The Why Behind the Mission – Owning Your Story for a Deeper Purpose, Pt. 1
Like many, you have likely wondered why purpose-driven storytelling is crucial in AClasses Media and in our other channels of communication. In this comprehensive six-part article, we will uncover the reasons behind its importance and why we adopt this approach in AClasses Media, starting with my personal story.
Want to learn more about storytelling? Start by downloading the first chapter of The Storytelling Mastery.
In addition, I will provide you with useful guides on how to harness the power of your story to attract the right audience as a purpose-driven entrepreneur.
Welcome to part 1 of Owning Your Story for a Deeper Purpose, a six-part comprehensive Article series that helps you dive deep into the power of your narratives as an entrepreneur and how to leverage it in your business and professional life.
This series of publications was extracted from OWNING YOUR STORY, A Five-Step Transformative Journey to Reshape Your Professional and Business Narrative for Success!
See also Owning Your Story: 5 Powerful Lessons from Bryan Stevenson on Identity, Advocacy, and Impact
If you have not yet joined the program and want to know if this is the right fit for you, I encourage you to take the self-assessment survey. It only takes a few minutes, and it helps us to know if this is the right training program for you.
By the end of the program, you will learn how to reshape your narrative and position yourself before the right audience. That is the promise we make to you.
Assuming you haven’t read through the Storytelling Mastery, a 5-part book series that takes you by the hands through the ABC of storytelling, and probably are hearing about the NBA storytelling technique for the first time, let’s quickly go through the summary.
Summary of the NBA Storytelling Technique
The NBA storytelling technique, which stands for Now, Before, and After, provides a clear framework for creating a compelling narrative flow. This technique emphasizes effective storytelling by establishing a strong connection with the audience, immersing them in the narrative, and building anticipation for what is to come.
By dividing the story into three distinct parts – Now, Before, and After, this method engages the audience at various levels, keeping them emotionally invested and curious throughout the journey.
Unlike the regular chronological order of past, present, and future, the NBA technique starts with the current moment (Now), then moves back to the events leading up to it (Before), and finally looks forward to the future consequences (After).
This approach leverages the fact that we are always most aware of the present moment (Now), acknowledging our history (Before) and anticipating future outcomes (After). Understanding these principles is crucial as it will guide the process of personal exploration throughout this course.
See also Owning Your Story: A Journey to Brand Mastery
I repeat, the NBA storytelling technique is a foundational principle in the 5-part book series, the storytelling mastery. So, I highly recommend you read the series so you can properly examine the different instances that were shared about the technique in nearly all the chapters of the book series. But first, let me share my personal story with you.
How It All Started with Me in Finding a Deeper Purpose
I want to be clear that this is not a situation I can wish for anyone. I am only sharing it with you because this was what led me to find a deeper purpose in what I do today. Learn more about owning your own story by checking out “Own Your Story” our signature program which offers a structured path to success in less than 90 days.
I was lying in a hospital bed, barely conscious and struggling to understand what had happened to me, and one question kept replaying in my mind: “Why am I doing this?” Life has a way of pushing us into the depths of our purpose, often when we least expect it.
For me, that moment came in 2017 when a sudden medical crisis upended everything, I thought I knew about stability, security, and success.
Before that life-altering night, I was like many others—focused on the day-to-day grind, content with the predictability of my job as a hotel receptionist in Verona, Northern Italy. It wasn’t a glamorous position, but it provided a stable income, and I was grateful for that.
My wife and I were newly married, and we were eagerly awaiting the birth of our son, Efua. Life seemed to be following a carefully plotted course, one that I could see stretching into the future with reassuring clarity.
But all of that changed on August 20, 2017. I was working the night shift, as usual, when I suddenly collapsed at the front desk. The hotel was quiet, the guests were asleep, and I was alone.
When I regained consciousness the next morning, I was surrounded by paramedics and police officers who had been called in to respond to the emergency. I was in a state of confusion, and so were they.
No one could tell what had happened to me or why. I had no history of seizures or any serious medical issues, yet here I was, caught in the middle of a terrifying medical mystery.
