As a young man, I used to go wild walking every weekend—meaning walking in the wilds, not walking in a random, angry way. See how easy it is to pick up the wrong end of a stick and give incorrect meaning to even the simplest of phrases? Pick up the sticky end of a stick, and you can get into a whole world of mess—yuck!
I'd pack my rucksack, walking boots, and wet-weather gear. With a map and compass, I'd drive to one of the more mountainous regions in England or head to Wales for two, three, or more days of trekking. With a camera, tripod, and provisions in tow, I'd often sleep out in a bivouac or in my all-weather sleeping bag, depending on the time of year.
The purpose? I wanted to experience nature in its quiet splendor, be self-reliant, challenge myself, and master my own destiny. I could sit in one place for hours, looking through the camera lens, waiting for that perfect moment when light or shadows framed a never-to-be-seen-again snapshot of the world. Then, when I returned home, I spent hours in a dark room developing my film and reframing a moment in time so it could be viewed in limitless ways.
My map and compass would guide me, but not randomly. I had to learn the skills of navigation and orientation. One quick lesson learned: getting to where you want to go can be a treacherous journey if you don't know where you are. Never assume - jumping to conclusions and making judgments can get you seriously hurt when out in nature.
A map is only a representation of reality, not reality itself. It has many deletions and distortions, and the legend ( known as the key) is also a generalisation. Not every contour line and path is the same, even if they look identical on the map. They vary depending on factors such as geology and climate, neither of which were shown on the Ordnance Survey maps I used.
The terrain of life, like nature, is as transient, ever-changing, and often as treacherous as it is beautiful. One wrong step, one missed path, one rash decision - who knows where you might end up? Nature doesn't care about our preferences, hopes, dreams, and wishes. In its raw, hard-edged beauty, it can be brutal. For some, this harshness is appealing; I personally love it; I love the risk, the thrill, and the danger ( less so now than when I was younger when it was every weekend and fewer responsibilities). For others, risk-taking doesn't enter their map of reality at all. They prefer to stay at home, and that's perfectly alright.
Having your own map of reality is a human prerogative, no matter how unconventional it may seem to others. This is perfectly acceptable. You'll often hear us emphasise the importance of avoiding imposing your map upon others. This is why we encourage individuals to explore and learn from their experiences and not to accept our maps as the one truth.
A skilled professional communicator excels at respecting diverse perspectives, while less experienced practitioners may inadvertently, or through ignorance or even willfulness, impose their beliefs on others, insisting their way is the only right one. In my experience and observation, map impositions can often be associated with narcissistic or abusive traits, frequently wrapped in indignant self-righteousness. This self-righteousness typically manifests as an unshakeable conviction in one's own correctness, dismissing or devaluing alternative viewpoints from one's own "godlike perspective"
However, it's important to acknowledge that this view itself (the one expressed here by me now!) could be seen as a form of map imposition. The eloquent manipulator will know how to use this tricksy linguistic reframe to confirm their superiority. I invite you to consider this perspective critically and reflect on your own personal experiences.
When out in the wilds (and in life generally), be wary of unquestioningly following a group of confident people. I've witnessed many near-misses where this attitude led people into dangerous situations; some paths lead over cliff edges. Confidence alone, even when shared confidently by others, doesn't guarantee safety or correctness.
Remember: Having a companion who agrees with your point of view doesn't necessarily mean you're on the right track. True wisdom lies in recognizing the value of diverse perspectives while staying open to verifying your own beliefs.
The Map is Not the Territory: A Key to Understanding Human Perception
"The Map is Not the Territory" - this profound insight, coined by Alfred Korzybski and championed by NLP's co-creators Dr. Richard Bandler and John Grinder, is your skeleton key to unlocking the mysteries of human perception and behaviour.
