The Power of Metaphors

Welcome back to the NLP Blogspot!

This month we will be exploring and practicing working with  Metaphors.

A metaphor is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase that denotes a certain object or idea is applied to another word or phrase to imply some similarity between them. When using metaphors we can discuss our experiences in creative and imaginative ways to allow easier understanding for another to grasp what the experience was actually like for us. 

Here are a few exercises to get you thinking in terms of Metaphors:-

Exercise One


We often use Metaphors without even thinking about it. A few examples are: 'I feel like everything is getting on top of me',  'I feel like I could sleep for England', 'You smell as sweet as a rose' , 'I will cross that bridge when I come to it',  'I feel like my head is spinning'.

Ok, now have a go at describing how you are feeling today, using a metaphor.

Today I feel......


Now, using that Metaphor, ask a question to explore the Metaphor in greater detail.


Example
A.   "I feel like everything is on top of me"
Q.    "Does it feel heavy or light?"

Explore and gather more information regarding this metaphor so that your metaphoric concept can be fully understood. Remeber you control your thoughts; using your unlimited imagination you can create fantastic outcomes and get yourself in peak mental states.



Exercise Two



If you had to describe yourself as an animal what animal would you like to be compared to?

Q. Why have you chosen that particular animal?

Q. How does this animal represent you?

Q. Where do you see yourself - Where are you?

Q. What are the benefits of being this particular animal?  What are your strengths?  What are your weaknesses?




Exercise Three - Creating a metaphoric story.

Working with a Partner


Ask your partner to think of a situation or a personal goal that they would like to handle using all their personal strengths.  Explore the situation to get a more information how your partner would ideally like the situation to unfold.

Q. What resources or personal strenghts does your partner want to tap into?


Now, using your metaphoric imagination, create a story line that will represent the situation you have in mind.  Use Metaphic content, for example; will you use people, animals or objects in your story? NB: Milton Erikson once used the character of a tomato plant to stand in for a man with terminal cancer.


Provide a solution to the story if possible or needed



Add a future pace


Present situation



A young man gets stressed at work due to the large amount of work he has to do; he looks at his list of tasks and starts to feel overwhelmed. He will start several tasks at the same time and not get many completed, leaving him feeling unmotivated.

Desired outcome

To be able to start and finish all his task on time. To complete all his task.
To be able to see all the task as individual tasks and to start one task at a time, to 'see' that he is getting through his work load

The Story

Many moons ago lived a strong man who had recently started a new job in a quarry.  His job that day was to move a large pile of rocks from one part of the quarry to another. The rocks were largenand he was to carry them in his hands. When he came to work on the first one, he noticed how many rocks he had to carry and thought  'there is no way I can move all those rocks, not in one day', then he had an idea.  'I am super strong; I will carry four rocks at a time'. As he tried to pick up the rocks and balance them in his hands, the rocks kept falling off and he wasn't able to move any of them.

He then thought if I can't carry four rocks, I will try three.  As he picked up three rocks he tried to carry them over to the other side of the quarry.  As he got half way, his arms tired and he dropped the rocks and they all smashed into tiny pieces.

He went back to the massive pile of rocks and tried to carry two at a time, as he struggled across the quarry he noticed again just how heavy the rocks were and how slow they made him walk. Eventually he made it to the other side but not without realising that it had taken him three times as long to carry two rocks as it would to have carried just one.

Solution
He went back to the rock pile whilst trying to figure out the best way to complete the mission. Then it dawned on him. He got straight to work carrying just one rock at a time. This time he could walk fast and he didn't drop a single rock until he had got them all over to the other side of the quarry. He had noticed that by carrying each rock individually, he could see the rock pile getting smaller and smaller and this had kept him feeling really motivated.

Future Pace

A couple of weeks later the quarry foreman came over and told him how pleased he was with his work andion. The foreman was impressed with his dedication and motivation, so much so that he gave him a payrise and promotion.

Now create your own metaphoric story.

See you on Wednesday!!