Using Your Map Of The World –

To Navigate Through Life

NLP Teaches us that the map is not the territory… but what does that mean exactly?

What Is Your The Map Of The World?

We have all seen people narrate the same story in different ways. In fact, we have heard the same story change the story as time goes by. That is not because someone is lying… at least if we are talking about someone whose intention isn’t to lie.

The reason we might hear different versions of a story is really very simple. Our subconscious mind stores information according to what it deems important. As time passes, these details will be dominant while other parts may fade and disappear. Thus, a different version of a story is told.

Now, imagine the fact that people perceive what’s important in given information or experience differently.

That’s their map of the world.

This figure shows persons A, B, and C. The three people have lived, and had experiences affected by their environment. They Then have a common experience. Because of their earlier experiences, they will definitely have some aspects of a similar experience that they perceive differently.

There is nothing wrong with that. What sometimes causes friction between people, is the fact that they expect someone else to get the same thing out of an experience.

We tend to think that what we know is enough to make us decide what’s right and what’s wrong. In fact, we judge others without knowing their whole map or even the territory the subject covers.