If we are the stories we tell ourselves, let’s start telling GOOD stories.
Sean M. Lyden
Founder & CEO, Systematic Selling | Helping Growth-Minded SMB Founders Scale Their Sales (Without the Chaos) |???Host of the Systematic Selling Podcast
Beware of the stories we tell ourselves.
Our inner critic tells stories that stoke our insecurities with tales of doom. They tell us what we can’t do—and how and why we’ll fail if we try. And so we don't.
So, how can we change the narrative?
Three words: THAT’S PRECISELY WHY.
Here's what I mean...
Inner critic: You’re too young.
Response: THAT’S PRECISELY WHY...I’m a great fit to serve this customer because I bring a fresh perspective, with a lot of energy and new ideas to help solve their problem.
Inner critic: You’re too old.
Response: THAT’S PRECISELY WHY...I can bring great value to this client. I have decades of experience that give me insight into recognizing patterns that can help them identify solutions to their biggest challenges.
Inner critic: You don’t have any industry experience.
Response: THAT’S PRECISELY WHY...they should hire me because I don’t have the blind spots that typically come with being overly familiar with an industry. I bring a fresh set of eyes to solving their problems.
Inner critic: You’ve never done this before.
Response: THAT’S PRECISELY WHY...we should give it a try. If it works, we’ll open up a whole new world of opportunity. If it fails, great! We will learn something that makes us smarter for the next experiment or opportunity.
Inner critic: You don’t have enough time.
Response: THAT’S PRECISELY WHY...we can succeed because we will be forced to refine our processes to become more efficient and effective.
Inner critic: You failed the last time you tried this.
Response: THAT’S PRECISELY WHY...we’re moving forward again. We didn’t merely fail; we gained feedback on what works and what doesn’t. Now we're equipped to do this better.
The Bottom Line
Good stories give us hope, inspiring us to “slay the dragon” and grab hold of the “holy grail”—whatever those things might mean in our lives. Bad stories become the excuses we tell ourselves so we’ll be okay with the status quo.
SO...When you start hearing the bad stories in your head about why you can’t, use these three words: THAT'S PRECISELY WHY (...I can).
Sean M. Lyden is CEO of Lyden Communications LLC, an Orlando, Fla.-based consulting company that helps entrepreneurs increase sales through storytelling.
Join Our Newsletter
If you'd like to learn how to build up your story muscles, then join me on this journey to becoming a stronger communicator by subscribing to receive my best posts sent to your inbox.
And you can also connect with me directly via email at [email protected].