I had the pleasure of seeing Bo Eason (www.boeason.com) speak for the 4th time last week at a Mastermind Group with 25 of my oldest clients – some who I’ve been working with for 5 years.  For those of you who don’t know Bo, he is a former NFL player who went on to write and act in a one man Broadway show called “Runt of the Litter” and now focuses on helping other people (like myself and my clients) perfect their Personal Story.   Moreover, Bo is one of the most compelling speakers I have ever seen.  I’ve seen him give that exact same “Signature Talk” another three times, and I was still on the edge of my seat hanging on every word.  That, my friends, is a master storyteller.

We are not born masters of our craft.  Mastery takes practice, determination, and the willingness to go the extra mile.  I’m sure Bo always had the gift of storytelling, but he mastered this gift through hard work and determination.  He even studied with the famous movement and acting coach, Jean-Louis Rodrigue, who he credits for helping him master the art of movement.  I even watched Bo “warm up” on-stage before his talk, probably unaware that there were eyes on him, and if he was, not caring.  He moved across stage, talking to himself, clearly playing out his talk and feeling into this stage, this lighting, and this audience set up.  And he did so with full on intensity.  This is a guy who takes his art seriously.  And the result looks effortless.  Ironic, I know, that when we work really hard at honing our gifts, the result is a competence that seems effortless because we have so embodied it.  Whenever I see anyone speak, perform, you name it, and it seems effortless, I know that they’ve put in a lot of work to make it be that way.  It reminds me of a swan – on the surface, they glide across the water so naturally and gracefully, but under the surface they are paddling like mad.

If you want mastery in any aspect of your business – whether it is telling your personal story, nailing your introductory sessions with prospective clients, or honing your gifts into client transformations – it takes perseverance, dedication, deep desire, and support to get there.  In Bo’s example, he threw the football with his brother every day (he also was in the NFL), and he got support from mentors, coaches, and masters, like Jean-Louis, to consistently ratchet up his abilities and evolve him into the person he is today.  What are you doing to develop mastery in your business and life?

When I saw Bo speak, I was not only reminded of these important lessons, but also learned 3 Keys in perfecting your personal story:

1) The more personal your story is, the more universal it becomes.  When I talk about my experience growing up and my relationship with my father, it makes you think of your relationship with your father.  The more vulnerable and open we are, the more connected people feel and the more moved they are.

2) If you are truly in your body and use your physicality, people will be riveted.  It is so rare for people to be embodied fully and when you use your physical presence fully, it is captivating.  Story should be a full body experience.

3) Be Generous, all the time.  Perfect the art of giving all of your self, all of the time.  That means whoever you are with, give them your full attention.  Be 100% committed to your audience – whether it is 300 people or 1.

Although I have heard these 3 keys before, they really hit home for me this time.  I am learning each and every day that the more open and vulnerable I am, the better I am received by my Divine Ideal Clients.  I may be less appealing to some people, but they aren’t the people that would really want to work with me anyway.  My Divine Ideal Clients really respond when I show up honestly, openly, and vulnerably.  And it gives them full permission to show up that way with me.  I’ve also found that when I am truly embodied, I have more access to all parts of me.  Being really present in my body, allows me to be more fully present.  When I’m fully present, I am more passionate and more grounded simultaneously.  And lastly, I know that generosity begets generosity.  When I am generous with others, it always comes back to me a thousand fold, and it is so much more fulfilling to be generous in spirit.

I hope you enjoyed this article!  I hope it inspires you to be more vulnerable, more embodied and more generous when you tell your own personal stories to clients and prospects.  I’d love to hear what else you’ve learned about the art of storytelling and how it has helped bring your business forward, as well as any questions you may have about how to perfect your own personal story.

And if you are a guest today, please sign up for the RSS feed on the right and/or my mailing list if you want to stay connected and get more juicy articles like this in your mailbox!

With appreciation,

Tara