Korzybski, a Polish-American philosopher and scientist (1879-1950), founded general semantics, exploring how language and symbols influence human behavior. His work on the relationship between language, thought, and behaviour laid crucial groundwork for NLP. He posited that our nervous systems and language structure limit our understanding of the world—we deal not with the world directly but with our perceptions of it.
In the 1970s, Bandler and Grinder drew significantly from Korzybski's insights, transforming his philosophical concepts into practical tools for change. They recognized the importance of how we construct our mental maps of reality in understanding and altering human behaviour.
What's This Map-Territory Business All About?
Simply put, "The Map is Not the Territory" means the way we see the world (our map) isn't the same as the world itself (the territory). It's like having a GPS that sometimes sends you down roads that don't exist anymore - your mental map can be outdated, incomplete, or just plain wrong, even when it's right! Do you know anyone like that?
Each of us has a unique mental map shaped by our experiences, values, and the filters we've developed along life's journey. And here's the kicker—these maps are subjective as hell. They might not line up with reality, but they're what we use to navigate our lives.
As coaches or therapists (call yourself what you will - I don't mind, my map has a rule which is "Do what thou wilt and harm no others!"), understanding this concept helps us grasp why people have problems and how we can help clients unlock their own maps.
Why Should You Care?
As NLP practitioners and hypnotherapists, this concept is your bread and butter. Your clients are often stuck with incomplete, outdated, and impoverished maps. They've got maps full of rigid beliefs, wobbly beliefs, tunnel vision, bias, and behaviour patterns that can lead them in circles.
Your job? Become a master cartographer of the mind. You're not just reading maps; you're helping rewrite them.
How to Upgrade Those Mental Maps
Challenge Assumptions: Get your clients to question everything they think they know. It's time to shake up those dusty old beliefs and see what happens.
Sharpen Sensory Acuity: Train yourself and your clients to notice the details most people miss. It's like upgrading from standard definition to 4K Ultra HD in how you perceive the world.
Wield Language Like a Pro: Remember, "Linguistics" is our middle name in NLP. Use language patterns and reframing techniques to help your clients see their world in a whole new light or dark, or perspective or frame.
Model Excellence: Why reinvent the wheel? Study the strategies of the best and brightest, then teach your clients to do the same. Of course, modeling doesn't mean stealing from others. Some simple-minded folk think that's what modeling is ( bless them, for they know not much!); borrowing from excellence and modeling is a refined process involving values, beliefs, and identities—not content or material swipes. When done elegantly, it involves optimisations, redesigning, and streamlining.
The Payoff
Expanding these mental maps isn't just a neat trick. It's a game-changer rooted in systems thinking and cybernetics:
Flexibility: More options mean better adaptability. Life throws a curveball? No problem. The more flexibility we have compared to our clients, the more we can serve. Remember, being flexible doesn't mean being a doormat—we get to choose when and how we act, not just react. The time, place, and actions taken are always our choice!
Problem-Solving Superpowers: With a richer map, you've got more tools in your mental toolbox. You're not just solving problems; you're navigating complex systems with finesse.
Communication Skills on Steroids: Understand others better, build rapport, and squash conflicts before they start - unless, of course, you're up for the battle. It's about choosing and knowing when to engage, when to defuse, and how.
Systemic Awareness: Recognising the interconnectedness of things allows you to see patterns and relationships others miss. You're not just dealing with isolated issues but understanding the whole ecosystem of a person's experience. It's something all the early geniuses modeled in the NLP toddler years had - the ability to discern distinctions and ask smart questions about what those distinctions meant. This keen eye for detail and interconnections set them apart and laid the groundwork for NLP's powerful techniques.
Cybernetic Control: By understanding feedback loops and how systems self-regulate, you can make small interventions that create big changes. It's like knowing which brick to remove to get a wall to collapse. 20 years in demolitions, I know how to get rid of an annoying redundant obstacle, whether that is a belief or behavior that has passed its useful use-by date and is ready to be consigned to the lands of impotence and irrelevance.
