It’s not unusual for stories to become dreams in the minds of young men and women and, perhaps for most people, those dreams may never be realized. There may be many reasons for this. Even though they may be presented with the opportunity, it’s not unusual for people to shy away from it. People are naturally resistant to change even when they know that their lives will be improved. Many people don’t feel deserving of a better life. Perhaps most often, dreams are put on hold out of necessity while the business of raising a family and/or other obligations are given the attention they deserve. Once these obligations are fulfilled, people may not have the same interest or lack the energy and necessary resources to attain their dreams and simply give up. Unfortunately, many of these people may not realize that resources may be readily available to them if they only knew where to look or had the ability to recognize those resources when they are presented to them.

As businessmen we can utilize our social networking skills to intervene in people’s lives to enable them to revisit their dreams and perhaps attain fulfillment. I have spent the greater part of my adult life as a clinical social worker helping people deal with the changes in their lives. I learned early on that when people have an understanding of their situation together with appropriate information and support, they will make good decisions and get on with their life, often in a more satisfying manner. I have often used stories as a mechanism for positive change.

One of the greatest psychotherapists, Milton Erikson, commonly used stories as a means of enabling his patients to resolve their problems. Social net workers need not be psychotherapists to make a difference in the lives of people. Social Networking is all about relationships and building trust. We all have stories that we can tell to our business associates that can perhaps make a huge impact on their ability to resolve problems and fulfill their dreams.

Thank you for sharing your experience, Ivan. You have reminded us of the power of metaphors and the need to hold onto our dreams.

Lee Parent

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Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together.