July 4th in the U.S. is a day we celebrate freedom and independence. It’s also a day to remember the struggles preceding that independence.
Much like any country’s independence, it’s vital for you as an independent professional to both celebrate your success and remember the events that brought you here.
Honoring your struggle is essential, whether you run an independent business, or bring the indie mindset to your work as a remote employee. It is the struggle you’ve overcome (or are overcoming) that gives meaning and importance to the independence of working on the right thing, at the right time, for the right reason.
What events brought you to independent business life?
All superheroes have an origin story, what’s yours? Something brought you to the world of independent work. You may have chosen to become an indie and taken deliberate steps while still an employee. Or could it be you are one of the many thrown into the life through a layoff or downsizing?
Capturing your own journey will help remind you why you chose this path. Sharing your story will help others understand why you do what you do and your motivation. Your origin story is one of the unique things about you. It enables you to connect with others while sharing your powerful why.
How to craft your independence origin story.
There are many ways of telling your origin story.
The first step is to find your point of indie origin. If you lost your job, it could be your origin is a precise event – a single point in time. Sometimes it’s not a specific event, but something that grew over time. What is your point of indie origin?
Hint: Start with the day you officially became an indie and work backward on your timeline.
The second step includes mining your timeline for the essential story elements including the scene, characters, quest, destination, obstacles, and outcome.
Finally, craft several story versions from various points of view. Each point-of-view has a unique purpose. Each purpose is defined by examining the conversation elements: you, your audience, the context, and finally crafting that story to get your message across for that particular combination of audience and context.
When do you use your independence story?
This story comes in handy in several situations, both inside the business and out.
Inside the business, it’s a reminder of why you do what you do. This is especially helpful during times of stress – when you feel like giving up on the business. It’s also great to revisit when conducting strategic business review and planning sessions.
Outside the business, it’s a beautiful way to answer questions such as: What got you started in this business? And, Why did you leave your company? You can also craft a version for you ‘about’ area on marketing material and websites.
Origin Storytelling Challenge
Remind yourself and inspire others to take the independent mindset by crafting your origin story.
- What action can you take right now to begin crafting your origin story?
- Learn more about using storytelling in business conversations in the book: Everyday Storytelling for Success.
- Want personalized help crafting your stories? Reach out for an exploratory call.
I look forward to hearing your independence story. I’ll be working on mine along with you.
