What’s your (creative) story?

Yesterday I attended Karen William’s workshop “What to do when everyone is selling the same as you”. During the workshop Karen presented three strategies that can help you to stand out in your business. One of these strategies was to know and share your story. This made me wonder: What makes a good story?

Always happy to watch a great TED talk I discovered Andrew Stanton’s talk: The clues to a great story. Andrew Stanton is an American film director and the creator of animated movies like Toy Story, Finding Nemo and Wall-e.

So, why are stories so important and how can they help us to stand out in the business world? I would like to start with a quote from Andrew’s talk. He described that the American Children’s television host Mr Fred Rogers always carried the following quote from a socialworker in his pocket:

 “Frankly there isn’t anybody you cannot learn to love once you heard their story.”

We are wired for stories. Stories help us to connect, to find the common human thread. Stories help us to remember and to learn. Stories give meaning to our life. We love the hero’s journey, the struggle and the resolution. Stories heal. Stories light up our brain, they help us to feel empathy.

Andrew identified the following elements which make a great story:

1)   Make the audience care, emotionally and intellectually.

2)   Give value. Make it worthwhile for your audience to invest their time.

3)   Create anticipation and curiosity. Make your audience wonder how the story might end. Make them want to stay with your story through to the end.

4)   Use the unifying theory of 2+2: humans are problem solvers, don’t give all the answers (don’t give 4, give 2+2), let your audience do some of the work.

5)   Give your story structure: beginning, middle and end.

6)   What is the underlying theme to your story? Know your ‘punchline’.

7)   Who are you? What drives you? What’s your hero/heroine’s story? What challenges have you overcome? What have you learnt on the way?

8)  Add the secret sauce: Inspire wonder.

9)   Use what you know. Truth is authentic and creates meaning.

And finally and most importantly: Enjoy telling your story. It also helps if you like the main character of your story which in this case is you.

Telling your story will not only help you to stand out in your business it will also help you to clarify the big questions for yourself: Why am I here? What am I meant to do with my life?

I like to finish with a quote by the Dalai Lama:

“To be born at all is a miracle. What are you’re going to do with your life?”

What is your creative story of wonder? Go, inspire yourself, inspire the world.