April 10, 2010 219 Comments

The Importance of Story in Your Life

I’ve already raved about Donald Miller’s A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. Watch the video again, if you want:

The book is about story, but it’s not exactly a book about writing. It’s about seeing your life like a story. It’s about living a better story. It’s about learning how to be present and interact in your life’s story.

Quite simply: it’s the type of book that can help you change your life, if you’re willing to do the work.

I spoke to Michael Hyatt at Thomas Nelson, Don Miller’s publisher. He’s a great guy, and he’s endured my public speaking a few times so far, so I give him extra credit for that. Michael very kindly offered me 100 books to give away, knowing just how much I loved Don’s book.

So, for you, a challenge:

Get a Copy of Donald Miller’s Book

(This is only open to folks in the US for this particular project. But you should still consider getting the book, no matter.)

Here’s what I’d love to do. I’d love for you to write a quick blog post about the importance of story in your life. That’s it. If you want, link back to http://www.chrisbrogan.com/importance-of-story, so I’ll see the trackbacks as well.

When you’ve submitted your post, fill out this form, and give us the URL where we can see the story. Work for you?

It’s a great book and deserves a lot of attention in 2010. I hope you decide to check it out.

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http://thefightwithinus.com Amanda Wang

I fell in love with this book as soon as I heard about it — underlining, doggy-eared and scribbling notes all over the margins. This past Christmas it was my favorite gift to give away. My living story is still being written, but I have spoken about it recently at Columbia University: http://bit.ly/atRwMp/.

Would love to get people's feedback about it!
Thanks everybody!
Amanda
http://www.mesimoniv.com Mark Simon

Sounds like a great post and it inspired me to write a blog post. So here is why I think creating a story in my life is important.

http://www.mesimoniv.com/importance-creating-st…
http://www.hallicious.com Hallicious

Chris, I think that listening to other people's stories is as important as telling our own. :)

http://www.hallicious.com/2010/04/stories-are-i…
http://grootship.com Rex Williams

Just following instructions. http://therexblog.com/2010/04/11/the-importance…

Plus, it gave me something to write about. Thanks for getting me to dig back deep to find an interesting story in my life. And while digging, I found a bunch more.
http://chrisbrogan.com Chris Brogan

And you filled out the form, right? : )
http://chrisbrogan.com Chris Brogan

Did you also do the form? : )
http://chrisbrogan.com Chris Brogan

Awesome. Fill out the form to make sure you get a copy of the book. : )
http://www.melaniekissell.com melaniekissell

Good thing you sent my that reply, Chris. I forgot all about filling out the “form”. Thank you! You have added value and warmth to my weekend.

Sending you a big virtual hug (and a kiss, if that's allowed here),
Melanie
http://www.r4-ds.es/ m3 ds

For me its fun and interesting to hear stories of families and if only to see a whole different flavor of humanity or a different perspective.I will definitely give this book a read.

http://www.cheapshirtsoutletonline.com lacoste polo shirts

hanks for posting this–I’m excited to go check out this book now!

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maureenmetcalf

Living my life as a story means I chose the theme and story line. I have some ownership and give up victim mentality as I would not chose a story where I ma the victim.

This story allows me to see the many days and years as a journey rather than a series of disconnected events. This journey has a purpose. I get to make an impact and I get to see the impact because I am looking at the full story.

On occasion, I have done an exercise where I look back over my life and write the story. It would be more powerful if from that past, I would write the future direction also. As I take control of visualizing my story and accountability for bringing it into existance, I meet the world in a very different way – consciously.

Thanks for your invitation to write this and reflect on how I can engage with the idea of story in my life.
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peterosborne

Chris…I believe it's important that you not only see your life as a story but that you be able to communicate that story to others…particularly if you're looking for work or becoming a consultant. Elizabeth Gilbert spoke to Ted awhile back about embracing your daemon and worrying about whether your best is behind you — a concern that many job seekers face in today's tough job market. I combined my thoughts on her speech with your request above at http://posborne1.wordpress.com/2010/04/12/daemon/.

If you don't see your life as a story, it's pretty darn difficult to communicate your value to others. Writing your story helps you tied the disparate strands into one coherent narrative that helps you — and others — make sense of where you are, where you've been, and where you're going.

Once again, a timely, thought-provoking post. And BTW, love the new look on your site. Best wishes.

Peter
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http://thejeffbrown.me Jeff Brown

Can't say enough good things about Don, Chris. The Nashville radio station I work for produced an event he spoke at last October. It was a new kind of event for us in that we normally do concerts.

Happy to say it was a huge success with over 1,200 in attendance. I enjoyed the book a great deal and blogged about it (http://wp.me/poeTz-kL) and the event itself (http://wp.me/poeTz-it).

