Developed by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson (Metaphors We Live By, 1980).
Identifies the hidden metaphor shaping how people talk about an issue, such as argument as war, lists what it makes easy and hard to think, and tests alternatives.
When to reach for it
When a debate, negotiation, or change message keeps stalling and the parties seem to be reasoning from different pictures of the issue.
How it runs
- Listen for metaphor in verbs, prepositions, and idioms.
- Name the concrete source and the abstract target.
- List what the metaphor makes easy to say.
- List what it makes hard to think.
- Try other metaphors for the same target.
- Choose one deliberately, and use it consistently.
Where it sits in SOLVE eX
Go to the source
- Metaphors We Live By, 1980
- Don't Think of an Elephant!, 2004