eager to finish the beam, on her fifth try she proudly walked all the way across. Jumping off at the end, laughing and crying, she exclaimed that this was the first time she had ever finished something she started, because she took the time to think it though to completion!

Physical metaphor provides another distinct advantage: it engages the conscious mind in extraneous activity, bypassing its potential for interference. Given the opportunity, the conscious mind can sabotage the development of new patterns - the "Yes, but..." response. Using physical metaphors such as outdoor adventure activities to preoccupy the conscious mind, the body is freed from internal sabotage so the unconscious mind can generate creative and resourceful alternatives and relay them directly to the body to perform.

Danger, or at least the perception of danger, does a great job of engaging a person's mind. Jumping off a 50-foot high pole or rappelling down a 250-foot high cliff quickly captures the full attention of the conscious mind! They are activities whose "solutions" are not found as a result of conscious mental activity; participants must change their internal state by changing their focus of attention, thereby allowing new behaviors to arise. When people empower themselves in this way, they take charge of their own lives, creating what they need to get what they want.

Physical metaphors utilize the principle of Learning by Doing - the idea that people learn best as a result of their own experience. Can you imagine trying to teach someone to ride a bicycle using only pictures and verbal instructions? Upon completing the physical metaphor activity, the person has already performed a new, problem solving behavioral pattern, which they can apply to "real-life" problem situations. And new behaviors, just like riding a bicycle, become ingrained in the body for a lifetime. The body remembers what the mind forgets!

In working with physical metaphors to create lasting change, our purpose is to help individuals and organizations "wake up" their courage and creativity and to use it to empower themselves. When used in a learning environment which incorporates fun, excitement, novelty and immediate rewards, the potential of physical metaphor to create change incredible.