Do You Want To Tell A Better Story?
Life is a lot of fun when we really start building momentum toward a goal.
And, what do we do when we’re having fun?
We tell people about it. It’s fun to share joy.
We want to tell others about discoveries we’ve made.
We want to tell others about barriers we’ve overcome.
We want to tell others what we used to be able to do and, “hey, guess what I can do now!?!”
In telling people about our joy, our discoveries, and our successes, we tell a better story because we’re breaking our status quo.
From July through September, I got to be part of the audience as my brother-in-law, Dave, was telling a great story.
Because of the Peloton, Dave had gotten into cycling. I think Julie and I started hearing about Dave’s interest in the Peloton about a year ago. At first, workouts on the Peloton would periodically come up in conversations.
In May, as momentum was building, I remember a FaceTime call where Dave hopped on the Peloton saying, “hey, I just want to make sure you recognize me.”
Dave was having fun with the Peloton. And his family, in turn, was starting to have fun with it, too.
However, something changed this summer. Dave started logging more and more time and miles on the Peloton.
And, as a result, he started developing points of reference. He was telling us about coaches he really liked because of the intensity of their workouts. He was having discoveries about cycling, cycling mechanics, and different types of workouts. He started to identify barriers that he wanted to beat. He started telling us what he used to be able to do and, “hey, guess what I can do now!?!”
Dave started setting goals.
And, as Dave started setting more regular and more challenging monthly goals, he got more intrigued with some of the nuances of cycling.
The phone would ring regularly.
And Dave, Julie, and I would geek out and talk cycling. He knew we loved it and it was fun to talk with—and support—someone who was also enjoying cycling.
Because of the goals Dave was setting, working toward, and achieving, he was building a great story. A story that Julie and I both enjoyed being an audience for. After each conversation, Julie and I would smile, eager for the next call to continue listening to the story unfold as Dave broke his status quo.
A good story does that.
It’s fun.
It pulls you in.
And, we can all tell a story that’s fun and pulls others—including ourselves—in. We just have to do two things:
Pick a goal that scares the shit out of you. Deep down you know that you can do it, but you know it’s going to take a heck of a lot of work.
Pick a goal that has always been nagging at you, but you’ve put off or made excuses because, well, that’s the convenient thing to do.
But, here’s the caveat, it’s gotta be something you love.
If you hate running, don’t pick a running goal—a 5K, 10K, marathon—just because it’s the thing to do.
If you hate writing, don’t set out to write a book.
If you hate school, don’t set out to get a doctoral degree simply because it’s the convenient next step.
Why?
Because on Friday nights, when your friends are out having a good time, you’re going to be working toward your goal.
After work, when all your co-workers are going out to happy hour, you’re going to be headed out to make progress toward your goal.
When everyone in your house is sleeping in, you’re alarm is going to be going off two hours before the sun comes up so that you can work on your goal.
Because on Saturdays or weekday evenings, when everyone else is excited to finally be able to relax, you’re going to be amping up to get the work done that
really matters to you.
Because when everyone else is following the status quo—the normal routine—you’re going to be out doing something that seems so absurd and abnormal that
no amount of logic and reasoning will help others understand.
And, the best part, while your face may not always show it, your soul is going to be smiling. Because, deep down, you know that the more regularly you put together these kinds of days, when the time comes for you to make good on your goal, you’re going to be able to capitalize.
And that knowing leads to satisfaction.
Pick a really hard goal, and work at it every day, and your soul is going to smile.
But, it doesn’t stop there.
Like at least a year.
We’ve become accustomed to quick fixes.
We see infomercials, magazine covers, ads for courses.
We’re told that we can change—we can tell a better story—if we simply invest a little bit of time into something.
It’s not true.
There are no quick fixes.
There are no magic pills.
Dave, for example, worked for over a year building a story around achieving goals on the Peloton.
Good stories take time. When settling in a really hard goal, make sure it’s something that you really have to work toward.
Something that forces you to evaluate your life.
Something that forces you to change your routines.
Something that forces you to change your habits.
Something that forces you to change your mindset.
Something that makes you really proud and that you want to share with others.
The Lord of the Rings. The Count of Monte Cristo. Harry Potter.
Telling a good story takes a lot of hard work, provides a deep sense of satisfaction, and doesn’t happen overnight.
Your story is no different.
Want to tell others about discoveries you’ve made?
Want to tell others about barriers you’ve overcome.
Want to tell others what you used to be able to do and, “hey, guess what I can do now!?!”
Want to tell a better story?
Well, pick a really hard, time-intensive goal and you’ll be on your way.
