I had a roommate in college that could tell one hell of a
story. He had this unique ability where he could tell you the same story three
times, change the ending each time and you believed (or at least wanted to
believe) that each version was true. It truly was a remarkable talent.

We sat through the bullshit of the story just to see
where he was going to take us in the end; knowing we had just heard this same
story 3 days ago. You wanted to believe it because he did such a great job of
providing the visuals for the storyline. 
He spoke in a matter of fact way, his punchlines were tight and the
endings were so epic that they just had to be true.

He once told us a story about the time he and his twin brother
stole a truck, ran from the cops, erased the serial numbers and repainted it so
nobody could ever discover it was stolen. Yet, he didn’t have a vehicle at
college and when his brother came to visit, he drove a different truck than the
one in the picture he showed us. Yes, he actually had a picture of the truck he
supposedly stole. Yes, we knew it was a lie, but the story was amazing, so we
just went with it.  You had to give him
credit for being so dedicated to the lie that he had a picture of the truck in
his wallet.

There was this one time when he supposedly hooked up with
one of the hottest girls in the city. This girl was a 10!  She never denied it or spoke of it and
because we were too afraid to ask her; we had to assume the story was real. How
they met, where it happened and what he said to get her to say yes…His
details were amazing and graphic!  Who
could make this stuff up!?!  He could.
There is no way he pulled that girl, but the story is now college legend, so it
has to be true.

Sadly, he only lasted a year in college.  He had a hard time waking up in the morning
and, for some reason, he was always scheduled for 8am classes. His advisers at
school didn’t seem to have his best interest in mind. Sleeping past 10am was a
regular thing for him and since I was a sophomore, when all my roommates were
freshman, and as the room elder it somehow became my job to wake him up in the
morning so he wouldn’t miss class. At some point his mother pulled me aside
during a visit and asked me to please help her son wake up. I did everything I
could.

We set four different alarm clocks and after they all
were either turned off or left running for a minute or so; I would then bang on
the door till he answered. Yes, this kid could sleep through four alarms and a
door banging.  Sleep was more important
than school and that’s why school asked him to leave after only one year. Sadly
his over the top story telling ability wasn’t enough to keep him enrolled.

But man, he could tell a story.

Being more than a one trick pony is essential. You have
to be able to contribute in multiple areas of life. I always joke about being
average at pretty much everything and because I have limited skills in multiple
areas of my life, it gives others the perception that I am somewhat
“worldly”.  I got a music
scholarship before I learned to read music. I got my wife to think I was
interesting and entertaining enough to go out with. The truth is that I am
curious about many things and because I #Tryharder to be a focused listener
of people that are passionate about their skills and hobbies, I take in a
working knowledge of things that I have never personally done.

You should see the history on my cell phone of the random
things I have looked up in an effort to gain knowledge. Yes, there are also
things I have googled that I am not proud of and those are the things I erase
from my history. Trust me, if I get hit by a bus tomorrow, I don’t want my wife
to see things like “Asian college girls with big boobs” in my search
history. Those things get erased. Don’t judge.

I never want to be at a loss for words or unable to
contribute to a conversation or business meeting.  I never want to be without a learning
opportunity or a fable that I can’t site as an example of a life lesson for my
children.  Every story I digest in my
life is a brick in my wall of education and future contributions. Unlike my
college friend that spun tall tale after tall tale, I want my knowledge to be
based on believed truths and lessons learned. I also want to share that
information with others and assist them in becoming more informed and equipped in
life. I want to contribute and matter till the day I pass. I want to leave a
lasting impression and have others remember the stories I shared. That’s why I
take the extra steps in putting my stories and life into blogs and later a
book. That’s why I haven’t slept passed 7am in 20+ years.

My college friend didn’t have the same desire to learn.
He never had a fear of missing out or a curiosity for what the world had to
offer once he opened his eyes and turned off the alarms. He was satisfied with
telling exaggerated versions of amazing stories that supposedly happened at
some point in his past and that is why he never flourished at the collegiate
level. His past was more exciting than he perceived his future to be and the
way I see it, nobody can move forward in life without the desire to embrace
what’s ahead and what could be.

Don’t just be a teller of tall tales. Be a student of a
curious life.