The Power of a Personal Story
Capital Thinking • Issue #1102 • View online
Bo Eason grew up in a large family; he was the youngest of six children. Or, to put in another way, he was the "runt".
Growing up, Bo, like so many, had a dream of playing pro football. The difference was the strength of his belief and his dedication to "making it happen".
Here's Bo to talk a little more about his dream:
Runt of the Litter
"Many of you who follow my blog know about my past life as an NFL player. I refer back to it because making that dream a reality set the foundation for how I would play in everything I pursued in life.
To play at that level meant I had to become obsessed with being the best. I wasn’t a natural fit for football.
I was small and because of that no one gave me a chance so I just had to work my tail off. That mindset started when I was 9 years old and got cut from Little League. I thought, “This is never happening to me again.”
That moment defined my life forever.
When my pro football career ended, I was still a young man. Acting, I decided, would allow me to take all the energy I played football with and express myself with a different kind of creativity.
So I worked with the best coaches and mentors I could find, including the great Al Pacino, and eventually wrote and starred in my own play.
I didn’t know this at the time, but that play did more than just allow me to live into the dream of achieving greatness on stage. It gave me a voice.
I didn’t have to wait for the phone to ring anymore. The play allowed me to create my own platform and my own business. Everything about my life changed through the telling of that story, which was triggered by my Defining Moment.
Are you connecting the dots? Your story starts with a moment — raw, vulnerable and real.
Storytelling is everything today.
Just do an online search for “story” and “business” and you’ll understand quickly just how critical it has become. Why?
Story, and particularly your personal story, is the tissue that connects us all to one another.
It is irrefutable and undeniable.
That’s why it’s so effective. There’s no line. In fact, it erases every line that divides us and brings us together."
Bo Eason
Now, some of you are thinking "OK, that's a nice story, but what does it have to do with business or sales or me?"
Great Question. And it's a subject we'll tackle soon. Until then, I'll leave you with this video (OK, so it's a link) of Bo and his story.
Do yourself a favor and grab a coke, a coffee, take a break, or even open this while you finish up your lunch. Maybe this could even qualify as a "lunch and learn" kinda deal.
Whatever you do, just make sure you see it for yourself.
You'll be glad you did.
Enjoy.
Eric
PS: for anyone who wants to learn more about Bo and his All-Pro career in the NFL, you can check out the link below.
And you can find his NFL stats here:
*Featured post photo by Chris Benson on Unsplash