Your story is nothing but a mirror. It will emotionally move your audience into action only when it will reflect a total eclipse between your brand story and your customer’s personal story.” – Shlomi Ron.
Have you experienced floodlighting? The speaker overshares intimate details from their life, leaving you shocked, uncomfortable and unable to respond.
How about a speaker’s story filled with graphic detail that leaves you feeling manipulated and somewhat violated.
The reality is that using vulnerability and being vulnerable are two very different things.
This week in Unstoppable Mindset, I sat down with one of our Unleash The Power Of Your Story students, Patricia Larocque. First, you will learn why you should never share a story that makes you feel vulnerable unless the story conveys a lesson that leaves your audience empowered. Then, be part of our candid conversation as we share the personal work that every speaker must do to find the story that earns them the right to position themselves as the guide, coach or mentor.
Facts tell, but stories sell. The truth is we are bombarded by facts and data all day, every day. In other words, unless something stands out in a meaningful way and it ties back to a story that resonates, it goes in one ear and out the other. Stories work because everyone can relate to them.
Why Walking Your Talk Is Critical? – Earn The Right!
The secret to getting noticed despite all the noise in the marketplace is ETR. You’ve probably heard the phrase that leaders have to talk the talk and then walk the walk.
Earning the right on stage is your ability to tell the story that lets the audience know you have walked in their shoes. It’s the ability to tell the story that lets them know you understand their pain, frustration or struggles. It is not theory, but the “walk of experience” The key is to use every experience you have and give it back to your audience. To develop a listening that can only come from experience. Patricia shared that earning the right is going through the journey and struggles, making mistakes and continuing to walk the walk.
For Patricia, getting to this level required a few key strategies: mindset shift, choosing the people she surrounds herself with and becoming passionate about reading and books. Reading allowed her to tap into her creativity and fueled her imagination. Reading helps with constant content creation and personal growth. The reality is earning the right is to continuously uplevel yourself and your programs. It is more than just learning skills. It is your commitment to personal mastery and lifelong learning.
“We all have a life story and a message that can inspire others to live a better life or run a better business. Why not use that story that message to serve others and grow a real business doing it?” – Brendon Burchard
Sharing a story about yourself makes you vulnerable. Since stories are about transformation, telling a personal story requires you to reveal a flaw, error, or roadblock that was difficult to overcome. ETR through vulnerability allowed Patricia to shift her mindset and transform vulnerability into strength and triumphant experience. Being vulnerable in terms of speaking, training and mentoring uses vulnerability to convey a lesson. Consider it’s your willingness to be vulnerable that connects you with your audience. It is your journey that sets the stage for the best teachings. The lesson learned and the knowledge you acquired along the way move your divine client and make them interested in learning more. When you pretend to be perfect, it puts up a wall and makes you seem unapproachable and unrelatable. Revealing your imperfections makes you more relatable and attractive to the audience. People will naturally want to work with you. They will seek you out.
The truth is any time you put your pen to paper or place your work in front of an audience, you become vulnerable. Through the ETR, essentially, your brand is relatable because your audience, the people you are trying to communicate with, also struggle. We can all relate to stress, insecurity, foolishness after making a mistake, and fear when trying something new.
To learn more about the art of connecting through your story, join us for our complimentary training, Magnetize And Monetize The Virtual Stage.