As a kid, I loved reading. I have always been exhilarated by the magic of a good story, which is why “Reading Rainbow”, hosted by Levar Burton, was one of my favorite childhood shows. So when I saw that Mr. Burton was hosting a Masterclass on the “Power of Storytelling”, I jumped at the opportunity to learn from the man who read me countless stories.
Whether you are an artist, an entrepreneur, an activist, a corporate executive, or an organization, the ability to tell your story is an invaluable skill to hone.
And while there are many tactics and strategies available to improve the way you communicate, this single piece of wisdom from Levar Burton is one of the most obvious, yet the most underestimated.
According to him, all of the storytelling greats have something in common: a deep and intimate knowledge of self. As he states in his Masterclass:
“Self-knowledge is key to finding your authentic storytelling nature. As a storyteller, it is essential to know oneself in order to [show up from] that authentic place from which your story flows. The great ones all know themselves incredibly well. They put in the work necessary to discover all aspects of who they are, the light as well as the dark. We have to be willing to go on that journey.”
When I heard him say this, it hit like a ton of bricks, because it is absolutely true.
The best creative minds I know have a strong identity, a deep inner foundation that serves as the launchpad for their creative energy and output. It is an inward journey before it is expressed externally.
Whether you are an individual or an organization, knowing exactly who you are and what you stand for is the key that unlocks your narrative. Without this, there is no tactic or strategy that can help you connect with your audience or inspire them to act.
When you know who you are, you can move with profound intentionality.
When you are intentional, you not only know what to say, but WHY you want to say it. You know WHO you want to reach, and how you want them to feel, respond, or act when they encounter your story. All of this is true whether you are a writer writing a book, a professional wanting to communicate with a colleague, campaigning for a cause you believe in, or designing a marketing campaign for a product.
Spending time to really understand your identity, your values, and your beliefs are critical for anyone with a desire to make an impact. Especially in a world where so many problems need urgent solving, we need more purpose-driven leaders who move with intentionality. But we can't get there without first doing the inner work necessary to grasp a level of self-awareness that allows us to access our truth.
After all, as Mr. Burton articulates, “Storytellers are truth tellers. You have to be willing to stand in your truth and express it. Because if you don’t, it gives people permission to forget, ignore, to obfuscate, to change the narrative.”
Know yourself, know your history, know your values, know your power.
Because what the world needs the most are storytellers who can take back the narrative and change the course of history to create a world that includes us all.