A small game. A real conversation.
Don't tell me
about your CV.
Tell your life story in five minutes.
Leave these three words out.
- work
- job
- school
And if you suggest the game, you go first.
A few places to begin
What has stayed with you?
What would you like more of?
No preparation needed.
Here's how it goes.
Simple enough to remember- 01
One person hosts.
Ask if everyone wants to play. On a call, the host shares this window and keeps the controls.
- 02
Tell it your way.
Start with now, go back to your past, then look ahead. The other person listens.
- 03
Then, swap.
Five minutes each. Once everyone has had a turn, the three words are back.
Where did this come from?
“Hey, I'm a human, you're definitely human. We'll get to the work. Let's just talk about ourselves for a second.”
I started playing this game when I was at a megacorp. It was a large organization, and whenever you're put in a team, it's like: here's a new team, here are new people, no context, work together.
So I started playing this game to just be like, hey, I'm a human, you're definitely human.
— Moe, creator of Life in 5
One person hosts
Set up
the call.
- Share this window before starting.
- Keep the controls for every turn. Everyone else can stay on the call.
- Whoever suggests the game goes first.
Five minutes each, without work, job or school. Everyone else listens.
Add names optional
Names stay in this page for this game.
Turn 1 of 2
Person 1’s story
5:00
Leave these outworkjobschool
01 / Present
Start where
you are.
My name is…
I have…
We're currently in…
02 / Past
Go back
a little.
My earliest memory is…
It makes me feel…
03 / Future
Look
ahead.
The values I want to live by are…
I do that by…
A little breathing room
Ready for Person 2?
Keep sharing. Ask the next person if they’re ready, then start their turn.
Turn 2 of 2
The host keeps the controls.
Everyone has had a turn
Back to the call.
Host: stop sharing this window so you can see each other.
You can say the three words again.
Once you're looking at each other, try:
“I appreciated you sharing…”
A couple more questions
In what ways do you find yourself asking for help?
In what ways do you appreciate receiving help?