Know Your Story

I remember the stories my mother would read to me before bedtime. Tales of Chicken Little, The Giving Tree and the 3 Billy Goats Gruff and chapters of many other books created lasting imagery for me where the illustrations left off.

Some of those lessons I learned in my twin-sized bed are the cornerstone of what many authors of self-help and organizational leadership books have built their writing, speaking and consulting careers on: Be wise, serve others well and don’t be greedy.

We all enjoy a good story, especially those which help to teach, inspire and cause us to hope. And though many stories are universal, they are exclusive when it comes to our own. Elements of your story may share some commonality with others, but your unique personhood is the difference.

How would you describe your character at different points along the way? How did you navigate challenges? Who was there to coach, mentor or guide you? Where were you the hero and/or the villain? What did you learn? All of these are unique to your story.

We often don’t know our stories because we haven’t asked ourselves these and other questions to arrive at the answer.

It’s not that we don’t have a story to tell, we have a problem telling our story. Both non-profit and for-profit organizations budget a large sum of money for story consultants to help them better tell their story to introduce them to potential donors and clients.

What about your personal story? Is it worth asking yourself the questions and finding the answers to build that relationship, perform well and grow in your career, or bring clarity to what God has done and is continuing to do in your life as you move forward in your journey?