#204 How Personal Storytelling Builds Confidence, Clarity, and Career Readiness with Jackie Bailey

Flourish Coaching

Dec 9, 2025

In this episode, Lisa and Jackie discuss:

How personal storytelling shapes identity and confidence in young people
The role of a signature talk in strengthening communication and self-awareness
Using life experiences to build clarity and purpose
The way real-life opportunities and service experiences help youth grow passions and purpose

Key Takeaways:

Young people learn their core values and purpose by identifying the message they would share if given five minutes to speak to the world, strengthening their sense of worth and supporting mental health.
A “signature talk” begins with exploring personal successes and failures, turning those experiences into a library of stories that can be used in interviews, essays, and meaningful conversations.
Preparing a signature message teaches youth to identify a problem they deeply relate to, explain how they solved it, and offer insights that could help others—building confidence, leadership, and independence.
Colleges increasingly value authentic, self-aware applicants who demonstrate impact and growth, and storytelling practice helps teens articulate purpose and meaningful experiences more effectively.

“When they begin to understand what life’s lessons have taught them and how it’s shaped them to who and why they are, everything changes for them.” – Jackie Bailey

About Jackie Bailey:

Jackie Bailey, The International Conversation Coach, helps clients speak with significance, triumph over trauma, and champion challenges. Founder of The Speak Feed Lead Project, she’s coached hundreds to share their stories on major stages. Jackie leads retreats, mentors speakers through Quantum Speaking Coaching, sponsors youth programs like SpeaKABOOM and SpeakTank, cohosts In the Groove with Todd and Jackie, contributes to seven books, is a TEDx speaker, an award-winning team-builder, has led humanitarian missions to Tanzania, and was a 2015 semi-finalist in The World Championship of Public Speaking.

Episode References:

Subscribe to Lisa’s newsletter for weekly tips: flourishcoachingco.com/newsletter
Download a Sample Birkman Report: https://flourishcoachingco.com/birkman
TEDx program: https://www.ted.com/about/programs-initiatives/tedx-program

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