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Do you ever feel that your personal brand story is missing something?
You may have noticed that every other brand story poses a huge challenge, but with no effort to share your own, you wonder if you need to amplify your life events to make your story more powerful.
If you’ve already tried that, chances are it felt fake. You are not alone. Seeing these stories of struggle everywhere can feel like U.S story should be like that too. But that’s not the case at all.
A strong story allows you to seamlessly resonate with your audience and be recognized as a thought leader. But the secret to making it more powerful lies within you authentic story… not a model that magnifies the challenges just to connect with your audience.
Keep reading to discover the best way to take the favorite hero’s travel model and write a great biography that earns your audience’s love and trust – even if you don’t have a dramatic event or huge challenge to build it around .
Related: How to create an epic brand story like that of Elon Musk and Henry Ford
Table of Contents
The hero’s travel trap
You’ve seen the classic hero’s journey: the hero is called to adventure, discovers a guide, faces a challenge, undergoes a profound transformation, and returns to the world with newly discovered gifts or insights.
Although a great model, initially compiled by author and professor joseph campbell, however, it forms a trap. Over time, it has led people to believe that a story is not powerful or compelling unless it involves great challenge or adversity; such as a traumatic car accident, chronic illness, problematic divorce, poverty; the list continues.
We see it all the time: those inspiring stories of overcoming hardship – and if they’re true, they can have a huge impact! But the challenge lies with those who do not carry with them a trauma story or a monumental challenge.
In the end, they try to make their story more “exciting” by overdramatizing their life events, which can do more harm than good.
The truth about creating a powerful brand story
When I was planning a novel in 2014, I found myself trying to force an element of evil into my story. It just didn’t come naturally, but I thought it was essential!
I blindly contacted one of my favorite fiction writers of all time: Richard Bach. To my surprise he wrote back! I was more than excited! This was his advice:
“Your stories can simply tell that your characters want to live a simple, gentle life. What stood between them and that life, and what did they do to make their way through the cliffs? How does your heroine differ from others? What makes them think and dreams What wind blows her to her dream, and what currents set her course How does she change from chapter 1 to chapter 20?
The evil forces, the bad guys, are for writers who write for what they think their readers want… You don’t need evil to tell a good story.”
Thinking about this, I recognized how it applies perfectly to personal brand stories. You see, you are the character, and the dramatized challenges are the evil forces we believe are necessary.
So, despite the familiar storylines, your story doesn’t have to involve this to be influential.
Do you want proof? Many thought leaders have made a significant impact with their unique gifts and message without focusing on their challenges. Like:
- Marie Forleo; who followed her desire to go against the mainstream and pursue more pleasure after acknowledging that she was unfulfilled;
- Jay Shetty; who followed his inspiration after meeting a monk and didn’t resonate with the route his college friends took;
- Preston smiles; who followed his innate desire to share love and happiness, care for others, and do “great things.”
Everyone faces challenges, but not all stories of transformation are filled with heavy, extraordinary events – and, despite popular opinion, they don’t have to be. You can just run with another story; driven by desires, dreams, insights and realizations.
Related: 30 tips to grow your audience and get noticed on Instagram
How To Write A Great Bio (Without Amplifying Your Life Events)
You can now unfold your most heartfelt personal brand story – without falling into the trap of feeling the need to dramatize everything. Follow the directions below and add them to your transformation story.
1. What was your Chapter 1?
Think about where it all started, who you were and what life was like. This is the part that will resonate most with your audience who knows this world well.
2. What stood between you and your dreams?
Everyone faces problems and obstacles, big or small. What stopped you from creating your dream life in the beginning?
3. What “wind” did you blow to your dream?
Before you sought a new path, you were called to action, to adventure. What was the last straw that made you make a change? This can be a moment, a realization or just your crave desires.
4. What helped you “find your way through the cliffs”?
Who and what helped you to cross the line? Identify mentors, guides, books or practices that have helped you provide insight to your audience – and connect the dots to you and your offerings.
5. What “currents” have caused you to go off course?”
What challenges did you encounter that could have hindered your success? For some this is a low point; for others it is simply a deeper understanding or realization that makes turning back no longer an option.
6. How did your success “from chapter 1 to chapter 20” change you?
Reflect on your transformation and highlight what has changed for you, internally or externally. This transformation can take place over a period of time or at a precise moment.
Look at where you are today and what you ‘returned’ with: new insights, wisdom, gifts, experience or purpose. What are you here to do, who are you here to serve and how?
