The Art of Storytelling
I recently read something that changed my entire perspective: We are born with everything we need to succeed.
The point the author was making was this: If mother nature provides all of her creations, every plant and every animal, with the instincts to not only survive but to thrive – why would we be any different?
As a business owner and a creative writer, it is so clear to me just how important storytelling is to a successful career. Yet our instincts often tell us to shy away from talking about ourselves and our accomplishments. Our egos might tell us that the smallest details about our dreams, our struggles, our failures and our successes – which are all key points in our stories – aren’t important or interesting enough.
“Don’t share them, you might be judged!”
“Why does the world need another business like mine? There are hundreds of people who do the same thing!”
Sound familiar?
When we listen to this voice, we’re inclined to do what seems reasonable or play it safe instead of building our dreams. But chances are, whether you’re an entrepreneur or looking to climb the corporate ladder, ‘reasonable’ success sounds as enticing as a stale cubicle and florescent lighting.
By focusing on what drives us, knowing when and how to check our egos, and keeping our audience and mindset in perspective, we can build the stories that will lay the groundwork for our dreams.
So What Makes a Great Brand Story?
Having a beginning, a middle and an end isn’t enough. A great brand story requires passion. It requires courage that’s perceived by most as insanity. The ability to accept our failures as accomplishments that put us one step closer to success.
Most of all, it comes down to one word: persuasion.
Steve Jobs didn’t invent computers or cell phones. Shapewear existed well before Spanx. Yet each of these companies has persuaded their customers to believe their story and associate them as being the best – or at least your favorite.
So how do we go about doing that for ourselves? How do we create the story for our businesses or careers – one that we’re proud of and excited about – while providing something of value and worth to the world?
It Starts With Checking Your Ego
The greatest – and hardest – lesson I’ve had to learn as a writer is to check your ego at the door.
When I’m working with a new client, one of the first things I tell them is that my opinion doesn’t matter. Their content is about their business and their story. Every single time, without fail, they either look shocked, confused or both.
More often than not they’ve worked with a marketing agency in the past that, instead of listening to them, told them what they needed to do or how they needed to present themselves. This often results in wasted time and money, failed efforts, and discouragement.
By not imposing my opinion on my clients, I allow their stories and their personalities to take center stage.
Likewise, when you take your ego out of the situation you allow your story to shine.
You’re no longer looking at it from a perspective of judgement, but of empathy. Gratitude. Joy. It’s difficult to do because our subconscious wants to hold on to negative feelings. It makes us feel in control. We know them. We understand them. There are no surprises.
But when you let them go you start to feel alive. You feel excited about your next steps instead of overwhelmed and afraid. You can truly begin to serve the purpose you set out to accomplish.
Forget About The How – So You Can Remember The Why
Most of my clients get hung up on the how. How do I ‘appropriately’ speak to my audience? How do I make them see that this product or service will make their lives better in some aspect? How do I make them understand?
They get so caught up in the how that they lose sight of the fact that they’ve been effectively telling me their story for the last half hour. I can see the passion in their eyes and gestures. I’m hooked on the stories that they’re telling me. But the weight of that one word – how – blocks a crucial part of the creative process: the why.
At some transitioning point in our lives, we seem to forget that worrying is a learned behavior. Children don’t worry if their art is good. They simply draw because it brings them joy. Isn’t that the true meaning of success?
Learn To Lean In
To put things into perspective, outside of writing or branding, think of weight lifting. When you’re lifting, there’s little room for judgement. You’re completely focused on the task at hand. In doing so, you learn to trust the process of this repetition so you can eventually grow.
Being comfortable with the unknown is a daily effort. Repetition is the only way to get there.
Over time you begin to build a process that’s centered around the joy of doing rather than the outcome. You learn to trust rather than to judge. Suddenly the unknown is a comforting familiar that you trust to lead you closer to your goals.
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As a writer, artist, entrepreneur, manager, CEO, creator – however you define yourself – this process is all you have. Most of the greatest writers of our time will never be read because they lack the discipline to sit down and get comfortable with the grueling process that writing can sometimes be.
No one is immune from the paralyzing thought of how – but you are capable of shutting it down. Lean in. Embrace what scares you most. Learn to love the process again.
Don’t shy away from telling your story.
SAMANTHA PATERNOSTER
Writing is much bigger than a career. It’s more interesting than a hobby. It’s the spark to an eternal curiosity that has led me to learn unexpected skills, treasure knowledge passed down through generations, and create a space for voices that need to speak.
I earned my B.A. in Creative Writing from Brandeis University, with a focus on long and short fiction. I have nearly a decade of experience as a copywriter and editor. But I’ve also worked as an Email Analyst and QA Analyst at Yale University, helping to launch their redesigned Giving page circa 2014.
Most recently, I’ve started my own business – Creatively You. Built for my clients, it is founded on one simple act: listening. By listening to my clients’ dreams and needs, I am able to help them develop their brands through cohesive web design and content that tells their stories.
I don’t believe in linear paths. I do believe in the magic that embracing the unknown can bring.
