The Power of A Story

The greatest way to impact people is through and with stories.

Stories sell.  Stories tell.  Stories move. And Stories inform.

Let me tell you a story you need to know.

The Story of John Ruhlin

I was introduced to John Ruhlin several years ago. I'm not sure who made the connection, but I will be forever grateful to the person who did.

John, like me, grew up in Northeast Ohio on a farm and humble means.

While I was raised on a dairy farm, his family raised goats.

When we first spoke on the phone, we clicked after a few niceties and typical back-and-forth, feeling each other out. We created a relationship that would add value to each other over the years.

His book Giftology: The Art and Science of Using Gifts to Cut Through the Noise, Increase Referrals, and Strengthen Retention created in me a desire and understanding of the value of gift-giving.

John taught me that a gift is not impactful because of its monetary value but its heart value—the story.

A gift is meaningful when and how it conveys a message repeatedly.

A gift well given is very much like a story well told.

John used his understanding of gift-giving theory to become Cutco's top salesman. He then leveraged that understanding to create a business that helps organizations and individuals give meaningful gifts.

He has helped give gifts to some of the most influential people in the US, including close friends of mine and this year's IDL Summit Speakers.

Impact beyond our life

Earlier in the year, as I worked fervently to share about and sell seats to the Impact Driven Leader Summit, I had one of my many random conversations with John via FaceTime.

He loved FaceTime and understood the value of looking someone in the eye could enhance a connection.

As we talked, he explained to me the gift he had given his wife, Lindsay, just a couple of days before.

They had gone to Nashville for a Zach Bryan concert for a quick getaway together without their four daughters.

While chatting, I saw a scrape on his face and asked, ‘What happened”?

Reluctantly and in a “well, that's a story for sure,” he shared how he had passed out/collapsed while doing pushups in the sauna with his daughter, only to come to while on a stretcher with emergency personnel attending to him.

Holy Cow, John!

He brushed it off and attributed it to not getting much sleep from the trip, fasting, and general exhaustion.

The medical professionals didn’t offer much for him.

As he always did, he then asked, “Is there anyone I can help you give a love bomb to?”  Sometimes, I would take him up on the offer and seriously blow the socks off someone who had impacted my life and who I knew also needed to know about John.

In this case, I asked if he would be willing to share information about the IDL Summit.

And share is what he did to his expansive list of newsletter subscribers. Here is an excerpt...

GIVE OTHERS THE FEELINGS YOU WANT TO FEEL.

“One of the great ironies of life is that if you give up your life, you gain it. If you help others, you benefit. If you lose yourself, you find yourself.”

 -John C. Maxwell

Ruhlin takeaway:

I couldn’t have said it better. I mean… 

John Maxwell, leadership sensai.

Have you ever heard John speak? He’s on my (and many other’s) Mount Rushmore. And not because he can command over 100K for a keynote.

Which means being-in-the-room-with-him LIVE is either (A) gonna cost an-arm-and-a-leg. Or (B) require a telescope from the nosebleed stadium seats.

Unless you can get him in a more intimate setting.

Maaaaaybe because you know a guy. Or know a RUHLIN, 

who knows a guy

. :-)

Tyler Dickerhoof is the guy to know. And his upcoming IMPACT DRIVEN LEADER SUMMIT is the cheapest, most intimate, setting leaders-like-me will ever get a Maxwell.

(I told you I was gonna pitch an event, didn’t I?)

Actually, no pitch. 

And nothing in it for me.

 Facts only:

    •    

Coeur d’alene, Idaho = beautiful lake

    •    

End of July = beautiful weather

    •    

For the tired = to become inspired.

The event sells itself.

READ ALL ABOUT IT HERE. 

If you feel the nudge, the itch, or the icky resistance…?

If it’s been awhile since you’ve felt inspired…?

If you’re wrestling with a major decision and JUST don’t know which way to go…?

I’ve been there.

My advice? 

Don’t STAY there.

Maybe it’s time to register. Book a room. And buy a plane ticket.

Happy Friday, my friends. :-)

Unfortunately Stories end

I was so grateful that John did what he did: shared from his heart about those he cared about. That list is likely as long as Santa’s list!

As the event was getting close I reached out to John to ask him to do that thing he did.  To help me give gifts that would knock the socks off the speakers of the IDL Summit.

John’s company, Giftology Group, has partnered with amazing artists who create one-of-a-kind gifts, including the Artifcat Mug, a unique storytelling vessel.

I asked, and John didn't hesitate to assist and make it happen.

That was the last time I spoke to John.

I realized I needed to tell the story about John as I listened to my conversation with Katie Quesada from the IDL Summit when I referenced John during our conversation.

I never got to share with John how his friendship and belief in me impacted me, nor did I tell him how his partnership with me had an unbelievable impact on each of the IDL Summit speakers and their families.

I never got to simply say ‘thank you” to him.

I could have, but I didn't.

Tragically and suddenly, just 4 days after the IDL Summit, John breathed his last breath.

While he is no longer available via FaceTime, I sure wish I could have a classic conversation with him and be propelled by his powerful beliefs. His legacy is just as significant and influential as he was.

His story is being told.

His story is being told in this letter.  It's being told in many other conversations because he chose to tell stories that mattered.

Stories from the heart to serve and connect people.

John and I had a relationship because of a connection as simple as being two farm kids from Ohio.  But it was about so much more.

It was authentic vulnerability.  The ability to not have to do or say to gain acceptance or credibility.

How? We looked across the screen each time we spoke on FaceTime, including one random afternoon when John was in line for BBQ in Austin and told each other what we saw in each other.

The Roundtable

I want to offer you the same opportunity. The Roundtable is the signature offering of the Impact Driven Leader Community.

In this community, we sit with each other and grow with each other.

This group meets weekly from February through November via Zoom. In the first year, we focus on the Awaken the Leader Within course, where we identify how to Awaken, Grow, and Lead.

Applications to join for 2025 are now open.

Lastly, Roundtable members get a free VIP ticket to the Impact Summit.  I can only imagine it will be just as magical as John described again in 2025.

Did you catch this podcast? If not, listen to it here.