Sounds like I enjoyed as much as you did.
John Waldo

I loved the talk Don gave away from his tour, and would love this book. I first heard him talk about story at Catalyst a few years back and it's been part of my emerging thinking ever since, that we don't have to let the past remain the primary dictator of our future, that our future is yet to be written.
http://www.NWWayofLife.com/ Brandon Nelson

Chris, great timing on this great post. I'm just flying home from FLA after visiting my dad for the past week. His life story is nearing the final chapter, I'm sad to say, and I'd give anything to be able to take the pen from his hand right now, do some erasing and re-writing, and lead him to a healthier, happier place in the story. The consolation, if there is one, is that now I get to return to my 2-year-old boy and beautiful wife and do everything in my power to write and edit my story differently. I have every confidence that I can and will.
I penned the following post on my blog and it'll publish for tomorrow. I'd love to read that book, so thanks very much for that offer, Chris: http://nwwayoflife.com/2010/04/13/this-is-your-…
http://HowToRelay.blogspot.com markhoroszowski

I love the idea of the book – it is definitely a must read! And I love this call for more posts. Just posted to my blog: http://bit.ly/aYNEFQ
NadiaFlores

I heard a speaker say once, “When I was born I was 6 billion and 1″ to refer to how little impact his birth had on the planet where there are over 6 billion human inhabitants. However, our existance in is not finished or determined by simply entering this world. Its the ride and the story that we each create that makes it so wonderful, horrible, special, and unique. For me, at the age of 29, I constantly reavaluate my life, priorities, and goals. What is truely unique about story is how we each have a powerful influence over other peoples life storys. Just like this book A Million Miles In a Thousand Years has now reached Chris Brogan and made him take a pause, each one of us has the ability to do that for someone else. This is truley powerful; when we break out of fear and open up to each other as human beings it heals and inspires, it touches and captures – it frees!

Thank you to everyone who shares their own personal story. You may never know how far it will influence another person.
Braden Warren

Story matters because to reach my generation of people and students that have only ever known life with technology, to get them to listen to you apart from the computer screen is tough. People want a reason to listen to what you have to say and if you can't use story in your argument, then most people shut off. I also think about it in this way, when we are listening to a speaker, whether a pastor or other speaker, we tend to pay more attention and remember better the speeches or sermons that contain story. Our minds are constantly looking for story in everything.
http://connectingmetoyou.com/ Andy Santamaria

Awesome. :) can't wait.
http://kristascott.edublogs.org/2010/04/12/storytelling-in-the-classroom/ Krista Scott

Storytelling in the Classroom – http://kristascott.edublogs.org/2010/04/12/stor…

Thanks for the inspiration to write on one of my favorite topics:)
Josh Thomson

Great idea, Chris! Heres my post…http://www.joshthomsonblog.com/2010/04/12/stories/
Thanks for the review of the book. I'm looking forward to reading it.
http://aboyandhisgod.blogspot.com/ Chris

Thanks Chris, i hope i get a copy! let me know.
http://www.socialnerdia.com socialnerdia

Don Miller is one of my favorite authors. Be sure to check out one of his first books: “Blue Like Jazz”!
http://www.grief2grace.org/ Angela Schaefers

thanks Chris! Yes I did fill out the form… thanks for the post :)
jnswanson

Okay. You've got your post. http://levite.wordpress.com/2010/04/12/the-impo…
Thanks for making me realize I can't write or think or talk without telling a story.
http://www.allarminda.com/ Arminda

What a wonderful idea. Thank you for sharing the opportunity. I look forward to you reading my post!
joemello

In starting on a new j0urney (like writing this blog ;) ) it helps to have a framework or metaphor in mind. If you are coming out of a harrowing ordeal — whether it be financial problems, or relationship issues, or work trouble, one way to start getting some perspective is to see your life as a story. The bible is often seen as God's story, and knowing that He created you makes it important to see that you are both part of His story, and the author of your own. You have choices about what to write in your story, and who the characters will be in it. You do this through your choices. Your style of writing is a result of your attitude and habits.

By engaging your story, you build a life that is memorable. In addition most authors say that a story tells itself, that the characters work out the story and the author records it. Our stories are like that – we live in them as well as write them.

Consider reading more about this approach. Jeff Cavins stresses the importance of story in his Great Adventure bible studies. Also , pick up a copy of Donald Miller’s A Million Miles in a Thousand Years.

