Children live in at least two worlds; one which is grounded in reality and one in which imagination is set free to create a wished-for “reality”. In fact there may be several different fantasy worlds involved. The child understands that the one is not “real” and the other is.
The fantasy world is irresistible to the child because it offers an opportunity to live out a dream and an outlet for frustrated feelings. Here fairy stories or movies or heroes may grip the imagination and all sorts of scenarios are visualized in imagination with the child in the leading, omnipotent role.
In the fantasy world the child can accomplish great things and overthrow enemies with no personal danger. This behavior carries over into adult life. Walter Mitty is an extreme example, but all of us do this to an extent (I say “all of us” – I certainly hope I’m not alone in this!).
This fantasy world plays an important part in developing a life script. Proof lies in the leading role played by heroes and fairy tales in life scripts. You never know what aspect of a story will seize a particular child’s imagination. Despite the fact that the child hears several different stories and switches to different hero roles in imagination, there is usually one favourite which really appeals and to which the child returns time after time.
Because it has gripped the child’s imagination it is imbued with an enhanced emotional impact, and repetition with this emotion makes it more memorable and more likely to become part of the life script. So in theory it should be possible to have an idea as to the general future course of a child’s life from his favourite character or dream. Many successful people refer to “always wanting” to do something from an early age and then single-mindedly pursuing this dream.
It might help to provide some scaffolding in other areas of the child’s life so the child will develop good relationship, emotional and financial life scripts as well. Otherwise success in the main dream might be ruined by abject failure in another important life area.
I fact, fantasy continues to play an important role in adult life. Psychotherapy depends on it, as therapist and client play out “what if’ scenarios. Of course, the fact that the client has given permission for the therapist to assist imbues his help with extra authority and power.
Many alternative therapies have recognised the power of fantasy in creating new life scripts. They also emphasise repetition and the need to make the visualization as real as possible; imagine a scent, touch it, how does it make you feel? The more emotion you can engender and the more you repeat this vision the more it will become a new life script.
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