It’s a sign that change is coming — and with it, a new story.
I asked my friend Don about how to bring out the best in someone, and quick as a flash, he said this:
Give them a new role in an exciting story.
I didn’t know what he meant right away, but it’s been ringing around my head since then, and it’s inspired this short 4-part series that I’ll share with you over the next two weeks.
We’ll get to the “new role” bit in the next post (on Thursday).
Let’s start with finding a new story.
Although, I think that should be capitalized: A New Story. (Yes, that’s better.)
Find A New Story
Don gave the example of getting married. He truly loves being married to Betsy and being the dad to an amazing young kid.
It’s right at the heart of what’s most important to him.
But, he told me, marriage isn’t that interesting as a story.
The lead-up to getting married, overcoming challenges, finding true love … well, that’s plenty juicy. But once you’re married, you’re into the “happily ever after” phase of it all.
And look, I’ve been married for thirty years, so I know that “happily ever after” is … complicated.
But as for the story of it, you’re kinda done.
So Don and Betsy asked, what’s the story of our marriage going to be, beyond partnership and parenting?
And they found a shared adventure, one centred around hospitality and healing. A new and exciting story.
I think most of us (and this is me too) are carrying along playing out the minutiae of the business as usual of an old story.
It’s got its ups and downs, its stresses and its glories.
But it’s not quite clear that “the game’s afoot” as Sherlock Holmes might say.
Would A New Story serve you?
It means a new role, new conflicts, new ideas of success. It means earning your name all over again.
If that feels exciting, but also a little trepidacious, you’re in exactly the right space.
And there’s more to come in Thursday’s post.
