I’m taking a business development class right now, and one of the assignments I recently had was to think about three authentic stories to tell about yourself when you introduce yourself, so that people can quickly get to know you.
I haven’t completed the assignment yet – I’m not sure what stories I would like to tell! (Although tree climbing is a top choice.) From my own perspective it’s sometimes hard to see what others might find interesting.
Thinking about stories also got me thinking about the old stories we hold on to that aren’t actually true. Things like “nobody wants to hear my story” or “I have to know all the answers” that aren’t true and aren’t helpful.
The neuroscience behind these kinds of beliefs is fascinating, and boils down to a couple of things. One is the idea that your brain wants to keep you safe, so it makes up all kinds of justifications for why you shouldn’t try new things because you might fail. Another is stories we made up as kids to navigate whatever might have been going on around us, and while those stories may have been useful to get through childhood they are rarely helpful once we’re adults.
What stories do you tell yourself that aren’t true? And what are your authentic stories that help people know you better?
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