SHARE THE STORIES - The Why Behind Your Wisdom

4 min readFeb 18, 2020

The facts are clear. We — that is, my generation — are now the elders.

Perhaps the death of both my mother and mother-in-law within sixty days helped to bring this reality into sharper relief. My contemporaries and I are the ones who will inform, counsel and share past legacies with those who come next. Of course, this is as it should be. Each generation passes the torch. The river continues to flow.

With this understanding, I have dedicated this season of my life to promoting the importance of storytelling. My personal losses of the past year have bolstered my belief that I’ve made the correct decision.

If Not Us, Then Who?

Storytelling connects people in a way that nothing else can. A well-told story creates empathy that lets us see ourselves within the context of the message. This “relatability” is what makes storytelling so powerful. It’s no wonder that ancient civilizations used storytelling to pass along information and wisdom. From the cave dwellers to the slaves on Southern plantations, people have used storytelling as the institutional memory that promotes culture, belonging, and at times, survival.

In today’s world, storytelling is indispensable. Commerce and marketing rely on storytelling to make products and services approachable and appealing. No one doubts that the ties that bind interpersonal relationships are the shared stories that connect us — one to the other. I often said during a certain political season, “If Democrats would do a better job of storytelling, they could impeach Trump tomorrow.” But, that’s another story for another day.

The experiences we have over our lifetimes, both professionally and personally, give each of us a perspective unlike that of anyone else. Along the way we hone skills, learn valuable truths, and absorb life lessons. There are valuable stories in those journeys. Not only can the stories, knowledge and experiences provide a testimony for the next generation, but they will invariably build our personal brands in the present as we create the legacy we’ll leave to them.

Whenever I have the opportunity to speak to groups of young people, I try to incorporate one of my “truths” into the talk as a first step in “passing down the stories.” I tell them about a wise person who once told me that excellence is a solitary pursuit. I explain how discipline and commitment go hand in hand, and with those two attributes, you can reach any goal. And although many people often contribute to our individual successes, the commitment to the goal must come from within.

To that point, I believe everyone has at least one thing that they do better than most people. It’s one of the things that makes you uniquely you — your point of differentiation. (Hint: This point of differentiation is often where you’ll find the basis of your story). In terms of personal growth, the challenge is to work hard at improving your weaknesses, and, at the same time, exploit the heck out of that at which you excel without really trying. You might become great at it. Or you may be able to influence or inspire others. Ideally, you’ll do both.

This thing…this “what you do best” is a good place to start when considering storytelling in a personal context, because the power of your personal story may hold the strength to change a life…or the world.

So, here you are. You know you have a story to tell, but you don’t know what to do about it. If that’s the case, you are not alone! And this is where we — my team and I — are able to help.

And now…A message from our sponsors (read: shameless plug)…

From Inspiration to Publication

Build A Book© is a book development platform for people with interesting or important stories to share, who don’t necessarily have the time, inclination, or expertise to take your story or idea from inspiration to publication. Our signature book creation approach is designed to meet you wherever you are in your storytelling process. We help professionals and creatives with unique story ideas; allowing them to develop the book they could only dream of writing.

And all you really have to do is be willing to share the story.

Be well, good people. And as my mother would say, “I’ll see you on the turn.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR