#138 – The Three Common Career Storytelling Roadblocks People Face
And tools to overcome them!
It can be hard to share our stories. To find the right ways to show someone who you are and what you’ve seen in the world. To be vulnerable enough to go deep on both the good and the bad, to show the conflict and not just the pretty parts so that your story is compelling. It can be hard to take what you’ve done and seen and turn it into a narrative that encourage people to buy from you or hire you or just understand you a little better.
If it’s something you struggle with, you’re not alone. Communication is a core challenge most people face when it’s not something they do for a living. Storytelling isn’t always easy, but is inherently human, which means you have the capacity for it.
Today I want to share with you the three ideas I hear often from people struggling to market their business, evolve their careers or leverage storytelling in some way in their lives to communicate with impact.
The Three Common Roadblocks to Great (Career) Storytelling:
1. Where to Start. The first roadblock is the very beginning. Identifying the most compelling way to start and drawing people into your story. As Mary Poppins would say, “let’s start at the very beginning.” When you first start sharing your business or career story starting at the beginning—your origin—is the easiest (and often best) place to start. Understanding your why in business and life is key because you can always start there with an origin story to help pull folks in. As you get more comfortable sharing your stories, you’ll find other natural starting places. Here’s an older post on where to start that you may find helpful.
2. What exactly to share. The next roadblock that tends to freeze aspiring brand and career storytellers is what to share. Or, put another way, how much to share. I’m a firm believer in the idea that your story is yours to share or to keep as feels right. How much of your story you share really depends on your audience and where you are in that story. The more vulnerable versions of my stories, especially the ones I’m still living through, I might only share with trusted friends and family. The elements of my stories I’ve processed and learned from, everyone can have, especially if it means they’ll get that lesson too. Know your audience and only share what feels comfortable for you with the caveat that vulnerability is often an act of bravery that takes time to step into.
3. Believing your story isn’t good enough. Your story matters. It is a magical bit of stardust (just like you) and its very existence is a miracle. It is good enough simply because it exists. Our stories matter, sharing them matters, the chance to be seen matters for our sense of connection and meaning. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: your story matters. It is good enough. You are good enough. Share it.
Which of these three roadblock has caught you? Share in the comments and what you may have done to overcome it.
We may need help understanding how best to put together a story, what specific approaches or elements to use, but we are all storytellers. If you need a bit of help crafting your career or business story, I’m doing another live webinar this Thursday June 22nd at 12pm ET. Join me. There’s a nominal fee to register, but if for some reason you can’t make the investment but want to join, reply to this email and let me know. I’ll send over a link to register no questions asked. I want anyone who has a story in them to feel confident and equipped to share it. I hope you’ll join me.
A Story Well Told
One of my favourite social media creators is acutally an illustrator. He has a heart-centred (literally) comic that makes me smile and also feel less alone in some of the everyday challenges of life—and also the not so everyday ones. Check out the Heart and Brain comic created by theawakwardyeti a great insta follow:
Last week, I shared with him my number on rule when it comes to using social media for your business (via dms because I love his work so much). I will share it with you next week. See you then.