Being a huge Disney and Pixar fan, I often associate them with world-class storytelling. Back in 2019, when I was working on building Leader Learning Labs, we often got requests to build a lab on storytelling. It was one of and still is one of the major skills you need to be successful in anything you do. One of the critical stories that anyone will have to tell or is even often asked to tell is your Career Story.
Here is my career story using a story spine (a story writing technique that was created by Pixar), ChatGPT, and Animaker. I’ll then give you some step by step instructions (borrowed from one of our early versions of the Career Storytelling Lab) on how you can create your own (written or video) by walking you through how I did mine.
1. Your Career Story Video in 4 Easy Steps
2. Create Your Story Spine of your career
3. Ask ChatGPT to create a story (gets you 80% there, so fill in or modify as needed)
4. Ask ChatGPT to create a video script from your final story (gets you 80% there, so fill in or modify as needed)
Use a video editing tool of your choice to create your video. I’m using Animaker (which the free version will get you pretty far), but there’s others out there that you can explore as well such as Powtoon, Adobe Express, and Animoto.
The Art of Storytelling: Creating Your Story Spine
First off I’d highly recommend taking a look at Pixar In a Box on Khan Academy (free) and complete Unit 2: The Art of Storytelling where they go in depth about the story spine and how they create the stories that we know today. It’s deeper than you'd need for your Career Story, but it will give you more context of how how and why it works.
Let’s get started. You’ll want to grab paper, open your favorite note-taking app, or whatever you’d like that fits your creative flow. You’ll just need to brainstorm and follow along the activities.
Step 1: Your Vivid Memories
Write down the following as it relates to the story you are telling. In my case, it’s my career but this will work with any other story you are trying to tell.
• Think of a memory that you remember vividly. It should be a memory that comes easily to you.
• Why do you think you remember this so well? Try connecting one or more emotions to this memory.
Step 2: Your Favorite Stories
Write down the following:
• Identify the one film or story that you would take to a deserted island....
• Why do you think you connected with this story?
Step 3: Wants vs Needs
Let’s watch this Video on Wants vs Needs from the Pixar in Box course from Khan Academy
Step 4: Wants
Try to identify some of your own wants.
• What do you love? What do you enjoy doing at work?
A want is something you might think you want and would do everything to get.
My Wants: To create experiences and share wisdom
Now, go through what you’ve just written, and pick out the most important 1 or 2 wants.
Step 5: Needs
Try to identify some of your own needs.
• What might fulfill you in the context of your career?
Needs are the things we need to do, or learn, in order to grow, or succeed in life.
My Needs: To make an impact and work/develop in a safe space
Now, go through what you’ve just written, and pick out the most important 1 or 2 needs.
Step 6: Obstacles
Let’s watch this Video on Obstacles from the Pixar in Box course from Khan Academy
Brainstorm the following:
• A few possible obstacles you might have faced in your career journey.
An obstacle is something which stands in the way of you and prevents you from getting what you want or need.
My Obstacles: Should I change majors? Should I go into HR, even though I never saw myself in that department?
Now, go through what you’ve just written, and pick out the most important 1 or 2 obstacles.
Step 7: Character Arc
Let’s watch this Video on Character Arc from the Pixar in Box course from Khan Academy
Brainstorm the following:
• Ideas for how you might have changed as a result of the obstacles you’ve identified in the previous exercise.
The character arc is the choices you make in response to obstacles and how you changed, how you’re better, as a result.
My Character Arc: I realized I’m not judged by my organization or title, but by the quality and impact of my work. Don’t judge a book by it’s cover, because it’s what’s on the pages that matters. And the pen is in my hands.
Now, go through what you’ve just written, and pick out the most important way you changed as a result of that obstacle.
Step 8: Stakes
Let’s watch this Video on Stakes from the Pixar in Box course from Khan Academy
Return to the obstacles you have faced from the previous exercise. Now think of the choice those obstacles forced you to make.
• What career choices did you have when facing those obstacles?
• What was at stake?
Each choice you make has potential risks, impacts, and rewards involved with it. Those things are the stakes.
My Stakes: No longer being in Engineering, where I’ve grown comfortable and know its culture and people.
Now, go through what you’ve just written, and pick out the most important choice you made and what was at stake.
Step 9: The Story Spine & Story Beats
Let’s watch this Video on the Story Spine from the Pixar in Box course from Khan Academy
Beats can show the most important moments in your story. They show WHAT is happening, not HOW.
• Organize your sticky notes to identify and describe the beats that are part of the structure in you story.
Story Beats are the most important moments in your story structure, or Story Spine.
My Story Beats: Interned at Cisco, started full time in engineering, researched UI/UX Design, led Corporate Challenge, met Jen, went into HR for UX Design
Step 10: Your Theme
Let’s watch this Video on Themes from the Pixar in Box course from Khan Academy
Think of your own career story.
• What is the moral of your career story?
• What have you learned about yourself and your career?
Your theme is the idea that connects all the events in the story and is connected to the moral
My Theme: You never know what you are good at, or what you love, until you try it.
Step 11: Craft Your Story
This story is split into three Acts, so take your time and go ahead and fill out your story spine.
Act I: Watch this Video
1. Once Upon a time… [WANTS]
2. Every day…
3. Until one day… [OBSTACLES]
Act I consists of introducing yourself, introducing the story, and getting a landscape of where your career story is trying to go.
My Act I: Once upon a time I was a software developer. Every day I coded and coded and coded. Until one day I found the courage to tell my manager I didn’t think I wanted to do this forever.
Act II: Watch this Video
4. Because of that…
5. Because of that… [STORY BEATS]
6. Because of that…
Act II consists of the choices and actions you make as you attempt to overcome obstacles in pursuit of your career goals.
My Act II: Because of that I started learning UI Design and Design Thinking. Because of that I began leading Corporate Challenge and other campus events. Because of that I gave a presentation and met someone who valued my strengths.
Act III: Watch this Video
7. Until finally… [NEEDS]
8. And ever since then… [CHARACTER ARC]
And the moral of the story is…
Act III consists of your final realization and the resolution that follows; where your career story comes together and a moral is reached.
My Act III: Until finally it came full circle, and I found a place to design, make an impact, and help others grow in a place that shares my values. And ever since then, I’ve been excited to take risks and try something new
Using ChatGPT to Fill in the Gaps
If you haven’t signed up for ChatGPT, you’ll need to do that before moving forward.
Step 1: Ask ChatGPT to help you create a story out of your story spine.
You’ll see below my exact question and what ChatGPT responded with.
Step 2: Ask ChatGPT to Create a Video Script from your Story
You’ll see below my exact question and what ChatGPT responded with.
Feel free to ask ChatGPT how long this video would be and adjust according to your preferences.
Create Your Video
Now that you have your video script, pick your favorite video maker and create your video. I’m using Animaker (which the free version will get you pretty far), but there’s others out there that you can explore as well such as Powtoon, Adobe Express, and Animoto. These are some free, lower learning curve options, but you can of course go with whatever tool you’d like!
Happy Creating!