MINDSET COACHING:
THE MAP IS NOT
THE TERRITORY
If you train clients using what motivates you,
rather than what motivates them, the results
you achieve will be limited and short-lived.
WORDS: GREG SELLAR
ave you ever looked at someone
and thought ‘Why?’ ‘Why did they
wear that?’, or ‘Why would they
say that?’ With training clients, it’s often
‘Why are they sabotaging themselves by not
doing what I tell them?’
Your experience has a structure, and
once you understand how you take in
information, you can more easily recognise
why no two people experience the same
thing in the same way.
Alfred Korzybski, the father of general
semantics, coined my favourite psychologybased saying that 'the map is not the
territory’. It explains why we get so much
conflict in the world, why we may disagree
with loved ones and why our clients
sometimes don’t experience the levels of
success we hope for.
Our ‘map’ of the world is defined by how
we take in information through our perceptual
filters (visual, auditory, kinesthetic, olfactory
and gustatory). We absorb an extraordinary
amount of information on a daily basis. Most
of us will have close to 60,000 thoughts each
day, and of those around 70 to 80 per cent
are negative. In order to not drive ourselves
crazy, we delete, distort and generalise
(DDG) the information, and here is where
much of the problem lies.
What information we choose to ‘DDG’
forms how we see the world. It’s our map
and it’s unique to us. Maps are also based
on our family upbringing, socio-economic
backgrounds, external environments and
friends. We’re formed in our thinking patterns
by age seven, imprinted by our parents,
teachers and other influencers in the early
developmental stages of childhood. They
will have shaped our thoughts and feelings
towards much of what we experience in life,
and as no two childhoods are the same, you
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can reasonably expect that no product of
those environments will share exactly the
same thinking.
When we talk about the ‘territory’, we speak
of reality itself. The saying refers to the idea
that because we’ve formed our own outlook
and views of the world, they won’t necessarily
match others and none of them is reality itself
– they are just our version of reality.
When you train clients through your
map of the world, you’re not taking the time
to seek clarification about their current
mindset, expectations, values and beliefs.
By not ‘seeing the world through their eyes’,
your efforts as a trainer will only get limited,
and probably short-term, results.
Instead of adopting a ‘just do it’ attitude
with clients, it’s a good idea to keep the
following in mind:
• When you use motivational mantras and
slogans, you may only be doing what
works for you and not them – are their
motivators the same as yours?
• Guidance and advice falls on deaf ears if
the person is not in a fit mindset to be
receiving it – are they ready to change?
• Although you may share the same
language, you don’t necessarily share
the same experience – what might seem
a positive action to you may have
negative connotations for them
• If you think they’re ‘lazy’, maybe you
haven’t asked the right questions to
uncover what approach works best for
them as individuals – are you trying to
make your map fit theirs?
Whether it’s at work, in a relationship, or
training clients, remembering that the map is
not the territory is a skill that brings greater
awareness to your interactions. It leads you to
being more mindful of other’s experience and
allows greater tailoring of your expertise.
Greg Sellar is a performance coach and serial ‘life
hacker’, challenging people to change the way they
think and act. With a degree in Sports Science and
a Diploma in Coaching, Mentoring and Leadership,
he has worked with some of the biggest names in
global fitness. teamlifehack.com
29 APRIL TO 1 MAY 2016 / MELBOURNE CONVENTION CENTRE
Get inside Greg’s mind at FILEX this April!
• Better communication and faster results with NLP (C2R)
• + check out his PT & Group Training sessions
All details and registration at filex.com.au