Nice point. Let's change the terminology slightly.

The territory is your yard. A couple of flower beds are overgrown with weeds; that spot over there doesn't get enough water; and that spot gets too little sun. It's a little disheveled.

The map is the pretty diagram that you make of your yard if you had the energy and desire to make it what it could be. You'd pluck the weeds, water the dry patch, and put some shade-loving plants in the dark spot. That would be a heck of a garden.

If you were sitting in it, you would have a wonderful view of your surrounding environs. By visualizing the better yard, you can visualize the view. And the view is what you wanted out of your yard.

But now I'm tempted to say "fake it til you make it."

Max L.