I want to know what your story is …
7 billion stories in the world
I don’t care what you do or what you own. I just want to know who you are. I want to know how unique you are, what experiences you have and what lessons you have learned. I want to know your story.
What’s your story Everyone has one. And no two stories are exactly the same.
There are over seven billion people in the world and none is like you. You are unique. Your entire life journey, including your upbringing, challenges, hard-learned lessons, experiences, achievements, and gifts, is a series of footprints that you made at the time you read these words.
Every person you walk past or drive past has their own story. Every person in front of you in the supermarket has their own story. Every friend and colleague in your life has its own story.
The old man who lives alone up the street from me and walks past my house every day has his own story. The girl on the train, who is sitting opposite me and has little tears in her eyes, has her own story. The boy in the library who never stops laughing, even though his mother constantly asks him to be quiet, also has his own story.
Think of the millions of moments, the series of events that make every person cross your path. Who are you really under this exterior? Where are you from? What are they longing for? What makes them tick?
Are you going to ask
Life is a tapestry of people who weave in and out of your life. These people come into your life for a reason, a season, or a life. Each of them has something to offer and share with you. Imagine treating every person you meet, no matter how fleetingly, as a fascinating story waiting to be told. But the story can only be told if someone asks about it. Are you going to ask That person you see standing in front of you, whoever you are, young or old, rich or poor, rude or friendly, is like a blockbuster film ready to inspire you. But first you have to buy a ticket.
Small talk at cocktail parties
When I was standing at a cocktail party in a room full of people, I realized that every opening conversation was dominated by the question: “What are you doing?”
We try to understand and define people through their actions in the world. Yes, literally and for some reason, by default we categorize and evaluate the total value of the people we meet based on what they “do”. And I think that seriously dehumanizes us!
Is it more important what you do than who you are? Absolutely not! What you do is only a small fraction of who you are as a person.
Let’s take care of each other enough and be interested enough in what we can learn from each other so that we don’t ask, “What are you doing?” and start asking, “Who are you? What’s your story? “
I’d like to ask you something, and I’m not asking a rhetorical question. I really want to know …
What’s your story
Where were you born?
Where are you living now?
What is the most important lesson in life that you have learned so far?
What makes you smile on an average day?
What is your deepest and most persistent fear?
What is your biggest dream for your life?
Who are you?
Normalize the question
There is only one way to normalize this. “What is your story?” Question in our society. And that by starting to ask it and by each of us individually being ready to answer it wholeheartedly, knowing that the questioner really wants to know.
Superficial conversations about what we “do” and what we “own” need not dominate our interactions with those closest to us or with total strangers.
I probably don’t know you at all. You are completely foreign to me. But I really want to know your answers.
I go first …
Here is my story. I invite you to respond with your answers and support a movement that cares more about who people are than what they do and have.
I was born in Miami, Florida.
After traveling around the world (Japan, Australia, etc.) and living with my wife Angel across the country (San Diego, Austin, etc.), we decided to settle in Jupiter, Florida, to help our son somewhat to educate close to his grandparents and our extended family.
At the beginning of our marriage (well over a decade ago) Angel and I were hard hit and stuck after we lost two loved ones through suicide and illness. These losses, along with the grief we felt, have long had an impact on both our marriage and our individual emotional wellbeing. This tragic time of our lives has taught us so much, but the most important lesson we have learned – which is perhaps the most important lesson in our life – is that we as humans are able to heal through the most painful changes in life and to become stronger. (Note: Our journey through this season of our lives is discussed in depth in our bestseller The New York Times.)
My son Mac, who plays loudly with his toys and laughs at his little heart, makes me smile the most, even after a long day.
One of my deepest and most persistent fears (which is actually somewhat common among the people I’ve trained over the years) is the fear of taking risks to follow a dream and failing miserably in the process. In other words, a failure that I know intellectually to be good for my personal growth still scares me a lot.
My biggest dream is to gracefully move forward every day with an open and current mindset, listen, learn, explore, question and learn as much as possible about human condition and life with people I love and respect discover. And continue to write books, email newsletters and blog posts to share my experience with YOU.
I am a little spark of divinity, I have a life experience out here that I believe we are all.
It’s your turn…
Please leave a comment below with your answers – tell me something true about YOU.
What’s your story
