The middle half of a personal story should include compelling instances that highlight the subject's strengths. These instances should be important to the plot and involve some risk or difficulty. For example, if the story is about a person who is trying to decide whether to go into politics, then there should be something in the middle that involves taking a position on an issue before the election. This would be a strong instance because it shows what it means to be principled yet pragmatic at the same time. Weak examples only tell part of the story. They may give us a glimpse of what the subject is like but they don't necessarily reveal much about his or her character. For example, if I told you that my friend's father was a drunk, that would be a weak example because it doesn't say much about the friend himself or how he or she has dealt with his dad's problem. Strong examples show us both the subject's virtues and weaknesses. They are things we can take away from the story and use in our own lives. If I told you that my friend's father had problems with alcohol when he was younger, that he went through AA and stopped drinking entirely one year ago this month, your understanding of him as a person would be greatly enhanced.