Storytelling Mistakes: If I Can Do It, You Can Do It

We’ve all heard that speaker, the one with a particular type of poor me story that can actually be dangerous.

I had a wonderful career doing what I loved and making lots of money.

I lived in a beautiful house and drove a nice car.

I had a lovely wife and beautiful children.

I was living the dream. Until I started fooling around with pills.

It was just once in a while, you know, for fun.

I was sure I was in control until I wasn’t.

And then it was all gone. I woke up alone, shivering beside a dumpster, smelling terrible, and wondering, how could this have happened? Pretty dramatic stuff, right?

And we know what happens next. The speaker finds Jesus, goes to a rehab program, loses a loved one because they were intoxicated.

Or makes a promise to God and receives instant redemption. Something happens that catalyzes the turnaround. And then they say it, I’m nobody special, but I pulled myself out of my dive and so can you. If I can do it, you can do it.

And here’s the problem.

Someone in your audience might be a bigger loser than you were. Someone in your audience might decide that if you, nobody special could do it, and they’re still struggling, their situation must be hopeless. Backfire. And many people in your audience will be in complete control of their lives. They’re not struggling with self-destructive impulses, and they don’t need this message.

If I can do it, you can do it stories come from a loving desire to help others, but thousands of speakers are out there telling the same story.

You are so much more than your adverse circumstances. If those struggles have taught you anything, you’ll have something to share on the stage.