I love visiting different places around the world. I especially enjoy staying in a different city and picking up the nuances of different cultures. Even in the US, an experience in one city can be completely different from an experience in another city.
I find it amazing that within the fifty states, we have so much variety. Think about the differences between those living in Manhattan and those in Hawaii. How about the experience in the Rockies vs. those who live in the deep south? And that doesn't even begin to consider the differences between those in other countries. Yes, we are a varied people.
Yet, we share some things in common. Sure, we are all part of the human species. But at the core of who we are, we all have a story.
Whether I am in a different city or just walking past people at the local mall, I often find myself thinking "what's your story?"
We all have a story to tell. Many stories, actually.
We each have hopes and dreams; likes and dislikes; and joys and pain. Who we are today is an accumulation of what we experienced and walked through yesterday and all our previous yesterdays.
I recently wrote on the topic of blogging. As I looked back at this piece, #2 on my list stood out. Be Real.
I'm convinced that everyone has something to say. You may not think your life is interesting. You may think that your stories aren't engaging. You may believe that no one will connect with your experience.
I tend to disagree. I believe the most engaging posts are those that tell a real story which is authentic and heartfelt.
Why do we go to the movies? Why do we watch television shows? Why do we read books?
You may say "for entertainment." That's true. But why do we choose to be entertained by these mediums? Because they are telling stories. Stories which we hope will connect with us in some way.
It's all about the story. You've had life experiences. You've responded or reacted to those experiences based on your own thoughts and feelings. And now you've got something to say.
Your story might not be earth-shattering. It might make someone laugh with you (hopefully not AT you!). It might introduce a solution to a technical problem which has nothing to do with any emotion, but still be important to the person receiving the information. It might be subtle and have a minor impact.
But what if your story contains more power than that?
Could it be that your story would provide hope to someone struggling with someone in a similar situation? Is it possible that your story could give valuable information to someone who is seeking an answer to a problem? Might it be that your story would have the power to change someone's life for the better?
Yes, I believe it could.
What's your story? Consider how your life experiences might be used to make a positive impact on the world around you. Because in the end, that's what it is really all about.
Do something that no one else can do (unless they write a book about you. And even that is not going to be completely accurate.) Tell your story.
If you want to share something here, or if you just want to leave comments, please use the form below.
Joel,
Every story is unique, as is every person at a certain place and point in time. Biographies and history books are among the most important things one should read, as we are all in need of a lot of inspiration for the global challenges we currently have. History never repeats itself, but it does rhyme - as we all know. My story changed more than 13 years ago, when I moved from Europe to the US, a move that I have not regretted one day since. Most importantly, next to my day to day job, I also got interested in internet marketing, and have been hooked ever since. The number one reason for that has been ... you ! Your inspiring writings, musings, educational ventures, training courses, books and what not, had me inspired as well, and while you are less active on that front these days (hint hint), I continue to look forward to your unique perspective on business and life. I, for one, have since been involved (next to my continued interest in my day to day job), in many other ventures in industries as diverse as crowdfunding, real estate, gamification, social media marketing and private equity investing. It continues to be a wild ride, but one I would hope will continue for a very long time.
Hey Joel,
My Dad was evacuated in England as a child during WWII and what still amazes me is how his experiences not only shaped him but also my brother and myself too.
I persuaded Dad to put his 'story' into a book initially with the thought that it could be shared with his grandchildren who live in the UK as he & my Mum live here in the US now.
The book took on a life of it's own but it's so true we all have a story and in many cultures it's through storytelling that wisdom and experience is passed along.
So do you think maybe our blog's are where our grandchildren will learn more about who we really are as people?
Very interesting post thanks for provoking me to think about it again.
Cheers,
Debra
Hi every one after i heard your book about e-commerce i really got interest now i am studying in which part of this world i can do my part .
