Tuesday Tales: A Scrappy Story Built in the City

One of the greatest privileges of my work is helping people uncover the story inside the résumé.

Not just what they’ve done, but how they became who they are.

Why they deserve the good things that happen to them.

Their origin story.

Lora’s didn’t begin with a lightning bolt or a moment of sudden magic.
Her story started on the northwest side of Chicago, where sirens were part of the soundtrack, the El trains rattled overhead, and ambition showed up early.

And challenges, one after another.

From a young age, Lora learned to wrestle with things so many of us see: doubt, pressure, anxiety, grief. And without built-in safety nets or mentors appearing on cue, she learned to rely on something else. She had to figure out how to build using her own tools.

Resilience.
Discipline.
A strategic mind forged under pressure.

Sometimes the strongest armor is something you have to design for yourself, with whatever resources you can find.

Lora had to learn how to move herself forward. Not because the path was easy, but because standing still, staying behind were never options.

After high school, Lora found that college raised the stakes even higher. And she worked her way through it, one late night at a time, from paycheck to paycheck. And despite a death in her family, she kept showing up.

Her transcript shows a perfect 4.0 GPA, but the real achievement was how she earned it, through persistence, focus, and grit.

This isn’t the end of Lora’s story.
It’s the foundation.

That’s what an origin story does when you really see it.
It turns struggle into training.
It turns persistence into proof.

Come back Friday, where I’ll show how Lora can translate this story into a confident professional narrative she can carry into interviews, leadership conversations, and the life she’s building now.

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If you want help turning your experiences into a clear, compelling story you can use in interviews, bios, or pitches, reach out, I’ll help you shape it. Let’s make something that only you and I could create.

Message me if you’d like support uncovering how your challenges can become your superpower portfolio.

You own your origin story. When you’re ready to claim it, I’m here to help.

#TuesdayTales #YouOwnYourOriginStory #YOYOS #CareerDevelopment #Leadership #ProfessionalGrowth #Resilience #ChicagoRoots