This post is the last of a 3-part bit on stories and their importance.
- Part 1: Share your story.
- Part 2: Share our story.
- Part 3: you’re here now, what’s the story of now?
My inspiration for writing these articles came from the work of Marshall Ganz. Ganz believed stories speak to the heart of people. Leadership storytelling speaks to the hearts of those in your charge.
- You’ve shared your story of self-development. You’ve stated what happened in your life that you are here to steward our mission and lead us.
- You shared our story. Like the sage, you’ve shared the history of our tribe and our tribe’s values.
Now, this story is the call to action. Here, you tell us what we are to do. You ignite within us a fire to go forth and make the change our tribe seeks to make. To quote Ganz:
I had previously shared the importance of sharing your story.
What about, as Marshall Ganz puts it, the story of us?
If you’ve been following my blog, you know that I’ve discussed the importance of having a mission, being the change, leaving a legacy, and sharing the story of how you came to be. If you take these concepts and apply them, you’ll have developed a tribe of people who believe what you believe. But that’s not enough.
Are you real with the people you serve?
Do they know how you came to be who you are right now?
Share your story.
Your story does not have to be a melodrama complete with abusive operators, starvation, poverty, and horror; though it might be. Your story is an authentic telling of what led you to serve the way you serve. It’s what led you to become the artisan you have become. We care.
If you’re reading my blog, you are most likely working in service to another person or business. Could you be an artist serving your fans? Perhaps a recruiter serving their hiring manager? At the end of the day, you are a human helping another human. But who are you for?
I help people uncover their motivations so that they can build a more engaged life for themselves. [Edit 2/1/2026] For a fee, I provide personal branding services to job seekers with the hope they’ll find a role that allows them to be the change they want to see in the world. It’s fulfilling work, and it’s for those job seekers that need my help. If you are not in that position, this service is not for you. You’d be wasting your money and your time. Who are you for?
You do not have a good reason not to be spending more time outside. Unless of course, your work is outdoors.
The benefits you would derive from spending more time outside are immeasurable.
- Space promotes creativity;
- Outdoors, increased oxygen, the wind blowing through trees supports your well being;
- Meetings are more fun in the sun (I just moved from Miami, I don’t know what it’s like in Winter);
- Being in nature allows our natural curiosity to flourish; we explore more of our world; and,
- A boatload of additional benefits.
I enjoy hiking. I would not describe myself as “outdoorsy,” nor would I describe myself as a “hiker,” I love being outdoors. For me, being outside is an opportunity to explore, and I love exploration. I see it as a chance to learn more about the world around me, relate what I’ve learned to another thing, and build a more massive mental construct of the world. Doing so allows me to see my own role in the world better. What works for me doesn’t have to work for you.
You are not. The thoughts your brain creates does not have to become your reality. It’s your choice. You are not your mind.
In the past, I’ve struggled with what some call bipolar disorder. I choose not to label myself. There are times where my energy may be slightly elevated, and there are times it may be somewhat depressed. But since realizing that this energy level does not dictate my behavior, my ups and downs are considerably more manageable. How was I able to manage my energy? Hello, Mindfulness!
Be the change you want to see in the world. Then, let others take your torch and spread your vision; this is a legacy.
Being proud of yourself requires you to see the impact of your work. To do this, you are required to think about how you’d like the world to change after you’re gone; this is deep.
In my life, I’ve struggled to see my impact on the people I’ve touched. I never felt the need to think so deeply about my actions; I was wrong. I did not accept compliments, appreciation, and other forms of recognition well. As a result, I never truly felt fulfilled, happy, in my work, and my life. I changed my life.
Who doesn’t obsess about the past? Who doesn’t get anxious about the future? Who doesn’t feel lost in the fog of the here and now?
Your Mind as a Temporal GPS
Your ability to be the most effective individual relies on your ability to balance information from the past (how things were), the present (things as they are now), and the future (things as we want them to be). Too often we abuse this ability and, like Marty McFly, get stuck in the past, the future, and search endlessly to come back to the present.
It would be great if we are producing new work, art, ideas, innovations, opportunities each day that we can be proud of, wouldn’t it?
It’s not always the case.
We must bring to bear all of our strengths, effort, and drive to build some thing; and then, after we’ve put in all that work, we can be proud.
Still, it’s not always the case.
As leaders, marketers, professionals, artists, pick a profession: we have a responsibility to be proud of our work. In spite of the importance, I observe that we’re not always proud; but we can be.
Give of yourself freely to people that need help.
Today, I had the most fulfilling experience I’ve had since returning to Milwaukee. I helped a startup company and a recent college graduate. The help I was able to provide was valuable and enabled them to create the change they wanted to see in the world. I, very well, could have asked for money in exchange for the valuable services provided. I did not.