Another week, another mental model you can use to help you think more clearly and avoid a clouded judgment.
“The map is not the territory.”
This was a phrase initially used by Alfred Korzybski, a scientist and philosopher. He used it to describe the relationship between a representation of something and the actual reality of it.
Maps are great to better understand reality (or a territory), but they are not perfect.
Maps can be outdated or inaccurate.
They are a reduced version of what they are representing
And they can also be misinterpreted
Maps of Reality
Just as maps were created to explain the layout of a particular area, our minds develop maps to better understand the reality around us.
The problem is some of the models we have learned may be outdated or even just outright false.
For example, we may judge someone’s wealth by things like:
What they wear
What car they drive
Or the accessories they bought
But, this picture or “map” of what wealth looks like is an inaccurate one. True wealth is generally what you can’t see - bank accounts, assets, and investments.
It May Not Always Be as It Seems…
This idea of projecting yourself to be someone you’re not (creating a distorted map) to gain attention is not a new one, but with the emergence of new technology (ex. social media), it has become much easier to accomplish.
A good majority of content posted on social media is designed to make you think or feel a certain way.
It’s important to keep this in mind while scrolling through your timeline.
Why It’s Important
We often get caught up in what other people are doing, or what they believe to be true. It’s easy to accept something to be true when everyone else agrees it to be.
However, when we refuse to accept new information or facts on the matter as they develop, it’s called cognitive bias.
Cognitive bias is a dangerous mindset - it can cloud your judgment and make you believe something to be true when it isn't. This mindset can be especially debilitating when you believe you can’t do something just because others might have told you that you cant. Or someone might have said something like
“You’re not smart enough”
or
“Only {insert group of people} can do that”
I’m a big believer in you can accomplish anything you put your mind to. Like Steve Jobs once said
Our minds are powerful tools that can be used to work for you, or against you. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do something - it’s common for people to say that when they are afraid to do something themselves.
Keep pushing. Keep working. And above all else, believe in yourself.
I hope to see you all next wext for another episode of G.R.O.W Weekly!
And don’t forget to share with your friends and family!
Feel free to drop me a comment with any questions or ideas.