So…what’s your story?

There’s been a lot of buzz lately about stories and story
telling and the effectiveness of communicating a good story whether you are
marketing or advertising or ministering. Whether you’ve been reading Seth Godin
or Roy Williams in the past few weeks; you’ve been reading a lot about
effective story telling.

Recently, I’ve been reading a Tom Peters manifesto from
ChangeThis. It’s called “100 Ways to Help You Succeed.” (Download 14.03.100Ways.pdf
). Here are some great quotes he uses:

“We are in the twilight of a society based on data. As
information and intelligence become the domain of computers, society will place
more value on the one human ability that cannot be automated: emotion.
Imagination, myth, ritual—the language of emotion—will affect everything from
our purchasing decisions to how we work with others. Companies will thrive on
the basis of their stories and myths. Companies will need to understand that
their products are less important than their stories.”

Rolf Jensen, Copenhagen Institute for Future Studies

And this one:

“The last few decades have belonged to a certain kind of
person with a certain kind of mind—computer programmers who could crank code,
lawyers who could craft contracts, MBA’s who could crunch numbers. But the keys
to the kingdom are changing hands. The future belongs to a very different kind
of person with a very different kind of mind—creators and empathizers, pattern
recognizers and meaning makers. These people—artists, inventors, designers,
storytellers, caregivers, consolers, big picture thinkers—will now reap
society’s richest rewards and share its greatest joys.”

Dan Pink, “A Whole New Mind”

I’ve thought of myself as a storyteller for years. I’m sure
this comes from growing up at camp and being the proud son of a storyteller. In
fact, now in my current life as a marketer, I’m more convinced than ever that
the some of the most powerful words in the English language are “Let me tell
you a story.” Immediately, people, no matter the age, lean forward and quiet
down. Everybody, it seems, wants a story. We want that bit of escape and
fantasy. We want to believe.

Of course, some of the most powerful teaching in the New
Testament came from stories or parables that Jesus himself told. I think we can
assume he knew what he was doing when it came to effective communication.

But right now I don’t want to talk about my stories or the
stories that Jesus told. I want to talk about YOUR story. We all have a story.
We tell it everyday. We live out the lines, the characters, the plots. What’s
the story that your life is telling everyday? What will be the story told about
you after you leave? Will you create a legend or not?

Given the power of a good story…that gives each of us a
tremendous amount of power. So go ahead…work on your story…and make it a good
one!