This metaphor resulted from my work with the owner of a small business. I found it useful with other clients too.
Picture your thoughts as sales representatives. Some of them aren't really gifted for that job. You just tell them you are not interested or you are busy right now and they will apologize for having disturbed you and never bother you again.
But then there are the tough guys. If you refuse to give them an appointment in your office, they will pop up on the parking lot when you are going back to your car or even around your house wenn you are mowing the lawn and put their open briefcase under your nose with those fantastic products they want to sell you. Your life is becoming a hassle, you need to spend more and more time trying to escape them. Instead of doing productive work, you spend most of your time at the office door trying to get rid of them. Maybe it's easier to let them in, listen to what they want to tell you, thank them for coming and let them go... After all, you are the boss : It's up to you to decide which product you'll buy.
I sometimes add: And maybe one or the other of all these products they advertise could be a good business opportunity?
I've always liked this - Comment submitted by joshua.zurba on December 14, 2017.
I've always liked this metaphor. It makes sense, the mind is trying to hook you and suck you in the same way a salesperson can. To build a bit of self-compassion, I might also say the salesperson might have good intentions (e.g. the mind telling you you should drink to get rid of your anxiety is trying to release you from feeling pain) but that maybe they're not selling the most helpful products. In later sessions you can bring this metaphor back: "There's your salesperson mind trying to sell you a thought again. If you buy this thought, how much will it cost you?" Obviously cost in this sense isn't monetary, so I love the play on words.
YouTube Video - Comment submitted by LauraAnn on October 12, 2020.
Thoughts as Sales Representatives - an Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) Metaphor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyzwCZ1fAS0&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR3my7JO4eSEIio4uvfZ90vaP3muDNHo1vh7YbaixkGnQH7yTHwwUZbMpMc