These stories encourage bad business and career decisions

We all hear stories that “everybody knows” are true. But often they turn out to be false…and that leads to bad outcomes.

Consider the notion of retirement. 

Many (most?) people walk around with either or both of these retirement stories. 

Story #1: Retirement means freedom. You work for 10, 20, 30, or even 50 years. You experience many frustrations and make many sacrifices. Then you get to retire and do what you want.

Story #2: A couple sells all their possessions to travel around the world. They realize they can earn a good living remotely from anywhere, so they never go home. 

Story #2A: They’re in their 40s: it’s a story about choosing adventure and choosing a business to give you freedom.

Story #2A: They’re over 60. They retired.

These stories are related. They assume retirement comes with age…and only with age.

What’s the harm in these stories?

You don’t see opportunities to create your ideal life, at any age. 

Once you lose those stories you open the door to a business and life that’s meaningful. 

I’ve met people who chose a business that would give them a chance to enjoy several months off each year.

 I met a 45-year-old executive who was laid off. He realized he didn’t need a large income for various lifestyle reasons. He gave up on corporate life and became a full-time artist.

Former WSJ Managing Editor Matt Murray wrote a book, The Father and the Son, about his father, who became a Benedictine monk in his sixties. He maintained a full, active schedule that involved teaching high school, counseling, gardening, and other work.

Former schoolteacher Olga Kotelko started training for track and field competition at age 77; she went on to win hundreds of medals, still active when she died in her early 90s. 

Retirement stories are just one example. They serve as a warning that stories have power. Getting caught up in the wrong story can be hazardous to many aspects of your business, career, and life.

I’ve covered this topic in more depth in the Strategic Storytelling podcast Episode #101. Click here to listen on your favorite platform. 

Alex Hillman is the founder of IndyHall, the oldest coworking space in Philadelphia and one of the oldest and longest-running in the United States.

Alex is an expert on creating and maximizing value from community. He talks about using stories to create and maintain community.

Best quote: “Rules are the scar tissue of past decisions.”

In the first ten minutes we talk about Alex’s background and some stories about Indy Hall. Some highlights from the show:

13:40: For creating community, the key is writing yourself into the story – and now you have a story you can talk about.

14:25: “The story of why these microphones on the table is more important than the fact that we have these microphones on the table.”

18:40: The importance of letting go of the story and letting stories bubble up: giving people permission is the secret.

22:50: How to get a message across: how the Indy Hall team uses stories to help potential members see themselves in the Indy Hall story

25:40: Indy Hall’s unique membership level: You can’t buy your way into becoming a keyholder. You have to earn your privileges. Two stories of how this tradition came to be a part of the Indy Hall culture.

30:00 The role of the leader is to find out the stories everyone else has.