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  3. The Fishbowl Method

The Fishbowl Method

The Fishbowl Method

Authors

  • MF

    Madeline

    CPCC | Self-trust coach

What's Included?

  • Written Guide

What does it help with?

Breaking through "Analysis Paralysis" or existential dread. It is specifically designed for moments when you feel trapped by systemic issues or constraints you cannot change (the "glass walls"), allowing you to identify the agency you do have.

When to use it?

When you are fixated on a problem that feels too big to solve (e.g., capitalism, systemic injustice, a chronic health condition) and you cannot see a way forward because the constraint is consuming your view.

How to do it:

  1. Define the "Glass Walls": Acknowledge the constraint. What is the thing you cannot change right now? (e.g., I have to operate under capitalism.) Visualize this as the unmovable glass of the fishbowl.
  2. Brainstorm the Interior (The Metaphor): Ignore your real-life problem for a moment. Ask yourself: What are all the ways I could improve the quality of life inside a literal fishbowl without changing its size? List at least 5-10 ideas.
    • Examples: Clean the filter, add a castle for hiding, put in better plants, change the gravel, get higher quality food.
  3. Translate to Reality: Take each item from your list and ask: How does this translate to my specific area of stuckness?

Examples

Example 1: The Systemic Block

  • The Stuckness: "I want to build a coaching business, but I hate that I have to monetize human connection under capitalism."
  • The Translation:
    • Metaphor: "Clean the water filter so the environment is less toxic." -> Action: Audit my marketing to ensure I’m not using manipulative tactics or scarcity mindsets that pollute the industry.
    • Metaphor: "Add a castle where the fish can hide and feel safe." -> Action: Create a free or low-cost community space where people can connect without a transaction attached.
    • Metaphor: "Switch to high-nutrient food." -> Action: Change the "diet" of information I consume. Unfollow "growth-at-all-costs" business gurus and follow ethical entrepreneurs.

Example 2: The Physical/Health Block

  • The Stuckness: "I want to be adventurous and social, but I have a chronic illness that keeps me homebound most days."
  • The Translation:
    • Metaphor: "Change the backdrop." -> Action: I cannot change that I am in the house, but I can change the sensory input. I will bring the adventure in by filling my space with plants and specific soundscapes to change the 'water' I’m swimming in.
    • Metaphor: "Invite other fish into the tank." -> Action: I cannot go out to the party, so I will redefine socializing. I will host low-energy 'co-existing' hangs where friends come over just to read books in the same room with me.