What’s the Purpose of Your Story?

We all love to tell stories: we share the latest gossip with friends. We retell news stories of interest, and we share the tales of our families and friends with others.
But do those who have to listen to all your stories enjoy them? Do they listen because they must or feel obliged to? If they had the choice, would they rather run from the room and watch reruns of CNN news channels instead?
Before we tell a story, we need to ask this simple question: What is the purpose of this story? Does telling or retelling it serve any form of positive purpose?
In too many cases of retold gossip, the only purpose seems to be self-edification. We share stories in the hope that in some shape or form, it may make us look a little better in the room than we think we seem to appear. We constantly compete with others for some form of social placing. My story is better than your story, so therefore I am placed in a better position of hierarchy in the room. Therefore, I feel better about myself and can go home feeling good. No, let’s stop this.
The purpose of any good story is to add value to an already conversation. To emphasise a point or to lead the audience towards a desired destination. If your story does any of these, then it should be told. If not, shut it up.
Once it is determined as a worthy story, adding the entertainment factors makes the story better. It brings the characters to life, the colours and images become real and the pictures in the minds of your audiences develop clarity.
So, let’s all learn to tell only essential stories, but then tell them with all the beauty and wonder that they deserve.