I stumbled upon this gem of a quote. It comes from Dale Carnegie's book The Art of Public Speaking. Published in 1915, it still rings true - perhaps even truer - today.
"Live an active life among people who are doing worthwhile things, keep eyes and ears and mind and heart open to absorb truth, and then tell of the things you know..."
First, it speaks of purpose, of the importance of good company, of learning and pursuing excellence - doing "worthwhile things."
How often does modernity focus on trivial, worthless things? How often do we close ourselves off, safe from differing views in our echo chambers and virtual bubbles?
Go out in wonder. Expose yourself to new things. Explore new horizons. Live.
For the most compelling stories come from the stuff of real life. Not concepts but examples. Not hypotheticals but history. Not generalities but particulars. Not airbrushed but unfiltered, imperfect, messy as life may be.
Speak from your lived experience. Tell of the paths you've walked, the people you've met, the moments you've committed to memory. Share what you did, what you said, what you thought, and how you felt.
"The world will listen," says Carnegie, "For the world loves nothing so much as real life."