Do you want to own your story and leverage it in your business? Take this quick self-assessment survey to find out.
The next few days were a blur of tests, consultations, and anxiety. The doctors couldn’t pinpoint what was wrong with me, despite their best efforts. My condition was deteriorating, and they decided to place me in a medically induced coma as a last-ditch effort to stabilize my body and buy more time for diagnosis.
For two weeks, I hovered between life and death, unaware of the world around me, but deeply aware of something shifting inside me.
When I finally woke up, the doctors informed me that I had narrowly escaped a tragic fate. They had run one final test that gave them just enough information to apply the right treatment.
It was a miraculous recovery, but it came with a heavy emotional and psychological toll. I was left with a profound sense of vulnerability, coupled with an intense urge to understand why I had survived.
The Answer Came On My Hospital Bed
Lying in that hospital bed, I had ample time to think about my life, my day job as a receptionist, my research project about the presence of Africans in northern Italy which I started in 2013, and my future.
See also Why You Need a Life Mission: 3 Lessons from Martin Luther King Jr.
The question that haunted me during my recovery wasn’t just “Why am I doing this?” but also “If this was the last work, I would do alive, would I still do it?” It was a deeply existential question, one that forced me to confront the reality of my life’s work and whether it truly aligned with my values and purpose as a person.
I began to realize that my life had been missing something crucial, a deeper meaning. The 9 to 5 work I was doing, though honest and respectable, didn’t fulfill me on a deeper level. It was in these moments of clarity that I understood the importance of purpose and legacy. I knew that if I wanted to live a life that truly mattered, I needed to align my work with something that profoundly resonated with my core beliefs and aspirations.
This realization led to the birth of the Obehi Podcast, an upspring of my research project that would become a cornerstone of my life’s work. I wanted to create a platform where people could share their stories, not just to entertain or inform, but to inspire and empower others to find their own voice.
I had always believed that everyone has a story to tell, but now I understand that storytelling could be a powerful tool for personal and professional transformation.
The podcast started with a simple premise: “Everyone Has A Story To Share.” But as I delved deeper into the interviews and connected with my guests, hundreds of them from the United States to the UK, Canada, and to different other countries in Africa, I realized that it wasn’t just about sharing stories—it was about owning them.
This led to the evolution of the podcast’s new slogan: “Own Your Story & Share It With The World.” I wanted my guests and listeners to recognize the power of their narratives, take control of their stories, and use them to influence and connect with others on a profound level.
Storytelling, as I came to understand, is not just about recounting events; it’s about weaving a narrative that reflects who you are, where you have been, and where you are going. It’s about finding the underlying themes in your experiences and using them to shape a message that resonates with your audience.
This realization was influenced by the different African immigrants I have interviewed across northern Italy during my research project “The Journey”.
That is also confirmed by the works of scholars like Joseph Campbell, whose concept of the “hero’s journey” illustrates the universal patterns that underpin powerful storytelling.
It will interest you to note that the hero’s journey is not just a structure for epic tales; it’s a framework that we can all relate to in our personal and professional lives.
My Focus in the Obehi Podcast
As I began to interview more guests on the Obehi Podcast, from business executives to community leaders, politicians to university scholars, I noticed a common thread among those who had found success and fulfillment: they all had a clear sense of purpose.
Whether they were entrepreneurs, artists, or thought leaders, they had each uncovered their “why”—the driving force behind their actions and decisions. This “why,” as Simon Sinek famously articulated in his book Start with Why, is what separates those who lead meaningful lives from those who merely exist.
See also Simon Sinek: The Number One Reason Why You Are Not Succeeding – What You Should Instead
We will talk more about this and how to find your deeper meaning and purpose in the articles that follow in this series.
The stories shared on the podcast are more than just conversations; they are lessons in purpose-driven living. I am learning alongside my audience, gaining insights into how different people navigate challenges, pursue their passions, and leave a legacy through their work.
What I learned is that storytelling is not just a skill, but a vital component of leadership, innovation, and impact.
