“We live in a world where bad stories are told, stories that teach us life doesn’t mean anything and that humanity has no great purpose. It’s a good calling, then, to speak a better story.” Donald Miller
Have you ever wanted to exchange the story you’re living for a new one?
Honestly, I’ve struggled this lately too.
I don’t know about you, but I sometimes find that life can be difficult. There are dreams I have, things I want to do and I don’t always get what I want.
So I get upset and clean up my desk(that’s what I do when I’m frustrated by something). Then I remember that all good stories involve conflict, which is a nice word for trouble or pain.
The thing is, pain is a part of life… for everybody.
Nobody becomes a champion without sacrifice. Every character’s journey means growing through pain. [Tweet this]
Instead we want to be as comfortable as possible. Pain is the last possible thing we want to suffer through.
We don’t have to go through pain and suffering in order to create a good story, do we? Unfortunately, we do.
And many times when we have this uncomfortable aha moment we want to quit on our dreams.
So how do we create a good story even when we want to quit?
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We all have a Story to tell
The story we’re living, is the the epic adventure we have to share with other people. The thing is, we don’t get to tell that story without taking some risks or by pretending that the narrative is just about us.
Something bigger is happening around each of us, than rolling out of bed, eating our wheaties and heading off to work each morning. I know some days it feels like that’s all there is and that circling the hampster wheel will never end.
Yet, all of these life experiences we go through is teaching us something and pointing us to a deeper epiphany of who we are and what are lives are about.
There’s something freeing about letting go and understanding that the story doesn’t have to be totally about me.
To really find happiness, is to live a meaningful life. One that is focussed on helping others. Happiness is what happens as you begin to live out your calling.
So, how do we create a good story?
Let’s face it. Sometimes when life moves beyond our comfort level and things in life begin to get tough, we feel like giving up. That’s normal.
But, it’s really that we need a mindset shift. Instead of thinking life is about our comfort, we need to remember that’s actually about serving others. The truth is we live the most fulfilled and meaningful lives when we’re giving to something bigger than us.
I guess what I’m getting at is, if you’ve been feeling like you want to quit lately, remind yourself of your why. Remind yourself that life is short and you’ve only got one shot at making it count. That’s what I’ve been doing lately.
Living a great story is not about being comfortable. It’s about giving value and meaning to others. [Tweet this]
We find the most meaning when pouring out our lives for something bigger than ourselves. If you’re not happy with your story, the solution is to find a story that is bigger than you.
What does it look like to live a story that’s bigger than you?
As a fiction writer, I love to research and dig deeper into what makes a story great. There are three characteristics that make a good story – in fiction or real life:
1. Often the ending of a great story, has an unexpected ending. You might have had specific plans, but you might need to let them go and embrace the journey for what it is.
2. When you’re creating the story of a champion, you aren’t always going to feel like one. The lead character(in this case – you), means encountering many pitfalls and going through pain, before they get to their win.
3. Facing trouble and going through pain is how a character grows. If you want to live a story that’s bigger than you – a meaningful story – realize that it will mean moments of discomfort. Instead of running from the pain and trouble, lean into the inconvenience. It might be the learning curve you need that takes you to a whole new level as a person.
Once you get a taste for a good story, you see a bigger picture of the meaning of life. You can’t go back to being normal. Chapter after chapter of meaningless scenes in your life stop as you find yourself face to face with the inciting incident in your narrative.
In every character’s journey this is the turning point where they face a decision. To decide to step forward into what they really want or to stay in what’s comfortable.
I’ve chosen to create a story I love. One that brings value and meaning to others. Are you ready to choose a life story that is bigger than you?
Have you felt dissatisfied with the story you’re living? What are some ways to create a story that’s bigger than you? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
*Photo Credit: Created with Canva
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