It doesn’t have to be profound.

Yeah, like the title says: it doesn’t have to be profound.

Or original.

Or groundbreaking.

Your story might not be any of these things, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth sharing, or can’t make an impact.

Some of the most effective, powerful ideas are relatively simple ones. Ones we’ve heard many times before.

Think about it...

Most non-fiction books don’t contain thoughts that have never been thought before or arguments that have never been argued before. They’re often new iterations of an idea—stories explored in a slightly new way.

Most fiction books (or television or movies) don’t tell entirely new stories, either; the exact characters and situations may be new, but the general formula, the tropes, the narrative arc likely aren’t.

So, if you’re hesitating to tell a certain story because you’re not sure it’s “earth shattering” enough, here are a few things to consider:

• Is it true? If the idea is true and you can stand beside it, it might be worth talking about.
  
• Do people (specifically, your audience or readership) need to hear it? Your idea or thought might seem obvious to you, but that doesn’t mean it will be obvious to everyone.
  
• If people really, truly got the message you’re sharing, would it make things better in some way?
  
• Is it possible that your story will work because it's so simple? Sometimes the simplest stories are the most powerful because they connect to universal human truths.
  
• Finally, can you deliver your story in a way that has greater impact? We can hear things 1000 times and still not really hear them. We can understand things at a logical level but not take action on what we know, or not quite feel the knowledge at a bone-deep level. So even if your idea doesn’t isn’t the most novel or profound, if you tell it well, in your unique way—well, this might be the time it finally hits home.

As always, I believe in your stories, your unique vision, and you.