What’s your story worth? (1/4)

What’s your story worth?

A lot more than you think!

We all know that telling our story is important, but did you know that it can also increase your value in business and in life?

Turns out our stories are not only our most powerful and invaluable asset, but they are also the most neglected and underdeveloped of our natural resources. And that includes both those stories you share about yourself and those that others share about you.

And here’s the thing. You shouldn’t have just one go-to story. You really need to have a portfolio of stories and anecdotes on hand.

What stories should you be telling? Well, that’s what we’re going to explore today in part one of this four-part series on stories and storytelling.

So, what’s your story worth? The answer is a LOT!

In fact, the right story at the right time can be worth its weight in gold. Super Bowl commercials are a prime example of how a good story can be worth millions of dollars.

Reality show winners always have a backstory that makes them uniquely qualified for the prize. And just like any winning reality show contestant, your personal stories are not only tools of influence and impact; they are what make you uniquely qualified for whatever prize it is you seek in life. Whether it’s a job, a promotion, a customer, a client, or even a spouse!

What makes you stand out and gets you heard above the noise and helps people remember you?

You guessed it. Your story.

In business, it’s called your value proposition — the unique set of benefits that you offer customers that no one else can. And in life, it’s the sum total of your experiences, both the good ones and the bad ones, that make you the perfectly imperfect person you are.

Try this.

Grab some paper and something to write with or download the Story Portfolio Worksheet using the link below.

DOWNLOAD: STORY PORTFOLIO WORKSHEET (fillable)

To get your story portfolio started, jot down three categories.

Stories you tell about yourself.
Stories your colleagues tell about you.
Stories your friends tell about you.

See if you can come up with three examples for each category. If push comes to shove, you can consult your colleagues and friends, but chances are you already know these stories. That’s the beauty of it.

That’s it for now. Congratulations, you have just started your story portfolio. See if you can add to the story ideas over the next few days.

We’ll develop your stories further in part two.

Remember, stories make us human. They connect us to each other and our world in a way that data and facts can never ever do.

We remember stories. We share stories. We learn from stories.
We create our lives with the stories we tell.

So, what’s your story worth? The answer is simple. It’s worth everything!

If you’re looking for more posts like this one, be sure to check out the rest of my blog posts for Creative Artists and Entrepreneurs here.