Kyle Gray: (00:37)

As I’m looking back on 2019 and my whole entrepreneurial journey. One skill has been at the heart of it, writing. Writing is where it all started with me. And my relationship with it has evolved a lot over the last five years. Lately, over the previous year, I’ve let inevitable setbacks and distractions distance me from it. It’s challenging to keep a good writing habit when you’re trying to grow a great team in a business. There was also some pain with writing, after a particular debacle around a book launch, that I explain in other podcast episodes, so I’ll spare you from it here. But I also feel I’ve reached a point in my business, with all of the work I’ve been doing and my team, that allows me to carve out more time for this one core skill that has empowered everything else in my business. I want to do a lot more writing in 2020. And that’s writing in terms of writing scripts for podcasts, of writing written articles, of writing speeches, writing more books. We’ll see what comes of it.

Kyle Gray: (01:45)

But I wanted to invite writing back into my life and to show my respect and appreciation for writing. So I’d like to share with you my love letter, to writing. 

Hello writing. It’s been a while. I’m sorry I’ve been distracted because there’s nobody that treats me like you. And writing, I love you. You’re such a powerful creative outlet for me, and you’ve changed my life. You were the thing that genuinely created the path for me to follow my dreams. You brought me everything I’ve achieved. You’ve given me world travel. You’ve given me abundance. You’ve given me bliss. You’ve given me expression. 

You’ve enhanced and accelerated all the other skills that have led me to where I am. But you are the critical skill that has allowed me to give that vision of living wherever in the world I wanted to. You allowed me to live in Asia for a year, which exposed me to people that have changed my life.

You gave me proof every day we work together that what I wanted for myself I could create. You gave me the evidence that I could have what I wanted, I could live how I wanted to, and create my path. You gave me a quiet, beautiful, and peaceful space to go to in the morning. 

Through discipline and habit, you allowed me to settle in and put my soul at ease while I created. You gave me the space to clear the buzzing thoughts and distractions and make sense of them. To tune into my truth buried under the noise that builds up. You became a mirror that reflected what was inside, instead of what was outside. You even allowed me to shape that reflection into a better version of myself. 

Little by little, day by day, you allowed me to feel the thrill and delight of creating an article or podcast episode that I was so excited to share. The rush of hitting the publish button.

You’ve laughed with me whenever I would sprinkle in an absurd joke with some teaching to lighten the mood. And you’d revel with me when I’d focus and sharpen the thought from, “I’m not sure,” to, “Nailed it.” You created a consistent reward and shelter throughout the rest of my day as well. With the satisfaction of a morning well-written, the slings and arrows of the day could never make an impact. You compounded with me. 

A good morning spent with you would reward me over and over again. You’d show up and deliver for me. No matter if it was a holiday, a sick day, an off day, payday, or travel day. 

From small drops, we created every day we would accumulate and grow into a stream, and then to a river, that would provide me with opportunity. And like a river that meanders and shifts from its shores, you would move with me as my vision and interests evolved from pages to paperbacks, to podcasts to presentations. You would grow with me.

You’ve been a clear window into my mind, which has allowed others to help and hone and refine my ideas, my emotions, and my worldview. You let others reach out and connect. To create with me, to surprise me, to recognize me. And you created windows for me to do the same with those that I most admired and respected and wanted to learn. You let me and helped me connect with them. You gave me a way to create value for them. A bottle that could capture, adopt, and adapt their brilliance for my journey, my message, and the people that I want to serve. You gave me mentors, and you gave my mentors a way to provide clear, compelling, and constructive feedback.

You showed me how to respond to and accept criticism with curiosity and openness, instead of defeat and defiance. And how to discard the feedback and criticism that didn’t serve me, especially when that feedback comes from myself. You’ve allowed me to express myself to millions through blogs, books, podcasts, and speaking. And you’ve helped me make the world just a little bit of a better place. But you’ve made my world immensely and immeasurably better. And I want to thank you for all the gifts you’ve given me. Writing, we’ve been through so much together. I feel that there is so much farther we can go. And I want you to snuggle up alongside me and make a space every morning like we used to, to create and to impact the world. Writing, I love you.

Kyle Gray:

Thanks for listening to the Story Engine Podcast. Be sure to check out the show notes and resources mentioned on this episode and every other episode at thestoryengine.co. 

If you’re looking to learn more about how to use storytelling to grow your business, then check out my new book, Selling With Story: How to Use Storytelling to Become an Authority, Boost Sales, and Win the Hearts and Minds of Your Audience. This book will equip you with actionable strategies and templates to help you share your unique value and build trust in presentations, sales, and conversations, both online and offline. Learn more at sellingwithstory.co. 

Thanks for listening, and I’ll see you next time.