The first step in telling a good story is to live one.

An important traditional belief of the Aborigine tribes of Australia is that “reality” is nothing more than an outcome of the "stories" we tell and listen to. Consequently, these people revere and master the art of creating and listening to wonderful stories about themselves and their purpose in life. Such story-telling requires generating intention and visions, both on the part of the teller and the listener.

This custom lives in various forms throughout the human experience, it’s just that most of us have it backwards – we think that the stories we tell are a product of reality rather than generators of it.

Whether or not you completely accept this idea, consider something for a minute. Are the stories that you tell, and re-tell, about life worth re- telling? Are they stories that capture beauty and spirituality? Do they keep others warm and comfortable at night? Do they inspire greatness or courage? Do they delight? Or are your stories mostly semi-conscious reflections on the contrived travail of life? Really think about it. In the course of a single day, what "stories" do you generate and participate in about work, politics, relationships or your dreams? What do your stories say about your life?

Here’s an interesting thought. What if people lived their lives in such a way that others were uplifted and made greater by the stories of that life? What stories might we generate if that were the case?

Just for kicks, if you’re not doing it already, why not spend the next 30 days using your life to write the kind of stories you'd like to be remembered for. Could be interesting, huh?

Enjoy.