If you’ve ever taken a class on just about any kind of writing, you’re sure to have heard the words ‘show, don’t tell.’ When it comes to writing, it’s important to let people come to their own conclusions about the actions your characters are taking – instead of telling your readers who your characters are, you show them. When someone is allowed to draw their own conclusions, they’ve invested in that opinion. When you tell someone something, they have to take your word for it. When you show them something, they’re taking their own.
When you think about it, that makes a lot of sense.
This isn’t a little pointer that’s only applicable to writing – it’s a truth we see in our everyday lives. Actions speak louder than words. If we are to be authentic, we’ll let our actions speak for us as much if not more than our words. Video allows us to chronicle how we act while giving us a platform to speak our truths, making for a multifaceted medium more powerful than words or photos alone.
Let’s go back to grade school, back to the days of show and tell. Do you remember picking your favorite toy or bringing your favorite person – because it was something that was important to you, and you wanted to let the world know about it? Video helps you let the world know about what’s important to you, what you’re about. One of the reasons video is so critical to a successful and succinct message is that it has the unique ability not only to tell your story but to show it.
We’re going to be doing a weekly video series on how to do this. We’ll dive into what it is that matters, as well as how to show it in the best light. Here’s a breakdown of what you can focus on to showcase yourself both professionally and authentically, while building credibility and cultivating empathy.
SETTING YOUR CORNERSTONE – HOW YOUR BRAND CAME TO BE
What was your singularity? In physics, a singularity is a point at which a function takes an irreversible path into infinity. Imagine you are a function – what was the point in your journey where all the previous points came together to say “this is what I’m going to do now, and there’s no looking back.” How have you built upon that moment? That’s what your cornerstone is, and it’s a big part of your purpose.
SHOWCASING YOUR CORE VALUES AND BELIEFS
What principles do you look to embody, what beliefs help you manifest your vision into the world? How do you act these values in your day to day life and business dealings? These are the areas that help steer you, your business, your brand, your life. Find examples of how you utilize your core values and beliefs, and show them to people.
IF YOU DON’T TELL IT, SOMEONE ELSE WILL
At some point, you’ve probably come across the phrase ‘nature abhors a vacuum.’ Replace nature with ‘public image,’ and the same is true when it comes to any public facing entity – whether it be a person or a business. This means it’s your responsibility to prevent a vacuum and to set the record before someone else gets to. We live in a digital world of instantaneous communication. This is a place where ideas or claims that start as 280 characters or less can alter the course of history, not to mention your business or brand’s story. It’s important to provide people with media and information that shows who you are… because you know who you are best. What you establish will act like referential armor if and when someone sees you differently.