Lessons Learned as a Professional Motivational Speaker – Everyone Has a Story

Everyone Has a Story.

Storytelling can break down barriers. Whether it is a room of 7 or 100 people, it offers endless possibilities for discovery. As a professional motivator, I help bring stories to the surface – because that is where the magic happens.

One of my favorite exercises is ‘Two Truths and a Tale’ where each audience member writes down two things about themselves that are true, and one thing that is fictitious. The more outrageous, the better!

I encourage the audience to use the right side of their brains to get creative and I offer examples of “truths” that have stumped people from Gander, Newfoundland to Victoria, B.C., to San Diego, California. Audience members then circulate about the room revealing what they have written to see how many people are able to identify their “tale”.

At a recent event, a woman in the audience shared the following ‘Two Truths and a Tale’:

1. I threw up on the Maid of the Mist.
2. My car was hit by a flying mattress.
3. I was married by Elvis.

Can you spot the tale?

This woman had in fact been married by Elvis. And her car HAD been struck by a flying mattress. She had never been on the Maid of the Mist for fear of getting motion sickness – but it was on her ‘Bucket List’ (quite literally). 

You never know what you will find out. And the results are often hilarious!

Another one that stood out for me came from a senior executive of a leading Retirement and Long Term Care Organization. His truth: ‘I was grounded for 2 weeks by my parents for selling cigarettes to my grade 5 classmates’. He remembered it as one of the most formative entrepreneurial experiences in his distinguished career.

What this exercise points out is that people who work together often know very little about their colleagues or their leadership team outside of the workplace. I believe knowing a little bit more about the people we work with helps bring people together as a team and strengthens relationships.

Lesson Learned:

Everyone has a story and I am always amazed at how sharing stories creates so much positive energy. Stories bring meaning and understanding to our lives. They can also help teams within organizations break down barriers, improve communication, and foster a more positive workplace environment.

I look forward to sharing more stories in future instalments of “Lessons Learned as a Professional Motivational Speaker”!

Meg Soper is a motivational humorist speaker who can help you learn to shift your perspective and laugh along the way of life as you take on life’s stressors. Get in touch with Meg today!

See Meg’s speaking for yourself! Watch these clips.

More posts? Bring it on!

• Life as a Professional Motivational Speaker – Lessons Learned
• Meg’s Vlog: Humour in Adversity
• In the Comfort Zone? Try Stepping Out!