By Donald Miller.

In January of 2019, my job took an unexpected turn. I had no prior experience to job’s changing beyond what I had previously applied for. Meaning, what I applied for and received from a company is what I was doing. I had never experienced changing jobs without applying for it.

But it happened.

And in this case I moved departments too.

I went from Sales to Marketing.

Little did I know that this experience would reverse itself again in 2021, and then again after changing employers only 4 months into my new job. My life seemed to be a constant vacillation between Sales and Marketing.

Why does this matter. Because I knew nothing about Marketing. And I wouldn’t have chosen to move between departments if given the choice. So I had an option in both of these instances, to fight for what I knew and remain in Sales, or learn. I knew that entering into Marketing meant learning something new, which both intrigued me, but also unsettled me.

You might be able to relate. Maybe not in the constant pendulum swings of my career from Sales to Marketing, back to Sales, and then Sales to Marketing again. But adjusting to the ever changing reality of life. 

Life doesn’t seem to remain still.

Fortunately, and unfortunately, our kids grow up.

If you’re a parent, or an aunt or uncle, you get it. I miss those days when I could wrap up my kiddos in a little blanket, watch their eyes sleepily close under the comfort and safety of their father’s arms. Also, I’m really glad my 8 year old son doesn’t wear diapers anymore, too. Change is needed if he’s going to grow up into a man who contributes to culture and society. I need him to change. You need him to change.

I’ve heard it said that change is the only constant in business. Yes, change is the only constant in life, too.

How terrible would it be if I attempted to keep my son as a baby? If I kept spoon-feeding him, never helped him learn how to control his bowel movements, or talking to him as a 6 month old? “It’s all I know.” I might say. You might say. But what you knew then, won’t help you or your son be successful now.

And the gap is learning.

In order to help bridge the gap from baby to toddler, toddler to kid, kid to pre-teen, pre-teen to teenager, teenager to young adult, young adult to adult—it’s learning.

When my job change happened to me, I realized it was an opportunity to learn. And learn something new I did.

Learning can come in many shapes in sizes. It can happen when we’re just thrown into the proverbial pool to figure out swimming. It’s definitely one way to learn. But no Olympic swimmer would say what happens in that moment would actually be called swimming. That’s flailing and trying not to drown. Not swimming.

There’s a difference between swimming, and not drowning. Both mean your head is above water, but one helps you thrive.

I would have learned a lot by simply doing the work.

But if I took the time to learn about Marketing, I knew I would be much more successful.

In my case, I picked up a book. The first book I picked up was This is Marketing by Seth Godin. That was really helpful. When I moved to Marketing the next time, I picked up another powerful, and incredibly insightful book, Building a Story Brand by Donald Miller. I’d heard about Donald Miller over the years and had happened upon a short snippet of the content in the book from another book I was reading. (Sometimes the books we read come from the other books we read.)

So I picked it up, and I was not disappointed. 

This book helped open my eyes to the opportunity in marketing to tell a story. I’ve heard it said that “Story is the language of the human heart.” I knew that in this new venture into Marketing, I’d have an opportunity to tell a new story, and I wanted to do it well. 

But it didn’t stop there. Donald Miller helped me see the power of empowering others with a great story. Telling a story is not just for the people outside your organization, but it’s also for the people inside. Sales teams can be the most effective marketers. Why? Because they talk to prospects all day every day. It doesn’t matter how great your website is if the people talking to prospects don’t tell the same story.

And a lightbulb turned on. I could now see the value of working both sides of the fence: Sales and Marketing. I had an insight into processes and pressure that I otherwise would not have had.

Oh, there is incredibly great information found in the pages of Building a Story Brand, written by Donald Miller. Whether you’re in marketing, sales, a homeowner, a spouse, a child or employee, the information in here will equip you to succeed in whatever you do and wherever you are.

“This is a seminal book built around an idea that will clarify, energize, and transform your business. Donald Miller offers a specific, detailed, and useful way to change the way you talk about the work you care about.” – Seth Godin