At St. John Fisher College, I was happy to write for the Cardinal Courier (the campus newspaper). My column was based on the stories of randomly-selected students. I would sit in public areas around campus and wait for unsuspecting individuals to stroll by... then I'd approach them and simply ask, "what's your story?" [Today, the column is called 'Fisher Faces' and is written by Jessica Stokes - check out the latest story here.]
Most people would be stunned at first, and almost everyone insisted they didn't have a story worth sharing. "My life is boring," or "I'm the same as everyone else." However, with my journalistic expertise, I always extracted a fascinating story. Always.One student shared his aspirations for starting a mechanic business, and had already been working for several customers in his garage back home. Another talked about the loss of a close family member and how it completely changed her outlook and life-long goals. One girl was extremely lucky, having won a new car and a furnished downtown apartment in two separate contests (when I followed up with her months later, she was on her way to a local radio station to collect a modest check for being the right caller).
Don't insist you have nothing to share and don't let your story get lost in the crowd. Everyone has a background that makes them who they are, and every business has a history that has shaped its current state.
Everyone has a story - what's yours?
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