AN ITALIAN proverb goes: "Tell me a fact and I'll learn. Tell me a truth and I'll believe. But tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever." A metaphor is a figure of speech in which a term or phrase is applied to an object or an action to which it is not literally applicable, in order to suggest a resemblance, for example, "He is a lion in battle". A metaphor carries more richness in meaning than a description. The word "metaphor" comes from the Greek word metaphora, which means "to carry across". It gives you another perspective of an event or a type of behaviour. Metaphors can be used for communication, problem-solving and creative thinking. There are several advantages to using metaphors in your communication. They simplify a lengthy description. They give you a mental picture that can be easily understood. By using metaphors, you use colourful descriptions that stimulate the mind. You can also get inspiration from reading about, or listening to, how ordinary people achieve extraordinary goals. These are powerful tools that provide you with motivation and direction. Metaphors and anecdotes can have a tremendous impact on your life. They can reframe and bring about change in your monotonous life. You can forget theories and concepts easily but you can remember stories for a long time because the events in them form pictures in your mind which you can recall easily. Listening to and telling stories inspire both your audience and yourself, especially those "rags to riches" stories, which can access the five senses and generate emotions. When you listen or tell stories, your mind conjures up images, sounds and feelings. It makes the stories come alive, giving them a resonance and relevance to your own life. Here is an anecdote from fast food giant McDonald's: At 16, Mr Ray Kroc quit school and became an ambulance driver. When the war ended, he worked as a haberdashery salesman. After his marriage, he took on a more stable job by selling paper cups. By 7am each day, he was already on the road calling on customers. From 5pm, he worked as a pianist at a radio station till 2am. He sold paper cups for 17 years. One of his customers was Mr Earl Prince who ran a chain of ice-cream parlours called Prince Castle. When Mr Castle asked Mr Kroc to be his partner, Mr Kroc jumped at the deal. Mr Castle developed a "multi-mixer" that could be used to make six milkshakes simultaneously. He would manufacture the mixer while Mr Kroc would sell it. Two of Mr Kroc's clients were the McDonald brothers in Los Angeles. They ordered eight multi-mixers, a record at that time. Surprised at the record order, Mr Kroc took the trouble to visit them. He was impressed with the large crowd, the high volume of sales and the cleanliness of the brothers' store. He talked to the McDonald brothers and became their agent to sell franchises. He figured that if there were more franchises, he would be able to sell more multi-mixers. Although his friends laughed at the idea of selling cheap hamburgers, Mr Kroc built the first McDonald's restaurant. One year later, three other franchised outlets opened. Mr Kroc realised that to become a millionaire, he had to buy the business from the McDonald brothers. So, he did just that. He worked until his death, spending a major part of his life scouting for good locations for future restaurants. By 1960, he had sold over 220 franchises and was a multi-billionaire. What you can learn from this anecdote is Ray Kroc's criteria for success: diligence, perseverance, persistence, a knack for spotting business opportunities, taking risks and a refusal to retire. If you want to change your life story, learn how to put some of these "elements of success" into practice.