One Thing: Fact vs. Story
A tool for when your narrative feels like the truth.
Hi friends,
For years, I told myself I hated Zoom meetings. That belief was so strong it even influenced me to design my “Life Two” (I wrote about that here). Ironically, when I pursued coaching, I found myself having meaningful, energizing connections on Zoom. I realized it wasn’t the meetings or the platform that I disliked. That was a story I had been telling myself.
This is a trivial example, but it highlights the power of our stories. Left unexamined, they can shape our choices for years until they feel true.
Fact vs. Story
One place to start loosening the grip is to separate fact from story.1
Fact: What a video recorder would capture. For me: I spent hours in back-to-back Zoom calls as a consultant. Another fact: I multitasked—checking email, reading articles—while half-listening.
Story: Anything beyond a recordable fact. “I hate Zoom meetings” was a narrative I created.
Try this the next time you feel stuck. Write down the bare facts. Then own the stories you’ve built around them. Just making that distinction can be surprisingly freeing.
If you want to go deeper, ask yourself: How am I using this story to keep myself small?
Take good care,
Lisa
This exercise comes from the Conscious Leadership Group and is also explored in the book Choosing Wholeness Over Goodness.