Bios - How to tell a personal story Questionnaire https://goo.gl/qr1ScT

5. At the end of the day, your bio should aim to tell your unique story. *

6. Give away something personal.Despite the rise chatbots, humans still want to collaborate with and learn from other humans. And what better way to highlight your living, breathing ability than to pull back the curtain on something personal -- your hobbies, interests, side projects, etc. *

7. The extracurricular activities we take on -- and stick with -- throughout our lives can reveal a lot about our passions, patience, or level of dedication. Those are the ones you want to feature in your bio. *

8. Writing about yourself can feel a bit, well, uncomfortable. And if you choose to write in the first person, this becomes especially apparent, which is why taking a third person stance when appropriate is highly recommended. *

9. Ask classmates, family members, friends, co-workers for help. Finding the right words to describe yourself is much easier when you pull in an outside perspective for help. By collecting input from them you’ll probably uncover strengths or examples of your professional accomplishments that you may have otherwise glossed over. *

10. If you know of a few people that need a bio refresh, ask them all if they’d like to collaborate as a group. This exercise will help you gain a well-rounded view of yourself and the work that you put forth. *

11. Don’t start from scratch.We’ve written enough blog posts and ebooks and emails to know that, in most cases, nothing good comes from staring at a blank white screen.Rather than opening up a document and waiting for your perfect bio or personal story to unfold before your eyes, start by gathering some inspiration. Whether you turn to LinkedIn and pull up a few profiles of folks you admire, check out the back of a couple books you love, taking a look at how others are positioning their skills and abilities should help you gain the perspective you need to get started. *

12. It is important to start by putting together a list of your strengths, awards, recognition, favorite projects, and positions (both past and present) because it is always easier it is to find the right words once you’ve done a bit of pre-work. *

13. A big part of explaining who you are involves exploring and highlighting what you do. *

14. A big part of explaining who you are involves exploring and highlighting what you do. *

15. Tap into your emotions.Your story won’t resonate with others if it is void of emotion, as I discovered when writing that first draft of my own story. So take out your paper and pen and write down some key feelings that you associate with your life so far. Then write something about each feeling and the story behind it. *

16. List the turning points.People often make the mistake of starting with their earliest childhood memory and moving through their story chronologically. But rather than starting at the beginning, it’s more helpful to make a list of your life’s key turning points—those times when you were standing at a crossroads and the direction you chose marked a significant change in your life. *

17. Write everything down.It might not seem like much at the time but it’s amazing how one memory leads to another and allows you to go deeper into your story. As with all writing, you may not use many of the scenes you write, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have a purpose. *

18. Use the senses.The one thing that will help you explore long forgotten memories is to use your senses. As you recall events, try to remember the smells, tastes and sounds that accompany them. Not only will this help you remember details, it will also enrich your writing. *

19. Find the theme.Once you have compiled a large number of significant scenes, it’s likely you will begin to see a theme emerging. Your theme is the central question driving your story. The ability to carry this theme through the sequence of events you have recorded is what will turn your individual scenes into one story. It may be that you discover more than one theme. That’s okay; it’s likely there will be one that stands apart from the others. *

20. Tell a story.You have your theme and a multitude of scenes; you’ve gone through a box of tissues in the process of exploring your emotions, but have you told a story? As you begin to work on pulling it all together, focus on the reader. What about your story will connect with him? The best stories are ultimately those that connect with the reader the most. *

21. This process of telling your story is one of the most rewarding and clarifying things you can do for yourself, and for others.So step into that place of discomfort and write the words that will bring freedom and meaning to your life. Is it not time? *