Welcome to Issue 71 of A Good Reputation, a newsletter about telling better business stories. (Did someone send you? Subscribe here.) (Miss past issues? Read those here.)

Hello Reader,

The ancient Greeks didn't believe it was easy to be happy. Happiness was so hard to attain that Aristotle, for one, said there could only ever be "the happy few."

But in a recent interview with the New York Times, Laurie Santos, a cognitive researcher and podcaster who teaches the most popular course on happiness at Yale, argued that the latest science around happiness finds that it's something any of us can access and maintain.

While some people could inherit happy genes from their parents or be born into certain circumstances or countries that might make it easier to be happy, the research says it's ultimately a learnable skill available to any and all of us.

Where Santos and other researchers agree with the ancient philosophers, however, is that while things like good food and good sex and fun travel will make you temporarily happy, happiness as a state of being is simply a byproduct of living a good life.

And what we've understood for centuries that modern science has now confirmed is that a good life is measured by a distinct handful of things, including:

• The depth of your relationships,
• The purpose in your days,
• Your contributions to society, and
• The ability to be present enough to fully experience both the joys and the hardships of your life.

What this tells me is that over and over again, we're reminded that beyond food, water, and shelter, we humans have difficulty thriving without connection and meaning.

I've realized this is one of the reasons why I feel so strongly called to both understand the essence of storytelling and teach it to as many people in as many forms as possible.

Because beyond its power to inspire, entertain, move, convince, sell, simplify, and distill information into a shape we can understand and remember, the whole purpose of storytelling—and certainly my purpose for storytelling—is to create connection with other humans and give our experiences meaning.

In a time when so many of us are finding it so difficult to both access and hang onto a good and happy life, developing stories that help us uncover the meaning in our lives and offer them as something valuable to connect and contribute to society seems like a great start.

A Good Way to be Happy

So, how can becoming better storytellers lead to a happier life?

Well, for starters, if the depth of your relationships is one of the biggest markers of a happy life, then telling your story is one of the best—perhaps only—ways to deepen them.

Because when you tell your story to someone honestly, you're helping them see who you are, what you value, what you believe in, what you've been through, and where you're going.

It's difficult to create deep, connected relationships and community when you don't allow yourself to be seen. Whether it's your personal life or your professional one, the more you reveal who you are, the more you can both find and connect with your people.

Here, the goal isn't just to be visible. The goal is to be understood.

Next, there's finding the purpose in your days.

Even a mundane or difficult day can become a meaningful one if you start training yourself to look for it. By having a daily practice of noticing and writing down the things that could become stories of your life, you start to recognize all of the little and big experiences that continuously shape you and give your life meaning.

And while each of our contributions to society has to be measured independently, learning to tell the story about who you help, how you help, and why it matters can ground you in that deeper purpose and help you identify whether or not the thing you're doing is actually the thing you want to dedicate your time to.

Last, but most importantly, is the ability and practice of being present. We know that being present is the key to a good life, yet it's seemingly one of the hardest and most elusive things to do. (At least for me.)

But again, this is another place where looking for stories has allowed me to become more present more often. The more I've developed a habit of looking for things that move me, inspire me, teach me, entertain me, or make me feel, the more I'm immersed in the everyday happenings that are shaping my experience of living.

Not every day is a good day. There's plenty of suffering and struggle.

But, at this point, if I had to measure the quality of my life based on those markers of good relationships, a sense of purpose, meaningful contribution, and presence, I'd say it's a pretty good one.

A Good Practice

Another way in which Santos ultimately agrees with the ancient Greek philosophers is that just like any other good thing in life, happiness is something you have to work for.

In other words, it's not just enough to learn and understand what makes us truly happy—we have to practice it. And that practice is a lifelong endeavor.

Just like getting fit, you can't go to the gym once and expect to stay ripped. You have to have a practice of doing it consistently. Same goes for using meditation to lower your stress. Or maintaining your project management systems to stay organized.

Just like you can't call your mom once a year and expect to have a good relationship, you can't expect to tell your story once and become known. You have to consistently put in the good work.

Very few things—from being happy to being a good storyteller—are set it and forget it. You have to learn it, understand it, and then you have to practice it.

And eventually you realize that the practice is the whole point.

A Good Start

So, where does the practice start?

For storytelling, it starts by deciding that it's the thing you want to do and developing a habit of noticing and noting down shifts in how you see the world.

Then, it's learning how to shape a story (I'll dedicate the next newsletter to this one) and developing your intuition for what goes at the beginning, middle, and end. It's getting familiar with the rhythm and cadence and the tools to move it forward, keep it interesting, and have it land.

Finally, it's telling it—slowly, at first, perhaps shallow if you're not yet ready, then a little more revealing as you start to feel your way into the response.

You, like every human, are already a natural born storyteller. You have the capacity to use your story to create connection and meaning. This practice just helps you become an intentional one.

A Few Good Resources

1. ​My next storytelling cohort stats in July. Join if you want a place to learn and practice.
2. I love this little habit to practice a happy life.
3. I don't always agree with Jason on things, but I could not agree more with this one on being seen versus being understood.​

Hope you have a good one,
Renee