Stories are a big focus for PeopleJam. We believe that people are more interested in hearing stories about other people than lessons. We crave examples more than explanation; inspiration more than instruction.

Storytelling is a natural part of the human condition. Storytelling is the process of structuring meaning in our lives. When you wake up each morning, you may set forth from your home with a superb plan of action, but then the real world intervenes and the drama begins. What ensues is a random series of events: most people find themselves reacting to circumstances all day long. A fortunate few are able to master circumstances and take charge of their fate. But in any case, the series of events seems random.

Until we arrive back at our homes, where our mate asks us, "Did you have a good day?" This greeting is an invocation to tell a tale. And now the storytelling begins. The previously random events of the day are instantly structured into a logical sequence, with cause and effect, beginning middle and end, high points and low points, and moments of sheer drama. The resulting narrative includes an element that was missing when we were experiencing the events of the day: the reason. The logic. The why. The cause and effect.

When we retell the events of the day, we are able to recapitulate each moment from the vantage point of knowing how the story ends: that makes each decisive moment more meaningful, because it either hastens or delays that final denouement.

It's axiomatic to assert that we are the authors of our own lives. If we truly believe that statement, then we can make a decision about how the story ends. If we are truly committed to the desired outcome, then we can experience the moments of the day just as we do in the retelling: knowing in advance how these moments will serve to bring about the desired result.

At PeopleJam, you can write stories about your past. And you can write advice about how you live your life in the present moment. And of course you can set goals that direct your future evolution.

let the storytelling begin!