3 Ways to Tell Your Compelling Story in Under 30 Seconds

“So what’s your story?”

The first time I heard that at an event, I felt at a loss for words.

My story? What the heck should I say? Do you want my full autobiography? Something else?

It’s an editorial challenge — giving a narrative that is concise, memorable, and meaningful to the person with whom we are speaking.

But it need not be an insurmountable challenge.

Here are three concrete strategies we can use when trying to describe ourselves, all of which I have found personally to be helpful.

The Belief

What is a core belief that drives how you spend your time in the world?

When Jared Matthew Weiss explained this framework to me, here was his (perhaps not exactly word for word, but at least 90% accurate): “I believe that self-expression is the key to freedom, and I spend my time helping people create opportunities for others to find their voice.”

His belief was in the power of expression, and it drives everything that he does.

Perhaps you believe in the power of empathy.

Maybe you believe in the value of laughter.

It might even be that you believe that personal health is the most important thing in our lives.

Whatever may be the core underlying belief that drives you every day, sharing it can give compelling clarity to others.

The Thread

This one can be especially helpful for those who have taken a less linear approach to their career.

If you have done a range of work in your life, what connected all that you did — was there a common passion, interest, or skill?

As a teacher who decided to work in behavior science before moving into the startup world and venture capital, I’ve had a lot of questions about my path.

To find an answer, I’ve looked back and parsed through what all of these disparate careers had in common. All the work resonated with me — I just had to figure out why.

I realized that in every position I’ve taken on, my motivation was that there was an ecosystem in which some lack of community was preventing people from achieving their goals. Whether it was students in classrooms, brands and their audiences, or investors and entrepreneurs, this was the driving need that I sought to address.

So when somebody asks me about myself, the answer is: I am a community geek.

And then I can dive into that thread however I want.

Have you always been a storyteller? A listener? A builder? A rule-breaker?

Find the thread that sews all the pieces of your life together, and you have an interesting story tell.

The Problem

This last one is similar to The Belief. A way of thinking about this structure is trying to answer the questions, “What problem is worth your time?” or “What do you hate?”

On the problem-solving side, Scott Harrison of charity:water might say his problem is that for millions of people, clean drinking water is not a possibility.

Kathryn Minshew of The Muse might say that she wants no person to be lost when searching for a meaningful career.

On the side of hate, Shan-Lyn Ma, the founder of wedding registry startup Zola, might say she hates terrible wedding gifts.

Noam Bardin of Waze might simply say that he hated traffic.

If you geek out about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, you could say you hate people who don’t appreciate a good hero’s journey.

If you are a traveler, you could say you spend time with people who hate a sedentary life.

If you love to cook, you could say you enjoy people who hate bland food.

Stating what problem you are solving, or what you hate, may draw people into a conversation more than you would expect.

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What do you believe?

What thread connects the elements of your life?

What do you hate?

Any of these three frameworks could be repurposed for your own compelling story.