Comment by agitator

The best, simple, metaphor I can think of is playing out a chess game in your head. As in, you make a move, and see how the scenario changes, and predict the opponents moves. In chess, it's just 2D and one opponent or agent. In the real world you need to weigh many possible agents, estimate their motivations, and predict their responses. This way you can visualize the cascading effects of a decision.