Remember, the goal isn't just to have a bigger map but to navigate it with intention and purpose. As John Grinder and Richard Bandler encouraged us to enrich our maps. Have more and better choices because, without choices, we only have one way. One pathway, one route, one strategy.
The more adept we become at enrichment, the more we can assist our clients in charting their own courses through life's complex terrains. The big payoff is having the ability and flexibility to rewrite familiar maps of reality better than most of the people out there who do change works and better than your clients who have the ability to stay stuck.
The Three Levels of Map Construction
Perceptual Maps: This is ground zero, where raw sensory data gets imprinted and conditioned.
Representational Maps: Here's where we take that sensory data and create internal representations.
Conceptual Maps: Welcome to the meta-level, where we have thoughts about our thoughts about our experiences.
At the core of everything we've discussed is the meta-model. Our Rosetta Stone, our star map, the legend that unlocks the potential to open up your clients' minds to new possibilities.
Cartography Using The Meta Model
Think of the meta model as your universal translator for the language of the mind. It allows you to decipher the complex codes hidden in your clients' speech patterns and behaviours, revealing the structure of their programming. When you practice applying the meta model, you can help them explore uncharted territories in their mental landscape, discovering new routes to resources and solutions they never knew existed.
The more flexibility you have in applying the meta-model - in questioning, challenging, and reframing - the more adept you become at assisting others in examining and redrawing their maps. At the risk of switching metaphors (too late), this flexibility is your martial arts prowess in the dojo of the mind. The meta-model and the Advanced Linguistics approach are like having a black belt in multiple disciplines, giving you more ways to overcome resistance.
This flexibility is your ninja-like ability, your "wu wei" approach to dealing with often insurmountable and rigid ways of thinking and behaving. Like a skilled martial artist who adapts their style to their opponent, you learn to navigate the unique terrain of each client's mind, flowing around their defenses rather than meeting them head-on. You're not fighting against their beliefs but using their mental cognitive powers to guide them towards new perspectives.
Just as a martial arts master doesn't rely on brute force, you'll learn to use the subtle power of language and questioning to create change. You'll develop the ability to sense the underlying structure of a client's thoughts, identifying the weak points in their limiting beliefs and gently redirecting their mental energy towards more empowering paths.
This approach allows you to adapt your techniques to suit each client's individual needs and goals. Sometimes, you might need the direct approach of a karate chop to break through a particularly stubborn belief. Other times, the flowing redirection of Aikido might be more appropriate to guide a client toward a new understanding. Your growing mastery of the meta-model gives you this versatility, allowing you to be both powerful and gentle, direct and subtle, as the situation requires.
In essence, you become a master navigator of the mind, equipped with a versatile set of tools. Your meta-model skills are your compass, your martial arts-like flexibility is your ability to traverse any terrain, and your growing expertise is your ever-expanding map. With these, you can guide your clients through the foggy landscapes of their minds, around the treacherous cliffs of limiting beliefs, and towards the clear horizons of new possibilities. You're not just helping them read their existing maps more effectively; you're teaching them to become cartographers of their own mental worlds, capable of charting new courses and exploring uncharted territories of potential and growth.
Did you miss the Advanced Linguistics Masterclass?
Don't worry if you missed our deep dive into the meta-model, its evolution over the decades, and the attitudes of humor, flexibility, creativity, and tenacity that make its users more effective. Keep an eye out for the next MasterCLASS!
Our Advanced MasterCLASS events are:
Held online via Zoom (some with live in-person audiences)
Limited in size for optimal learning
Timed for an international audience
Designed for learning from the comfort of your own home
Check our Booking Page for the next "Advanced Strategies MasterCLASS," another unique, creative, and advanced class in NLP and its applications. Many have asked us to explore modeling and strategies more deeply, and that's exactly where our map leads us next.
I love this quote; "Linguistics" is our middle name in NLP! Great article Steve, I always enjoy your playfulness with words, thanks for posting.😊