Aphantasia

Close your eyes and visualize an apple in your mind. 
You might see a perfectly clear image of a Honeycrisp apple. 
You also might see a vague apple-like shape, or you might see nothing at all, but instead you have the notion of an apple in your mind. 


Aphantasia is the cognitive spectrum on which you can or cannot visualize objects when you think of them. 
Like eye sight, this ability varies between people. 
Unlike eyesight, there is not a good/bad element to aphantasia; the value is in understanding how your mind processes information. 


You only know the way your mind sees something. 
It is impossible to definitively know what someone else might see. 
It is also why something very clear to you can become frustratingly hard to get someone else to see. 


As a leader you are constantly working to convey images and perspectives that are clear in your mind. 
Aphantasia is a good reminder that not only can you not know what someone else sees, but they likely process it fundamentally differently than you. 
If the notion of an apple creates two totally different images, then you are going to have to be a little more patient when attempting to convey a complex vision for your business. 



Visions of coffee,
- Morning Cup