I like stories I live in ITALY ,one of the guys survives from mouth of Mediterranean Sea fish . I arrived in in a tiny island called Lampedusa .It was really horrible trip but still my immigration pain doesnot finishes .
yousuf
Cheers
Hi Joel:
I just wanted to share a little about my family. My wife and I have been married over 40 years. We were blessed with two beautiful children, Cynthia and Jason. We owned a very small Mom and Pop music store in a small town in Louisiana for over 36 years. Our daughter Cynthia received three college degrees. When she was 30 years old, she started having some trouble with her stomach. The doctors ran various tests and finally concluded that she had Chrons Disease. This is a disease that can be controlled with medication and a person should be able to have a normal productive life. The specialist she was seeing recommended she take an IV of Remicade which they told her and us that once she takes this, she will be able to run a race and would start feeling fine again. Well, what happened next changed our life forever. On May 2, 2002, we went into a clinic to have on an outpatient basis the IV of Remicade. The doctor said it would take only a few hours and then Cynthia could go home. Cynthia came home with my wife and I after the IV. She seemed to be doing fine and stayed in bed the rest of the day and was in good spirits. About 10pm, she went to bed and the next morning, we found Cynthia deceased in her bed. Our world changed forever at that moment. She was only 31. Now 10 years later, my son and his family just had a beautiful baby girl born who has a major heart defect and will need a 2nd open heart surgery in about a year. She just recently underwent her first open heart surgery and seems to be doing fine. Thru all of this, our faith has become even stronger and we have become even closer. The one thing I would like to tell anyone who has kids is that you need to hug them everyday and tell them how much you Love them. In our day to day struggles, we don't realize that everyday with our children is special. For anyone who has lost a child, you know this. If you are ever faced with losing a child and you look around one day and that precious child is not there anylonger, you will realize how special they truely are. I have been working on trying to start a blog for people who have lost a child. Your imput will be appreciated. Thanks for your post Joel. I welcome anyone's comments.
God Bless,
Sam
Hi Joel,
I really connected with this post. I'm not sure why. Traumatic childhood? Painful past? I've printed it out so I can really take my time with it. You did a great job. Thank you. I believe this will help me to help others.
God Bless,
Paulette
Hi Joel,
It is this very idea that resonated with me when I read all your books/blogs. It was this concept that motivated me to start my blog, "to tell my story". I lived in Japan for a while and go back every year. There are many Japan travel websites that tell you about hotels and attractions. There are many about anime and wacky Japanese signs. I don’t see many talking about the fact that just trying to go to the gas station, or to the barber in Japan can turn into a dramatic comedy.
I have many stories that fall under "be real" and "keep it interesting" though It is hard to stick to those blogging rules because they are hard work and don't equal overnight success. It's also hard to tell if your stories are actually relating to people. Did you put a smile on someone face? Did you let them in on information they did not know? You have to hope your original content connects over time.
Thanks for your help, and keeping me motivated.
Rich
www.japantravelcafe.com
Hi Joel,
It is this very idea that resonated with me when I read all your books/blogs. It was this concept that motivated me to start my blog, "to tell my story". I lived in Japan for a while and go back every year. There are many Japan travel websites that tell you about hotels and attractions. There are many about anime and wacky Japanese signs. I don’t see many talking about the fact that just trying to go to the gas station, or to the barber in Japan can turn into a dramatic comedy.
I have many stories that fall under "be real" and "keep it interesting" though It is hard to stick to those blogging rules because they are hard work and don't equal overnight success. It's also hard to tell if your stories are actually relating to people. Did you put a smile on someone face? Did you let them in on information they did not know? You have to hope your original content connects over time.
Thanks for your help, and keeping me motivated.
Rich
www.japantravelcafe.com
I agree with you completely, stories help your audience relate to you much better, and help you give an emotinal touch to your messages.
Unfortunately most of us tend to think that "nothing extraordinary" has happened to us, that nothing we've lived is worth including in our marketing or even personal blogs.
Yes, going through a war, surviving any kind of accident, having gone through unemployment, having had an amazing "life trip" and having lived in 17 different countries and known their cultures, definitely make for amazing stories that you can tell.
What we seldom realize is that it is *even easier* to relate to your audience if we are able to integrate "average joe's" day-to-day living experiences in our messages.
