Think Like a Genius Everyday Using Your 5D Symbolic Models

By Todd Siler, PhD: Founder of Think Like A Genius

A Denver tALer presents her ME Model

Here are some essential questions for further exploring the meanings of your ME Models models you created in the Think Like a Genius Workshop. These questions will help you get the most out of your symbolic models and apply them in practical ways everyday.  There’s a PDF available with even more than the 20 questions and some common-sense suggestions for mining the models for more meanings and other actionable next-steps. If you’re interested, simply contact tsiler@thinklikeagenius.com.

[editor's note: Todd Siler, PhD presented his Metaphorming® process to the Denver chapter of the Abundance League in April 2009. Attendees created three-dimensional symbolic models to describe themselves called ME Models.]

Questions To Help You Make, Understand, and Share Your ME Model™

The following questions can either help you think about what to make in creating your ME Model, or they can help you better understand what you’ve made. Either way, they can be useful for putting more meaning into your model, or getting more meaning out of it.

1. How would you describe yourself to someone you’re interested in knowing?  (e.g., “I’m funny.” “I love to be outdoors.” “I love nature and animals.” “I’m curious about the world.” “I like to go on adventures.” “I like to read.”) Show this in your model.
2. What is special about you? Describe some of your outstanding qualities. (e.g., “I’m good-natured.” “I’m persistent.” “I’m a hard-worker.” “I’m soft-spoken.” “I’m thoughtful.” “I’m a happy person.”)  Show this in your model.
3. What are you most interested in? (e.g., Sports? Play? Reading? Talking on the phone? Relationships? World events? Art? Science? Technology? Games? Good health?)  Show this in your model.
4. What do you love to do more than anything else in the world? (e.g., Have fun? Enjoy yourself? Relax? Daydream? Travel? Work?)  Show this in your model.
5. What makes you feel good about yourself? (e.g., Your kindness? Your generosity? Your patience? Helping others in need?) Show this in your model.
6. Describe the hobbies and activities you enjoy most? (e.g., Hiking? Camping? Stamp collecting? Shopping? Playing with your family and friends?) Show this in your model.
7. What one word describes you best? (e.g., Loving? Caring? Compassionate? Artistic? Scientific? Logical? Unpredictable? Funny?) Show something in your model that represents this one word.
8. What symbol represents the essence of your life, and says something about who you are? (e.g., The Statue of Liberty [because you believe in Freedom for all]? The Brooklyn Bridge [because you like to "bridge" the world of people and cultures]?  A hammer [because you like to fix things]?)  Show something in your model that represents this one symbol.
9. What character in your favorite film represents the way you are in real-life? Identify this character in your model.
10. What character in your favorite book represents the way you are? Identify this character in your model.
11. What character in your favorite cartoon represents you? Identify this character in your model.
12. Who are your heroes?  Show this in your model.
13. What is your favorite game to play? Show this in your model.
14. What is your idea of having fun? Show this in your model.
15. What sports do you like to play? Show them in your model.
16. What ideas and concepts really inspire you? Show them in your model.
17. What are some of your life goals? Show them in your model.
18. What would you like to others to say after your legacy? Show this in your model.
19. What are the most important things to you, and why? (e.g., Love? Family? Friends? Freedom? Being optimistic and hopeful?)  Show them in your model.
20. What do you love and enjoy most about life? Show this in your model.

“Todd Siler is a visual artist, writer, inventor, educator and consultant who received his PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies in Psychology and Art from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1986. He was the first visual artist to receive a doctorate from the Institute. He is the author of THINK LIKE A GENIUS (Bantam Books, 1996), which has been translated into nine foreign languages, and has been built into the Think Like a Genius Software 2.0; this tool enables you to express your “creative genius” and ideas (www.ThinkLikeAGenius.com/software/).”