Creating a great Smartest Thing™ story

You may have found the solution to a problem easily—but that same problem may be stumping someone else to the point of utter frustration. You may think that your solution is trivial—but it may be vitally important to someone else.

Everyone has pieces missing from puzzles in their lives…and you may hold those pieces in your hands. How would it feel to provide that missing piece to someone (maybe even hundreds or thousands of someones) and put peace in their life?

To write the best story you can, follow these guidelines:

Step 1:
Begin by describing the problem you encountered, the situation you were in, or the decision point you were experiencing in your personal or business life;

Step 2:
Next, tell us a bit about how this problem was affecting your life and how you felt—maybe about your fears or potential adverse consequences if the problem isn't solved, and how you decided to tackle the problem (did you do research? Did you turn to friends or professional advisors for help?)

Step 3:
If you tried something that ended up not helping resolve the situation, it's helpful to others if you include those briefly;

Step 4:
Then tell us what solution you found that did work and how you or your business is now benefitting from the solution.

Remember… the story voted best in each of our Smartest Thing™ books wins a $100 prize! By following these guidelines, you’ll give your story the best shot at not only helping others but winning for you!

Click here to return to the story submission page for The Smartest Thing I Ever Did...™