What does it mean (for you) to "have a story"?

I've noticed that many novel planning/writing guides start with the assumption that the reader (and writer wannabe) "has a story to tell", yet they rarely, if ever, detail what they mean by that. They undoubtedly have something specific in mind, a level of detail beyond "I want to write about zombies" or whatever, but obviously less extensive than a full story bible and/or scene-by-scene outline, since those guidebooks would usually be pointless if that was the case.

Since none of us can know for certain what those authors mean, and it's likely each has a completely different perception of what "having a story" entails for their method to apply, I'm asking you guys: what does it mean for you to "have a story to tell"? What elements and in what detail would you need to have weaved in your mind (or jotted down) so that you can actually start formally planning (or just pushing ahead if you are a discovery writer)?