Your 30-Second Story

Continuing the week’s theme of ‘storytelling’ and personal identity, I thought it would be good to take a moment to ruminate on the slightly awkward art of talking about yourself.

It’s important because no matter what you’re doing or whatever context you’re in, you will inevitably be asked a simple question that goes something like this: “So, what is it that you’re doing?”

Do you have a concise answer to that?

I’ve heard a lot of people who are doing absolutely remarkable work stumble when it comes to answering this question, and though there’s certainly a beauty to being humble about your own ability and the work you do, there’s also a need to clearly communicate to others the thing you’ve committing your life to.

Downplaying your work is a quick and effective way to lose potential volunteers, donors, and the curious — so at any point, you should be ready to clearly define and articulate your work, and yourself. It’s not a space to boast, but instead an opportunity to pull people into your world and let them understand the people you’re impacting.

Donald Miller has a sage piece of advice when it comes to telling your story concisely, saying:

The 30-second version of a person’s story is critical, and mastering it is a building block for the longer form.

One of the keys is this:

Start with a problem and explain how your life is about creating a solution to that problem.

We all have a ‘problem’ which we feel particularly dedicated to solve, correct, or combat in some way. Think about exactly what that is, find the answer that fits you, and the next time someone asks you what you do speak it out confidently. You’ll be glad you did.