The One Story That You Must Tell
Back when I was fortunate to be able to teach in-person, there would come this point in some sessions when class time would begin to drag. Normally this can happen in the early morning class, when students were half in slumber, or even the dreaded afternoon session, when lunch was still digesting. The lecture topic would seem too technical or abstract, students’ eyes would glaze over, the air in the room would feel heavy, and a palpable sense of boredom would pervade the environment. You could sense time slowing and attention wavering.
In my early teaching years, I would try and slog through this period and hope that by the end of class some of what I taught would sink in. Later on, I added a few tricks to try and shift the energy in the classroom and give some breathing space. The most effective one was the use of the personal story. I would share a funny anecdote or life lesson from my own student days to just add dollop of humor or humanity when it was most needed. A common one is how when I first started to tutor some students in college, and seeing their satisfaction at improving their essays, it planted the seed in me to consider teaching in my later life.
Most of the time, this tactic worked since it helped to not only shift gears but suddenly make me the teacher a relatable human rather than the punishing taskmaster we are often thought to be.
Find Your Inner Storyteller
Everyone has stories they can share. If you lived long enough, we would have collected your fair share of noteworthy incidents that merit recounting. But many of you choose to keep your stories to yourselves rather than allow others to peer into a bit of your lives.
Perhaps you may feel that the incident is too insignificant to bear repeating. Or that to do so is only a sign of your own narcissism by making yourselves the centers of focus. Or on the flipside, you just may feel awkward with drawing attention to your own lives.
Most of the time, the problem lies with not being able to see yourselves as storytellers, and viewing storytelling as some sort of arcane science beyond the abilities of most ordinary folks. Except storytelling isn’t that complicated. Most of us grew up with a parent or grandparent who kept us in rapt attention with a fairy tale that still rings in the memory.
It takes practice before your story can flow from your tongue easily. You learn how to build momentum, add tiny details here and there, and then land the clincher at the moment of impact, before ending with the moral of what you learned. With enough repetition, the delivery just gets better.
The question is if you have to work on one story of importance, a story that resonates and that you can take with you and use at the critical time, which story should it be?
The Story of ‘Why’
One story bears repeating more than others. That story is the story of ‘why’.
Everyone has a path that defines a large part of their character. It can be your career, your volunteerism, your family, your philanthropy, or your activism. But it animates your mind, time and energy. It is the intersection of who you are and what you do.
But we don’t end up on this path randomly. There is normally a defining moment, such as a chance meeting or a serendipitous series of events or encountering an inspirational personality, that drives you to your calling. This is the story we should arm ourselves with.
For example, recall the time when being bullied in the schoolyard inspired you to take on gym training as your lifelong pursuit, or when passing an exam you thought you were destined to fail changed your own perspective on the limits of your intellectual merit.
The story can either be what got you started on your path in the first place, or an incident that captures the essence of your ‘why’, of why you do what you do, and showcases your connection to your personal or professional path.
The Strategic Story
When do we need to tell our personal story? The best time is when it is necessary show how your path is not one of mere utility or convenience, but one of intention and insight. Your story humanizes you and gives the oomph when you speak from experience.
It can be the same story of ‘why’ but you can use it in different scenarios. In an interview, a speech, or a social media post. To rally your team or to connect with a client. Your story, your why, is a constant reminder, and something you can readily employ when there is an ear to listen.
So mine the reservoir of your experiences, search out for the interesting tidbits and eye-popping details, and build that story that defines the person you are today.
