Natural Law Metaphors

The mind is associative. It understands things by comparing them with something else. Complex concepts can be made easier to understand by using metaphors and analogies. This “paints the picture” in a person’s mind and helps them better understand the point you’re trying to convey.

One of my favorite ways to do this is by using what I call “natural law metaphors.” It’s a way to explain things in the conceptual world by comparing them with things we already understand in the physical world.

Examples:

• Cycles of growth or change, such as those of a tree, flower, planets, seasons, animals, bodies of water, etc.
• The cyclical nature of the seasons.
• The emergence of a tree from a seed.
• The nature of sowing and reaping, giving and receiving.
• The organic cycle of decay and regrowth, death and rebirth, rise and decline.
• The laws of physics (gravity, momentum, inertia, etc)

Practice incorporating more metaphors and analogies into your content. When you’re thinking of a topic, ask yourself, “How do I see this concept in my mind? Is it similar to something I already understand about nature or the physical world?”

More Specific Examples:

• If you’re speaking about personal growth, you might compare it to climbing a mountain or rising in a hot air balloon.
• If you’re talking about discoveries or breakthroughs, you might compare it to digging for gold, uncovering a diamond from a piece of coal, or a dormant seed suddenly emerging and becoming a giant oak.
• If you’re talking about actions that lead to success, you might compare it to a rocket escaping the earth’s gravity or navigating a path through the jungle.
• If you’re highlighting the complexity of something, you might compare it to a puzzle, maze, or a journey in unknown territory.