Having a personal business metaphor is extremely helpful. For example, I have always loved space travel. I read science fiction (yes, I’m a Trekkie!) and I follow what NASA is doing. So for me, when big things are happening in my business, when I am struggling, or when I am starting something new, space metaphors abound. Like I wrote previously, I feel like I am sitting on top of a rocket, launching my business into space. This metaphor works for me, when I think about what stage my business is in. It helps me frame the larger picture of what is happening.

Last week I had a very difficult thing happen in my business. I was very upset, depressed and embarrassed by something that had happened. I stayed in this dark gloomy place for a day and had a long good cry. (Well, I don’t know about a “good” cry, as crying gives me one heck of a headache!) But the next morning when I woke up and thought again about what had happened, I said to myself, “I am going to take what has happened and use it as fuel for my rocket. This is rocket fuel!” And for the next week, every time I thought about what happened, I repeated to myself, “Rocket Fuel”! I suppose it’s a version of taking lemons and making lemonade. It works for me. A lot of my clients use very rich gardening metaphors. What metaphor would work for you?