathways, colors, symbols and overall structure have been developed to aid reading and understanding of the concepts presented on the map. There isn’t any “guess-work” involved as I have made it as easy as possible to read and comprehend a topic step-by-step. There will, of course, be parts of the map that you may want to research a little further. However, for the most part, all relevant and necessary information has been included.
The Four Steps: Reading an IQ Matrix
Here is a four-step process to help you read an IQ Matrix from start to finish:
- Overview the IQ Matrix by gliding your eyes over the pathways while identifying key images, keywords, concepts, and patterns.
- Begin reading from the central image starting at one o’clock moving clockwise and outwards along the black pathways till they end. While reading be sure to associate images with keywords to enhance memory and recall.
- Review the IQ Matrix until vivid mental pictures have been created and strong associations have been formed of the topics you are learning.
- Take action upon the material and concepts you have been learning by implementing the ideas discovered within the IQ Matrix in your own life. Or if you need further information about a specific section of the IQ Matrix, take time to conduct further research in books, online, or by speaking with your peers or coaches.
Sticking to this four-step process will help you to get the most from each IQ Matrix.
Finally, here is a practical example of how I would read and apply the concepts presented within an IQ Matrix into my life.
IQ Matrix Tips and Guidelines
Within this section, I would like to provide you with some tips and suggestions that will help you get the most from each IQ Matrix map you decide to utilize.
Maybe you downloaded some of the IQ Matrix samples or, hopefully, maybe even purchased some of the premium maps. 😉 Now what?
Well, you’ve come to read this article at the right place because I’ll now give you some great guidelines that will help you gain the most from each IQ Matrix poster.
Step 1: Ask the Right Questions
First, it’s important to select a specific topic you would like to study over the coming days, weeks or months.
To gain clarification on this topic ask yourself the questions presented below:
What areas of my life or skills would I like to improve upon today, this week or this month?
What emotions, obstacles or problems am I currently having difficulty dealing with?
What IQ Matrix topics could help me in these areas?
What ideas presented within these IQ Matrix maps will I now need to incorporate into my life?
Okay, so I’m “jumping the gun” a little with that last question, however, I just wanted to throw it in there so that you see the progression. 🙂
Step 2: Print the Topic You Selected
Your next step is to print the topic you have selected and pin it up…
- On a wall
- Next to your office desk
- Beside your computer
- On the refrigerator
- Beside your bed
- On the bathroom mirror
- On the opposite side of the shower glass
- On your computer desktop as a background
- In the garage
- On the ceiling
- On the car dashboard… okay, maybe that’s not the best or safest place for an IQ Matrix 🙁
- How about in the toilet? 😉
Or anywhere else where it can be referenced and referred to several times per day to keep you focused and on track towards the attainment of your goals and objectives.
Step 3: Read and Take Action
Your next step is to read the entire summary pertaining to the IQ Matrix poster on the IQ Matrix blog (not all summaries are available at this time). This blog post is designed to expand each branch of the IQ Matrix, thusly providing you with a more thorough and detailed explanation of each segment — as has been achieved with this article which summarizes the IQ Matrix Exposed map.
Once you have read and thoroughly understood each topic discussed in the blog post, your next step is to reference this IQ Matrix poster on a daily basis and progressively apply the information into your life. Here is a practical example of how to do this.
Small progressive and consistent steps are important from here-on-in moving forward. These will help you avoid the feelings of overwhelm, which often can lead to procrastination and later complete and utter stagnation.
Remember that to establish a new habit it takes consistent effort over a period of 3 to 4 weeks. Therefore it’s critical to just keep moving forward with no excuses…
There Are No More Excuses…
When it comes to achieving success in your life, there are no more excuses. An IQ Matrix can show you the way, however, what you do with that knowledge rests completely in your hands.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article. I hope it’s given you value and answered most of your questions. I look forward to connecting with you on the IQ Matrix blog on Facebook, Twitter or anywhere else we might meet.
Finally, I shortened this article by about 1,000 words and left off a quick IQ Matrix FAQ section that is actually included in the eBook. Therefore please feel free to download the IQ Matrix Guide for Beginners eBook and accompanying IQ Matrix for more information.
Time to Assimilate these Concepts
Did you gain value from this article? Is it important that you know and understand this topic? Would you like to optimize how you think about this topic? Would you like a method for applying these ideas to your life?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then I’m confident you will gain tremendous value from using the accompanying IQ Matrix for coaching or self-coaching purposes. This mind map provides you with a quick visual overview of the article you just read. The branches, interlinking ideas, and images model how the brain thinks and processes information. It’s kind of like implanting a thought into your brain – an upgrade of sorts that optimizes how you think about these concepts and ideas. 🙂
Recommended IQ Matrix Bundles
If you’re intrigued by the idea of using mind maps for self-improvement then I would like to invite you to become an IQ Matrix Member.
If you’re new to mind mapping or just want to check things out, then register for the Free 12 Month Membership Program. There you will gain access to over 90 mind maps, visual tools, and resources valued at over $500.
If, on the other hand, you want access to an ever-growing library of 100s of visual tools and resources, then check out our Premium Membership Packages. These packages provide you with the ultimate visual reference library for all your personal development needs.
