The Mapmaker: John Diggs' Journey from the Brink to Breakthrough

Once a Dreamer, Now a Designer of Destiny

In the heart of Pacoima, California, John Diggs ran with neighborhood kids until the streetlights flickered on. The football gripped in his hands wasn’t just a toy—it was a ticket. He didn’t know it then, but the rhythm of his life would echo the game he loved: relentless, strategic, and requiring a vision beyond the next play.

He was raised in a home stitched together by cousins and chaos. His mother’s voice, a star in Barry White’s band, was often heard from afar—touring, recording, and leaving John to find stability elsewhere. His father wasn’t around, but John didn't grow bitter. The streets of Pacoima, a crucible of potential and peril, taught him resilience. Amidst a community plagued by crack cocaine and shattered promises, he found joy in simplicity and purpose in play.

From high school sidelines to college fields at Washington State University, John chased the game with a love so pure, it became his compass. That love carried him to the NFL, then north to Canada. But an injury and a doctor’s warning ended it all with two screws and a final choice: pursue glory or preserve the ability to walk unaided.

What the crowd never saw was his secret weapon—real estate. Even while suiting up for the Raiders, he was closing deals. He was always planning for after. When the cleats came off, he dove headfirst into mortgages, eventually building one of Southern California’s largest brokerages. He was flying loan officers to lunch by helicopter, sipping success with the casual ease of someone who thought the game would never end.

But it did.

The 2008 mortgage crisis wasn’t a downturn—it was devastation. Overnight, companies collapsed. Loans vanished. His $40,000 monthly expenses became anchors dragging him under. He lost it all: business, homes, even his family. The man who once commanded a boardroom was rejected for a job at Target. So he moved back home—to his mother’s house, defeated and empty.

Then came April 27, 2009.

On the floor of his daughters’ now-empty bedroom, he broke. The box he carried—full of books, tapes, DVDs, and scraps of self-development wisdom—was all that remained. But within that box lay a spark.

A book he barely remembered acquiring: The Mind Map Book by Tony Buzan.

He didn’t just read it. He absorbed it. Then he mapped it. And then he mapped everything—Think and Grow Rich, How to Win Friends and Influence People, Unlimited Power, and more. Thirty-five books transformed into sprawling mind maps across his walls and mind. And from chaos came clarity.

He discovered something profound.

All the great thinkers, coaches, philosophers, and prophets—despite different methods—were saying the same thing: Life is meant to be loved. But to love it, you must first understand yourself. So he drew a circle and wrote two words: “I Am.”

From that, he designed himself anew—healthy, wealthy, successful. And belief followed blueprint.

Within months, a former loan officer referred him to a company needing help with a new mortgage platform—Encompass. Armed with clarity and confidence, John named his price: $12,000 a month. “Deal,” the man said.

From his mother’s couch to six figures in eight months.

He didn’t stop there. He became a top software developer in the mortgage industry, riding the wave of Encompass’s rise. But this, too, wasn’t his endgame.

In 2020, he returned to the box.

This time, to write. Ten books flowed from him—manuals on mind mapping, success, identity, gratitude. A TEDx talk followed. Then came college speaking tours. And with it, a new title he claimed with pride: MAPE Mentor.

John Diggs didn’t just teach mind mapping. He lived it. He turned a tool of organization into a compass for transformation. His mind maps weren’t just diagrams—they were declarations.

He had mapped his way from failure to fulfillment. Now, he was helping others do the same.

Key Takeaways:

• Love—not just drive—can power greatness.

• Even the most promising life can unravel. What matters is how you rebuild.

• Clarity begins with asking: “Who am I?”

• Mind mapping is not just a note-taking tool. It’s a method for self-discovery, decision-making, and vision-setting.

• You don’t need perfect conditions to restart—just a box of wisdom and the willingness to unpack it.

• Every breakdown can be a breakthrough when you step outside your limiting beliefs.