Something you lived in school as a kid, something that happened in a relationship with a girlfriend / boyfriend, some achievement or obstacles you found while playing a sport, the way you saw someone behave or look while you commuted to work...
You can find inspiration in all of them, and they resonate with your readers.
There's a reason sit-coms are so popular TV shows or movies, sometimes more successful than ultra-expensive sci-fi productions!
I am a Christian man and live by the uncompromised word of God. My daily life is about hearing the words of Jesus, believing those words, and doing them. Nothing else in this life matters if there is not a commitment of faith in Christ and to the one who created all things, God. My life's story is a long story due to the experiences I have had in 40 years of life but it is one that demonstrates the faithfulness of God and how He will help those who learn to trust Him. I have a wife and 4 kids (4-13) and have been homeless for over 3 yrs and 1 month. We never say we are homeless because we have redefined the situation as being in transition to our new home. One of the reasons I am in this situation is because I am an entrepreneur and due to business missteps I caused alot of problems in my life. After my last eviction, I promised myself that I would never put my family in that type of situation again where we had to leave our beautiful home in a great neighborhood and become somewhat unstable. So until I have enough cash to cover the rent for at least 3 months, I will keep fighting. I have a beautiful family and a wonderful wife and you would never know we were in this situation if I had not told you. We don't act needy, look needy or seek sympathy. We just have learned to make the best out of our situation and trust God to restore to us all that we lost. It's only because of Christ's love that we have been able in some cases to live in a one room hotel (17 months), a two bedroom apartment(30 days), and two bedroom hotels and still be happy and full of joy with the expectation that one day we will fulfill our desire to be comforted in our own home again. My relatives don't even know our plight and they are what you would consider noisy. We never invite anyone to visit us and people judge us as being funny acting and distant because it is best for us not to put all of our family business in the streets. No one has our home address. All correspondence goes to the UPS store if you know what I mean. But in all of this, my beautiful children have all excelled in school with mostly straight A's and are some of the best kids to teach as told to us by teachers and administrators. We have not been perfect but have done our best to train our children in the way of the Lord so that when they are old they will not depart from it. My wife and I have had challenges as do any married couple due to the stress that this situation can bring but we always find a way to walk in love with each other and never go to bed with strife or unforgiveness. Really, when there has been tension it is short lived because we love God first and know that our only way out is for us to love and stay together. We love each other more today than ever and our relationship is more solid than it ever has been after 17 years of marriage and 22 years of being together. I am seeking the plan of God for my life and have direction and I am expecting business opportunities to come my way that will get my family stable so that I can be in position to help others. That is what life is about to me....serving others and helping others even though it has been a challenge to focus on others in this situation. I believe and am expecting victory real soon and maybe I will have the opportunity to share again on this platform the good things that has happened and how God has turned my situation into joy. I pray blessings on all of you and hope that you can be encouraged that there is an answer to every problem you face in life and Jesus Christ is that answer.
Hi Joel,
Really like your post here, so true! Each of us has a story, not sure why some feel their life is not interesting enough to share - sometimes it just take a unique post like what you've written here for ppl to realize it! :)
Hi,
I am an American who has been living in Paris, France for about 25 years and I write weekly stories about what life is really like here in this fascinating city.
Check out my blog -- at www.inbedwiththefrench.com
A new story comes out every Sunday.
Like I say, spend your Sundays in bed, inbedwiththefrench.
bises (that means kisses),
Christine
Hi Joel,
I am just, due to the recent G updates, trying to take a different approach when blogging. What i have done in the past might seem a little spammy like anchor text optimization but this is what all the sites in my niche do and i had to if i wanted to stand a chance against them. Now i am trying to do a more "be real" approach and don't write for the SE alone. I have also added social buttons to my site to engage my visitors to share the content with their social rings and followers and have them speak about it rather than going out myself to build links. I am not really sure if this is the way to go on after the recent Google update but i will not give up and keep going on.
We have our own stories, Now we should write our stories in the book of this world together. It makes our world more colorful.
At this moment, we also are writing our stories by ourselves, each chapter is always very interesting and have something for our kids or other people to learn.
Thanks for the post Joel.
Regards