Metaphors and allegories are often great ways to make complicated examples simple. In Plato's “The Allegory of the Cave,” the philosopher used the idea of prisoners chained to a wall and seeing only the shadows of other people to express the concept of actual and imagined realities.
Only when the prisoners were freed and encountered actual people were they able to understand the difference for themselves.
Business books, including Who Moved My Cheese, Blue Ocean Strategy, I Can See You Naked, Purple Cow, and The World is Flat are more contemporary examples of this technique.
My friend and speaking mentor, the late Joachim de Posada, used this practice when he wrote How to Survive Among Piranhas, his book on thriving in cutthroat environments.
And speaking of swimming with intimidating animals, perhaps you've heard of people facing the challenges of business, leadership or life talk about swimming with sharks or swimming with whales. In both cases, the metaphor makes their challenges instantly understandable and relatable.
But what could you learn if you ACTUALLY did swim with whales?
And what could you grasp if you spent the time you weren't in the water actually learning about creating great stories and using them to achieve your goals?
My friend, author and storytelling expert Dave Bricker, is offering a very special workshop that brings the metaphor of swimming with whales to life. Thanks to Dave's innovative teaching methods, you can spend a week swimming with humpback whales in the wild, and then enjoy evening workshops on storytelling and book publishing.
If you're a speaker or writer, a business leader or salesperson, you'll create new material and gain new insights into how to craft powerful narratives.
You'll learn how to find, tell, and publish great stories that attract and retain talent, connect with colleagues and customers, and inspire loyalty. You'll learn how to write blogs for business owners, how to communicate great business ideas.
Join Dave on this once-in-a-lifetime experience and you will:
- Spend a week on a 132-foot dive boat anchored on the Silver Banks Whale Sanctuary north of the Dominican Republic.
- Swim with the humpbacks and observe them breaching, tail-slapping, and exhibiting all the other whale behaviors you've probably only ever seen on Discovery Channel documentaries.
- Enjoy mask and snorkel in-water encounters with humpbacks — no SCUBA skills necessary. If you can swim you have all the know-how you need to enjoy this unique adventure.
- Swim with certified dive masters and naturalists who are specially licensed to accompany visitors to the Whale Sanctuary.
This event is happening from March 31 to April 7 and there are only five spaces left. So, if you want to participate you need to act fast. You can learn more about swimming with the humpbacks at http://consciousbreathadventures.com. And you can learn more about Dave Bricker at http://storysailing.com. Or call Dave at (305) 490-5998 for more details.
But whatever you do, do it fast.
Because if you don't reserve one of the last five slots the whales will still be swimming at the Silver Banks Whale Sanctuary. But you won't be there to see them.