love a good story. Whether it’s a movie, novel, comic book, tv show, or documentary, I’m always looking for an opportunity to be transported to another time or place; a chance to get inspired by the things compelling characters do. We all have that list of great movie moments in our memories, the scenes that drive chills down our spines and bring tears to our eyes.
A few for me:
- Glen Holland walking into the auditorium at the end of Mr. Holland’s Opus
- William Wallace yelling “Freedom” at the end of Braveheart
- The student standing on his desk and saying “oh captain, my captain” at the end of Dead Poet’s Society
My New Experiment
I get one life. I want it to be a great story. I’m going to try a new experiment: chronicling my life via SnapChat Stories. What am I hoping to achieve? Read on.
A good story relies on three critical ingredients:
- a hero,
- who wants something,
- and overcomes conflict to get it.
These key ingredients are what elevate the story beyond the mundane. Lots of people go to work every day to teach music or literature. But I’d watch Mr. Holland and Mr. Keating every chance I get. Why? Because they’re characters we identify with, who want something bigger than themselves, and face seemingly insurmountable odds.
A good story has three critical moments:
- An inciting incident that once it happens, the hero can never go back to the way things were
- A setback so large that we’re certain the hero must fail
- A resolution in which the hero either triumphs or fails
Oddly enough, it doesn’t really matter which way the third moment goes. Why? Because the point of the story changes when the setback occurs. The hero’s goal changes from an external triumph to internal transformation. And that transformation is what we’re really after.
It doesn’t matter whether Rocky wins or loses, he is transformed by his journey and that’s the point.
So SnapChat?
I want to live a life worth telling stories about. I could work to improve myself and then start telling stories – that’s the approach we’re tempted to take because it’s safe to spend time “getting ready.”
Or.
Or I could start telling my story. Press the circle at the bottom of the screen and see what happens. I’ll be way beyond my comfort zone and so I’ll be forced to rise with the occasion.
I’ll live a good story because I’ve committed to telling one.
Join me.
Follow my journey on SnapChat stories. You’ll get to watch as I transform from mundane to purpose-driven. You’ll get to watch me learn how to capture and tell good stories.
And then you’ll realize that my story isn’t about me at all: it’s about you. It’s about the possibilities you have, the chance to be the hero of your own story. By watching me share mine, you’ll be able to hear the quiet invitation that’s always been there, just beyond your hearing:
Carpe Diem! Seize the day!
