Over the many years I’ve been around (and there have been a lot of them at this point) listening to people offer their personal stories, the most common factors within those narratives are success, failure, challenge, and most importantly, hope. It’s what keeps us moving forward - our desire for a better future - the hope that things will work out.
These stories have revealed the pain of health issues, and even death. The journey of a family from one country to another. The discovery of a scientific breakthrough, or the path from bankruptcy to financial success. Insights as to how better governance will change lives, how improved legal and educational systems lead to justice and equity.
We also hear stories of trauma experienced in the present moment. Stories that have unfinished endings. In recent years we have seen images of migrants in overcrowded boats, hoping they will somehow make it to a friendly shore. In such cases we’re left hoping that those families are ultimately saved and, in the end, live fruitful lives.
Hope may come to us in many ways, yet it is a universal emotion felt by every culture.
One story that I site as an example of giving an audience hope that they can overcome even the most difficult of circumstances, is a talk by Gabi Ury at TEDxSanDiego 2014.
With the odds stacked against her from birth, Gabi maintained an attitude of possible, the belief that despite all the things she didn’t have, there was much that she did have. I invite you to watch her talk, then think about the journey that she has taken you on.
The doctors weren’t sure if I would ever walk, or even live. And, well, here I am. In order to fix all of those problems, I had to undergo about 15 major surgeries, casts on both my legs and my back for 11 years, physical therapy every single day for years and literally hundreds and hundreds of doctor’s appointments.
As you craft your own personal story, make sure you’ve fully captured the point you’ll want the audience to take away with them. What’s the message they’ll be telling their friends and family after hearing you speak? Identify each of the challenges that you’ll want to share, how you weathered the storm of each one and how you felt coming out the other side. Is there a thread of hope that’s subtly woven within your storyline?
I didn’t care that I was smaller or couldn’t run as fast as any of my friends, and neither did anyone else. The way I saw it, the only thing wrong was when people thought I couldn’t do something.
There may be a few in the audience going through a similar challenge, but it’s really the basic point that is important - the reality that our human experience consists of situations which seem insurmountable at the time, but which can be navigated with determination and perseverance, alongside the support given by friends and family.
What’s wrong with me? Absolutely nothing. If you can take one thing away from this, don’t underestimate others simply because they have some sort of “disability.” Most importantly, don’t underestimate yourself. You may not try something that you’re 99% sure you’re going to be terrible at, which may turn into something amazing.
Instead of your greatest weakness holding you back, what if it became a strength that could propel you to embracing a sense of confidence and ability? Instead of becoming mired in what you see as limitations, you realized something amazing about yourself?
While your story is unique, based on your experiences, thoughts & feelings, we all have something in common throughout our journey - a sense of hope that drives us forward. It’s the greatest gift that we can give to others by telling our personal story.
I hope that you enjoyed this post. If so, please share your wisdom and insights below. And don’t forget to subscribe. You can also find me on LinkedIn and Twitter, or even drop me a line with any thoughts or questions you may have about your storytelling.
Substack pro right here, I’m taking notes. Thanks for the inspiration, Mark 🧠 I write JOYLAB, a substack about facilitating joy & fun in communities, plus human connection. I’m going to go ahead and cross-refer you. Hope that’s cool.
Substack pro right here, I’m taking notes. Thanks for the inspiration, Mark 🧠 I write JOYLAB, a substack about facilitating joy & fun in communities, plus human connection. I’m going to go ahead and cross-refer you. Hope that’s cool.