Have you ever been in a conversation with a person who begins to repeat a story they already have told several times? Of course you have. But what was your reaction? Was it to mentally shut down? Did your eyes glaze over? Or were you more straightforward and just interrupted them and said, “Yeah, this is about ‘xyz’ and here is what happened. Great story thought.”?
If you want to be the leader or writer God created you to be, this reaction is a mistake. A BIG mistake. Why? Because 2% can make a world of difference.
To help, let me explain something I recently learned from Malcolm Gladwell’s Masterclass series.
Human beings are not robots. Therefore, even if they tell the same story a second, third or countless times, their story will be slightly different. Maybe only 2% but it will be different.
A mistake many writers make is writing about a known subject matter. For instance, if I were to write a book on why Bill Belichick is such a great coach, you would likely learn nothing new. In fact, you could easily google the phrase “Why is Bill Belichick such a great coach” and immediately have access to countless information on his approach to culture -building, organizational philosophy, talent evaluation and acquisition, how he overcome failure, built a staff, and much more.
As writers, we are in the transportation business. Our readers need to be taken to a different place (mentally, emotionally, intellectually) than they were before reading our content.
This is where the 2% comes in. All the gold is in the 2%.
As a writer, the 2% is what is not readily available on Google. The 2% is where people have not been before. The 2% is what people have not previously been taught or thought about. The 2% is what transports the reader from where they are to where you want them to be as an author.
Now back to the person who tells you the same story over and over (and over) again.
As a leader and writer, when someone begins the retelling of their narrative, remember they are not robots. Train yourself to find the 2% difference from when they previously told it. It may be a small fact. Perhaps they placed a different point of emphasis of the story. Maybe they added a small or humorous fact. Or maybe they told it with a different level of passion or excitement.
Once again, train yourself to find the 2% difference.
As you develop this skill, you will then be able to find the 2% difference in every conversation, experience, and moment of your life. You will find the 2% most people undoubtedly miss because they only capture what is easy and most available.
Once developed, you will write about things which are interesting and no one else is writing about.
Once developed, you will be having conversations about topics no one else is talking about.
Once developed, you will see qualities and strengths in your team no one else has previously seen.
Once developed, you will see opportunities in the marketplace every other organization is missing.
Once developed, you will preach the Scriptures in the most compelling manner possible.
Once developed, you will see beauty in what others see as mundane.
Once developed, you will parent completely different and see untapped potential.
Once developed, you will be more enamored with the uniqueness of your spouse.
Once developed, you will no longer familiarize excellence and make it seem average.
Once developed, you will see big benefits in small details.
Once developed, you will not miss opportunities because you overlooked things.
Once developed, you will see gold in them there hills.
Once developed, you could become the leader and writer God created you to be.
So put your antennas up. Take out a notepad. Lean in and listen to that boring person. Don’t glaze over. And train yourself to find the 2% different, the 2% everyone else misses, the 2% which will transport you, the leader and writer, to a place you were not at before.
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