Do you have a Story you need to tell?

That’s not meant as a rhetorical question, although it’s surprising how often we downplay the importance of our Story. Because we don’t think its exciting, or memorable, or worth sharing. You are not alone.

My own story begins something like this:

"My wife came home from work one day and without tears or anger simply said, “Joel, I’m sorry but I just don’t love you anymore. I want a divorce.” Six months later, at eight o’clock on a summer evening, one of my foremen called from a job site where my company was constructing a $20 million firehouse. “I’ve got some bad news man, an hour ago the entire roof of the building collapsed. Nobody was hurt, but it’s a total mess.”

It couldn’t get worse, could it? The insurance companies disagreed on a settlement and my case went to lengthy arbitration. Which caused the banks to recall their credit lines, which forced me to lay off all my employees and default on a large project. I was down to a few personal possessions and my faithful Afghan Hound, Björn. But I had a secret treasure that made it possible to move on ...”

The above texts are excerpts from my About story on my website. It's an example of using my S.T.O.R.Y. Framework to structure a story that engages a reader/listener and move them into action. My Framework is modeled after Joseph Campbell's "Hero's Journey" and can be found in every epic blockbuster story from Casablanca to Toy Story to Star Wars.

Visit my site to see story examples and how you too can apply the S.T.O.R.Y. Framework to make people care, show what's at stake, and move people to take an action you want them to take.

Because if you're not telling your own story, you are basically trusting Google to tell it for you.

Ira Glass of NPR once said, "Great stories happen to those who tell them." Get in touch if you'd like some help turning your experiences, ideas or business into a good story you would be proud of hearing others say about you.