We’ve all heard the old saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words” and our brains are good at processing and understanding visual images. That’s one reason why businesses take great care creating distinctive logos (think the big yellow M and the apple with a bite out of it…).
At Interactionz, as we facilitate a person to think about how they want their life to be, we understand that creating visual images in those moments as they speak about what matters helps them to connect more fully with their desired future. Seeing what they’ve been talking about come to life on the poster paper in front of them creates an emotional engagement that is highly motivating. And the images don’t even have to be aesthetically pleasing – the key is that they mean something to the person; that when they look at them the images resonate within.
I know this to be true from personal experience. During the 11 years I’ve been facilitating visual plans (e.g. PATH, MAP and FOCUS) I’ve had the privilege of having my own visual plan done several times. I’ve kept each poster and it’s fascinating to look back through the years and see what I’ve achieved, even without being consciously aware over time that I was working towards some of the aspects of my life. As I look at each simple image I remember exactly what I was thinking and feeling during the planning process.
Author: Laurel Stephens
