Try This: The Fact vs. Story Challenge

🏃🏾‍♂️Try This

This upcoming week, set aside 10 minutes with a journal to practice The Fact vs. Story Challenge. You can also do this in a conversation with a friend!

1. Start with a relational issue you’re facing (if you’re in a group, give the speaker your full presence while they state the problem)

A relational issue could be something like: “I’m struggling to grow my business”.

Note: This exercise isn’t the best fit for issues that you have unprocessed trauma around.

Giving presence means: Taking a few seconds to turn your phone on Airplane Mode, turning off notifications on your computer, or moving to a private place where you won’t have distractions.

2. Draw a line down the middle of a piece of paper. Label the left side “Facts” and the right side “Stories”. List all the facts on the left side, and the stories on the right side.

Facts are: Unarguable, observable truths

Stories are: Interpretations, assumptions, and/or beliefs.

For our example problem: "I'm struggling to grow my business." This may look like:

3. For each story, think of 2 other “opposite” stories that could be equally true explanations of the facts

For example:

• Fact: I've gained 5 new clients and lost 5 in the same period.

• Story: The market is oversaturated, and there’s no room for growth.

• Opposite story: The niche I am targeting is oversaturated, but other niches exist that are not served.

• Opposite story: My clients felt complete with work and I served them well. Their leaving was an expression of my competence.

Separating facts from stories helps us see reality for what it is and build more resilient perspectives. The goal isn’t to deny our emotions around an issue, but rather to gently probe into what our authentic reality is.

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