The Power of Story for Success and Immortality

There is a new and powerful shift happening in the world today.  It is a change which has never been seen before.  With the rise of technology, particularly the internet, the everyday man or woman has the ability to become the hero of history.   Where Kings, Queens and the very wealthy were once the featured characters in the records of the past, history can now be influenced by those of us who understand this change and maximize the opportunity to be remembered.

We ALL have the ability to leave a significant mark in the world by sharing our unique stories.  These messages are easily sent out, with a few key strokes and key words, to potentially reach countless others.  If the writing is compelling, uplifting or inspirational, it may transcend the influence of today and become the material which guides future generations.

Whatever our business, whatever our endeavor, if we recognize the opportunity found in consciously and carefully sending messages to the masses, we may actually make a much bigger difference in the world than we ever imagined.  Story is the universal thread that binds us ... not only weaving the joy and pathos of the human experience here and now, but sewing together all humankind from the past to eternity.  It is through story that we know each other, learn from each other, avoid mistakes and make progress.

Become a good storyteller, and the world will listen.  Whatever your enterprise, vision or passion, through the power of story and the meaningful effect it can have on others, you will rise to the top!  Good storytelling is an art.  It is not a talent which you either possess or you don't, but a skill that can be learned and perfected.   

Telling story can be as simple as sharing meaningful experiences, interests and wisdom with others; or it can be a more creative medium, such as a short story which "shows" rather than "tells" the vision, mission or effectiveness of what you do.  Let me give an example.   I have a program which teaches people that powerful healing from grief and loss is found in service to others.  To make this principle easily understood, I have written a short story.  It is about a woman seeking for relief from the intense pain of her husband's death.  She is told to search for a certain book that will help her overcome her grief.  In the process of hunting for this book she finds occasions to serve others and discovers, by the end of the story, that during the search she has already been healed.   Even though the woman never finds the book, she does meet the author... herself!

Whatever your comfort zone or ability for storytelling, know that you are important!  We are all living lives of significance.   It isn't necessary to be the best writer for your stories to be meaningful and relevant.  Let me give an example.  There is a book called "Last Night I Dreamed of Peace" which has been published in many languages.  It is the diary of a young nurse working in a battlefield hospital for the Viet Cong in Northern Vietnam.  It was written between 1968 and 1970, and expresses the feelings of a 25 year old woman, Dang Thuy Tram, towards her family, her loves, the horrors of war and her anxiety to make a difference in her country. 

The original diary was the size of a package of cigarettes and was made of papers sewn together with a cardboard cover.  A soldier in the US army, Fred Whitehurst, was in charge of burning any documents with no military value and before he tossed Thuy's diary in, a Vietnamese interpreter told him " Don't burn this one, it has fire in it already!"  So Whitehurst kept the diary and brought it home with him from the war, which was against regulations.

Whitehurst was an intense soldier, but he said, after reading Thuy's diary, "Human to human, I fell in love with her."  Whitehurst sent the diary to Thuy's family and it was eventually published in Hanoi on July 18, 2005.  It caused an immediate sensation.  In a country where few books sell more than 5,000 copies, Thuy's published diary sold more than 430,000.  It was important to the people of Vietnam because she captured the heroism, victories, tragedies and sorrows during a long and difficult war.   It shows hope and courage in the midst of dire and frightening circumstances.   It reaches to the soul and inspires anyone who reads it.  

Thuy's writing bounces between prose and poetry; sometimes she talks to herself and other times she holds imaginary conversations with those she is missing.  She changes viewpoints often, moving from first to second and third person in one entry.  In many ways her memoir does not fit the technical parameters of "good writing,"  yet it is a story of profound importance which has since been made into a movie in her own country.  Thuy did not live through the war, she was shot while walking down a trail, but she lives on with her influence and importance growing as her story is spread. (To learn more about this amazing story, you can visit www.ThuyTram.com)

All of our stories are important, especially if we take the time to write and preserve experiences or ideas worthy of being remembered.  If you make stories part of your business, you will endear yourself to customers, associates and anyone who will be inspired and influenced by your "why" or reason for your endeavor.   Don't be afraid to share them, but do your best to make your stories worthy not only of increased business success, but powerful enough to live on into immortality.  If you can do this, you will succeed at the most important level.