Before You Can Share Your Story, You Must Believe It: The Missing Piece in Confident Storytelling
Why authentic storytelling confidence starts with narrative identity, not better techniques
The Question Every Story Coach Hears
"Liz, I need to be better at telling my story. I know I should share more on LinkedIn. I have this job interview coming up, and I know I should have a better answer to 'what do you do?' Can you give me some tips and tricks on how to tell my story better?"
As a Story Coach who's worked with hundreds of professionals, entrepreneurs, and leaders, I hear this request constantly.
And yes, I absolutely can help you become a better storyteller.
But here's what I've learned after years of narrative coaching: the problem isn't your storytelling technique. It's whether you actually believe the story you're trying to tell.
The truth is, confident storytelling isn't about finding the perfect words or mastering presentation skills. It's about developing a genuine relationship with your own narrative—understanding not just what happened to you, but what it means and why it matters.
The Hidden Story Resistance Behind "Should"
That word "should" is a dead giveaway that something deeper is happening. When you feel like you should share more on social media or should have a better elevator pitch, you're often feeling pressured to tell a story you don't fully believe in.
During my recent conversation on the Real Chat With Kat podcast, I said something that gets to the heart of this challenge:
This is where most people get stuck in their personal branding and professional storytelling efforts.
Why Better Storytelling Techniques Aren't Enough
The Performance vs. Embodiment Problem
So many professionals are trying to showcase stories externally that they haven't fully explored internally. They're searching for:
The right storytelling frameworks
The perfect elevator pitch
Magic formulas for LinkedIn content
Professional storytelling templates that "work"
But here's the truth: You can't technique your way past fundamental uncertainty about your own narrative.
When Storytelling Becomes a Story Problem
The anxiety around LinkedIn posts? The stress before job interviews? That feeling like you need to put on a confident mask even when imposter syndrome is whispering in your ear?
That's not a storytelling problem. That's a story believing problem.
The Cultural Scripts We Don't See
Whose Story Are You Really Telling?
One of the biggest barriers to authentic storytelling is that we're often stuck in someone else's narrative. Think about it:
❓ Are you framing your story around what you think you should see as success? Even if there are other ways you'd measure accomplishment, or those traditional markers don't feel meaningful to you?
❓ Do you feel pressure to fit your wonderfully unique, non-linear journey into society's expectation of how a career should unfold? Like trying to put a square peg in a round hole?
❓ Do you find yourself downplaying your accomplishments and roles? Becoming a sidekick in someone else's narrative instead of the heroic main character in your own?
If any of these questions hit home, you're ready for story transformation—that beautiful moment when you no longer want to stay stuck in narratives you don't actually believe.
Narrative Navigation: The Antidote to Imposter Syndrome
Going Deeper Than Surface-Level Storytelling
What I call Narrative Navigation is where real transformation happens in confident storytelling. This isn't about crafting better social media content—it's about exploring the foundation of your narrative identity.
Through this deeper exploration work, you ask yourself the big questions:
🌟 Who am I really?
🌟 What wisdom have my experiences given me?
🌟 What makes me uniquely and beautifully me?
The Power Shift That Changes Everything
When you do this internal work, something powerful shifts:
✅ You get to decide what success and expertise look like for you
✅ You get to define what your challenges meant and how they shaped you
✅ You get to step into being the main character of your own story
When Stories Transform From the Inside Out
✨The Magic of Authentic Storytelling
Once you've done this deeper narrative work, everything changes:
LinkedIn posts start flowing naturally instead of feeling forced
Job interview answers come from genuine confidence rather than rehearsed scripts
You stop performing and start embodying your authentic professional identity
Storytelling frameworks become vehicles for your voice rather than masks you're trying to wear
🙌🏻 From Convincing to Sharing
The most powerful shift? You're no longer trying to convince anyone of anything. You're simply sharing who you are and what you've learned along the way.
And this authentic approach is magnetic. You'll start noticing that the right people and opportunities begin finding you.
From Story Resistance to Story Transformation
The Real Work of Professional Storytelling
The most effective personal branding and professional storytelling doesn't start with better techniques. It starts with:
Recognizing whose story you're currently telling (yours or society's?)
Exploring your authentic narrative identity through reflective practices
Building belief in your own experiences and wisdom
Learning to share from embodiment rather than performance
Questions for Your Own Narrative Navigation
To begin this deeper work, start with these reflection questions:
🔍 What part of my story am I avoiding because it feels too risky to share?
(This is often your most powerful content)
🔍 If I fully believed this story mattered, how would I tell it differently?
(This shifts you from technique to embodiment)
🔍 Whose story am I really telling—mine or someone else's?
(This reveals cultural scripts you might be following unconsciously)
The Story Work That Changes Everything
Beyond Better LinkedIn Posts
Yes, I absolutely have storytelling techniques, frameworks, and strategies that can help you craft compelling professional narratives. But those tools only become truly powerful when they're grounded in authentic narrative identity.
When you do the deeper work of exploring who you are, what you've learned, and what you have to offer the world, the external storytelling becomes effortless. You're no longer performing someone else's version of success—you're sharing your authentic journey and insights.
Ready to Take Authorship of Your Story?
If you're tired of performing stories that don't feel true to who you are, it might be time to explore what Narrative Navigation could unlock for you. The right people and opportunities are waiting for your authentic story—not a polished version of who you think you should be.
Because you deserve to be the author of your own narrative. 😉
Want to explore how Narrative Navigation could transform your approach to professional storytelling? Schedule a free 20-minute Direction Discovery call to learn more about this deeper work.
