Have you ever looked over at the person in the car next to you, the couple sitting in the booth having lunch or the old man who takes his daily walk past your house and wondered, what’s their story? A friend and I used to play a little game and verbally write their stories as we imagined them, I can still remember we really let our imaginations run wild with some of them.
Now I imagine my own story.
Were you one of those kids who wanted to be an astronaut or fireman or a doctor when you grew up? How close did you get to what you wanted?
Most of us didn’t even know what an entrepreneur was when we were kids and we probably weren’t aspiring to be small business owners. As a kid I remember my dad always having a “day” job, but there were all these other things that he (and us kids) did like stuffing the Sunday LA Times, stringing puka shell necklaces or bulk mail stuffing. I realize now that I was witnessing a form of entrepreneurship that I carried into my life, both in the corporate world and as a business owner. The concept that I’ll try anything and if doesn’t work I learn from it and move on to the next idea.
I want my story to be evident inside and out to everyone, from those who know me well to those I briefly encounter. As I often recite in my elevator speech, I’m never going to look back at my life and wish I had spent more time in line at the post office or listening to my daughter’s “I wants…” at the grocery store. I was my own ideal client and didn’t even know it.
I always intend to spend more time with me, my family, and my friends because, ultimately, that is who I’m writing my story with, but I don’t always reach that goal. Ask yourself about your intentions, then your goals, and what your realistic methods of achieving both are.
All our stories overlap in some minor or major way, having supporting characters is key for any great storyteller.
