Finding Stories

I love this, from author Jay Acunzo, about storytelling. 

• Effective storytellers don’t need to experience anything extraordinary. They know how to imbue meaning into things that are ordinary. 

• Stories aren’t experienced. You experience life, then turn THAT into stories. 

• It’s a craft. It’s the emotional labor between initial idea and final piece that makes something a story. 

• You aren’t sharing a transcript of your awesome life. No, instead, you’re conveying how that moment in your life made you FEEL. 

Everyone has a few stories that are amazing in and of themselves. But those are few and far between – the time you got stuck somewhere, or the time you fell asleep in a weird place. Often, hosts will tell me, “My life just isn’t that interesting. Things like that don’t happen every day.” 

That’s true. 

But you have feelings every day.

Lower the bar on how exciting or interesting your story has to be, and raise the bar on finding emotional moments, which run the gamut: 

• ANGER: outrage/frustration/annoyance/cynical/resentful/bit

• FEAR: scared/anxious/nervous/panicked/worried/hesitant

• SAD: disappointed/heartbroken/upset

• GLAD: excited/thrilled/satisfied/amazed/eager/inspired

• BAD: guilty/embarrassed/regretful/disgusted/overwhelmed/ashamed

When was the last time you experienced these feelings? It could be something that happened to you or something you witnessed or overheard. 

Rather than looking for great stories, try looking for the feeling first.

The story will come. 

Keep showing up!