Mike had no musical ability , no friends in bands , no interest in learning to sing or act . He aspired to being - as he seemed to feel was his due - universally recognized and adored . And yet , in his darker moments , he felt depressed and powerless . He ' d flitted between jobs like a bee with a fear of commitment to flowers .
When I asked why he hadn ' t been able to find a job that would stick , his face darkened . " I had to take so much crap from everyone !" he told me angrily .
So he quit , and quit , and quit . Soon quitting became a habit . Not that he put it like that .
" You know , Mark , sometimes I feel I will never get my dreams . Crazy , eh ?"
I found his phrasing curious . He talked in terms of " getting " his dreams , not fulfilling them or attaining them . The consumerist society can shape our mindsets to see everything in terms of what we ' get ' or are ' owed '.
It can be useful to discover your client ' s aspirations , how they would like their life to be , and see how well that correlates with their true expectations .
* What would your client really like their life to be like ? * How do they expect to attain a life like that ?
If we ( not just our clients !) are not careful , daydream and fantasy will insidiously replace intention and action .