Our unconscious autopilot is best reached via images & emotion
VISUAL WHY – THE BRAIN PREFERS IMAGES
Why does visualizing with a pen lead to easy, lasting change particularly quickly?
OUR AUTOPILOT – GOOD FOR HABITS. BAD FOR CHANGE.
Current neurobiology states that our brain works with two different thinking styles: conscious and subconscious. When we repeat a behavior/thought a few times, it moves from conscious thinking to the autopilot of our subconscious to save energy in the future. Once something lands there, we no longer notice it much and therefore cannot easily question it – “it just happens within us”. Up to 70% of our thinking and actions run in this automated way, regardless of whether it is situationally appropriate or helpful.
A WORLD WITH TWO LANGUAGES
Conscious and subconscious thinking speak two different languages. Our conscious mind likes it tangible and prefers exact wording. Our subconscious, on the other hand, operates more colorfully and prefers images that evoke emotions. Therefore, in change processes aimed at reaching and realigning the autopilot, the combination of language and the visual-emotional channel works fastest.
Fact! Pictorial thinking with its simple symbols and stick figures connects the left and right hemispheres of the brain. In numbers, it looks like this: 89% improved learning transfer & 64% faster decisions (Stanford, 2001).
