Tell me the story
Two questions I like to return to each time I start a new project are:
Who is it for?
What stories are they telling themselves?
The answer to the second question is usually the most important. Everything hinges on those stories.
How your offer is interpreted is influenced by the stories they’ve told themselves — about who they are, about the world, and about you. These stories are there even before they see what you are doing for them.
The stories set their expectations.
It's easier to serve those who tell themselves positive, even beautiful stories about you than to change the stories others hold.
Changing the stories we tell ourselves isn't impossible. It takes real intention, effort, patience, and constant validation.