One particular episode stands out in my memory, where I interviewed an entrepreneur who had built a successful business from the ground up after experiencing personal tragedy.
His story was one of resilience, determination, and a deep commitment to making a difference in the lives of others. As he spoke about the challenges he faced and the decisions he made along the way, it became evident that his success was not just a result of hard work, but of a clear and unwavering purpose.
He knew why he was doing what he was doing, and that clarity gave him the strength to persevere, even in the face of overwhelming odds. You can see a cross-section of these stories on the YouTube channel of the Obehi Podcast with nearly 1000 videos currently available on the channel and we are just starting.
I want to admit that the stories of people on the Obehi Podcast continue to reaffirm my belief that purpose is the cornerstone of a fulfilling life and career. It’s what drives us to keep going when things get tough, and it’s what gives our work meaning beyond financial gain.
But purpose alone is not enough—it must be communicated effectively, and that’s where storytelling comes in. Now, here are the questions for you:
- How effective are you in communicating with your stores?
- Do you want to own your unique story and use it to attract the right audience?
Well, that is what this entire series of publications is about. So, make sure to take advantage of the more than 10 years of proven storytelling strategies I am sharing with you in the article series as much as in the 5-part book series, The Storytelling Mastery.
The Idea of Leaving a Legacy Behind Is Fundamental
The idea of legacy also became central to my understanding of storytelling. Legacy, as I see it, is the impact we leave behind, the mark we make on the world through our actions, words, and contributions.
See also Building African Diaspora Life & Legacy With Storytelling – The Diaspora Storytelling Series
If you look around in AClasses Media, you will realize that we have a project, named “Life & Legacy” and that is at the heart of what we do as an organization.
For more about legacy, check out “Own Your Story” our signature program which offers a structured path to success in less than 90 days.
It’s not just about remembering events and people in history; it’s about making a difference in the lives of others. I realized that by helping people share their stories, I am contributing to their legacy, enabling them to pass on their wisdom, experiences, and values to future generations.
This concept of legacy was inspired by the work of scholars like Clayton Christensen, whose book How Will You Measure Your Life? challenges us to consider the long-term impact of our choices and the true meaning of success.
Christensen argues that success should not be measured solely by financial metrics, but by the influence we have on the lives of others and the values we instill in our communities.
With these insights in mind, I made it my mission to not only share stories but to guide others in discovering and sharing their own.
This mission actually led to the creation of the five-part book series, “The Storytelling Mastery,” which I launched in 2023.
The series was designed to take individuals through the fundamentals of storytelling, from understanding the structure of a compelling narrative to crafting a message that resonates with their audience.
The response to the book series has been incredibly rewarding. Entrepreneurs, professionals, and creatives from various fields have reached out to share how the principles in the books have helped them connect more authentically with their audience, build their brands, and achieve their goals. It’s been a testament to the power of storytelling and its ability to transform lives.
As I reflect on this journey, I am reminded of the importance of aligning our work with our purpose. The truth is that it’s easy to get caught up in the pursuit of success as defined by society—money, status, and material possessions. But true fulfillment comes from knowing that what you do matters, that it’s making a positive impact on the world, and that it aligns with your deepest values.
Again, we will talk more about these and how you can refine your mission and life purpose in the following articles in the series.
Now this is that point, the Obehi Podcast, the Storytelling Mastery series, and my work at AClasses Media are all expressions of this alignment. They are the result of a deeply personal journey that has evolved into a mission to help others find and share their purpose.
I am grateful for the opportunity to do this work, and I am committed to continuing this journey, helping others own their stories and share them with the world.
Conclusion on The Purpose Behind the Mission – OWNING YOUR STORY Pt. 1
In conclusion, I like to state that storytelling is not just a means of communication—but a tool for transformation. It allows us to connect with others, share our values, and leave a lasting impact on people and community.
As purpose-driven entrepreneurs, it’s essential to embrace storytelling as an effective way to stand out, connect authentically with our audience, and build a legacy that reflects who we are and what we believe in.
Want to learn more about storytelling? Start by downloading the first chapter of The Storytelling Mastery.
