Takeaway: One powerful lesson from media training I received years ago—It’s your responsibility to write the story you want for yourself.
Many years ago, Fox 2 Detroit ran a special on my weight loss journey turned fitness career.
It was a big deal. I had an opportunity to tell my story on television and didn’t want to screw it up.
I recruited my mom to give me some media training, as she has done in her career working with many top university presidents.
The one piece of advice she shared that helped me nail this interview that I’ll never forget:
“Whenever you’re being interviewed, the interviewer has a story they want to tell. The questions they ask and the way they elicit information is designed to tell that story.
This story might be different than the one you want to tell. As the interviewee, it’s your responsibility to know the message you want to share and craft your responses to get your message across—no matter the story being written on the other side.”
What I’ve discovered in the years since is just how true this is—not just in interviews but in life.
The world sets expectations on you: your family, friends, past experiences, and life circumstances. The world either expects very little or a whole lot.
Society is constantly trying to write a story for you, and it’s up to you to decide if that’s the story you want for yourself.
If it’s not, then it’s up to you to change the narrative.
Let’s get to work.
~ Coach Alex
P.S. Want to see the interview? Click here to watch young Alex.