Begin now to re-enter and live your story, writing it for the great purposes God has for you.
http://www.emergingconversation.com/ Jason Ellis

Story matters to me because the stories are what drives my entire life. From being born into a southern baptist family with an unbelieving father (at first), to growing up heavliy involved with a free methodist church, to attending an assemblies of God school and college, to wandering off and being in various amounts of trouble, to coming back to mainline church, to heading to a community based church, to helping plant a home church, to now being involved in heading another house church effort….its a massive story that interacts with thousands of other stories. All I truly believe set in motion by our Creator for a higher purpose.

For those interested email me (emergingconversation@gmail.com) or check out my blog (http://www.emergingconversation.com) or catch me on twitter (ellisinzion)
http://www.n2growth.com/blog mikemyatt

Hi Chris:

Whether in business or life in general, there are few things more powerful and meaningful than “story.” Every personal or corporate brand tells a story – but is it the story you would tell, and is it being told well? If you answer no to either of these scenarios then you're lacking the very essence of what makes a strong brand to begin with…The story. There is no denying that everybody loves a good story, and there are numerous reasons why. Think about the novels you’ve read, movies you’ve watched, speeches you’ve listened to, ads that have hooked your interest, or virtually any other message delivered by any other medium and it’s the story that either seals the deal, or leaves you feeling cheated.

A story is the root level driver behind successfully communicating any message. Well crafted stories whether delivered visually, textually, verbally, etc. are the instruments that tug at your emotions, speak to your logic, support your beliefs, and reinforce your positions. Great stories challenge, engage, inform, persuade, entertain, mobilize, convict, flatter, and inspire. So my question is this, why wouldn’t you want your brand to tell a great story? Think about any strong brand and they tell a great story. In fact great brands are usually underpinned by many great stories.

When all is said and done, the brand story needs to engender trust while implanting your brand promise in the minds of your various constituencies in a manner that is memorable, authentic, relevant, and actionable. While branding is a complex subject to be sure, it all begins with the story…tell it well and succeed, tell it poorly and fail. This is a simple, yet powerful message that I encourage you to take to heart.
http://www.facebook.com/adamwc Adam Walker Cleaveland

Just posted my quick thoughts on “story” here:

http://pomomusings.com/2010/04/12/importance-of…
Crystal

The importance of stories: http://www.soulmunchies.com/?p=1218
http://twitter.com/jenniferajanes Jennifer Janes

I just found you today–through a retweet on Twitter. I'm following you now, have written my blog entry, and filled out the form! Thanks!

Jennifer
http://paulzeek.typepad.com Paul

My http://paulzeek.typepad.com” rel=”nofollow”>story…http://paulzeek.typepad.com.

Love your post, love “Blue Like Jazz”, will enjoy Miller's latest book.
http://www.crittyjoy.typepad.com/ Christy

Here is my post.

http://crittyjoy.typepad.com/critty_joy/2010/04…

What an amazing question. One that i will be thinking on for a while!
http://twitter.com/obihaive Joseph Sanchez

It's amazing how now that i look back on my life, I can see several different themes throughout my life. If I could break them into different areas I would put them as:
Comedy – This would definitely be my childhood and teenage years since things were so lighthearted and carefree back then.
Drama -Datting and the quest in finding my current spouse in my twenties would definitely be dramatic.
Tragedy -Loosing our firstborn child in the early years of our marriage was definitely tough.
Action Comedy – Raising two children under the ages of 5 definately has its moment.

I'm not sure if that's what you were looking for when we are to look at our lives as a story but I hope it's enough to get a free book.

Thanks!
Sherry Siegel

My grandmother said she was afraid of “colored people” because she was raised in The South. World War II came, the whole family moved to California, and my grandmother became a Leaderman. Her fear became a thing of the past. I would tape conversations with her, asking about certain times in her life. She loved the re-telling of Stories of Her Life, as seen through her eyes. Later, my mother would corner me and tell me, “That ain’t how it happened….” And off she would go with “The way it really happened.” In 1958, my step-sister and I were left home alone while our respective parents went to work at Tiny’s Grocery Store in Wellton AZ. We got into a fight with each other. As she grabbed for my hair, I grabbed for hers and I pulled. My fingers pulled both hair and necklace. It was a necklace from her mother. I was seven. When I wrote about this incident for a college class, I finally understood what had happened that day. As that child, my heart transformed into compassion and changed the way I looked at life forever.

In telling our stories, it doesn’t matter if our version matches with another person’s version. It is the mirror we hold up to see who we are on the inside—and why we are as we are.
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Lisa Zulawski

This is an incredible idea, thank you so much for your desire to connect and share with others. Donald Miller is one of my favorite authors, and I keep forgetting to buy this book, although I am really excited about its existence.

http://tinyurl.com/y6jysny
http://www.authordream.blogspot.com/ Beth Coulton

Thanks! Blog post done and entered on form…
http://authordream.blogspot.com/2010/04/story-i…

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