Get weekly, actionable storytelling hacks to help you captivate, sharpen, and make a lasting impact—whether in business, branding, or everyday conversations.
THE IDEA INSIDE THE STORY
THE IDEA INSIDE THE STORY
"Ideas don't exist outside of the stories we tell, because that's how we explain them... If I can take an idea and embed it in a story, then everyone can carry it around in their back pocket. They make the idea easy to remember" - Charles Duhigg
Do you ever wonder how random facts stick in your brain? The kinds of tidbits that seem to have little relevancy other than as the answer to a Jeopardy prompt you'll probably never be asked about? It's the story. In “The Science of Storytelling: Why Telling a Story Is the Most "Whenever we hear a story, we want to relate it to one of our existing experiences. That’s why metaphors work so well with us. We link up metaphors and literal happenings automatically. Everything in our brain is looking for the cause and effect relationship of something we’ve previously experienced." If you remember something about a seemingly random fact, chances are good your brain has connected that bit of information to something else– an experience, a person, maybe even a smell. Our ability to tell stories that resonate with others works the same way. Not just the words or events, but the emotions that linger just below the surface of the circumstances. If I tell a story about a mother who lost her son to a heroin overdose– my audience doesn't need to have lost a son to addiction to deeply empathize with the information. They need to be able to connect that experience to their own sense of grief, loss, or the responsibility and agony of being a parent. The details may be different, but those underlying emotions are easy to connect with and that is what makes it memorable. TRY IT: The next time you're telling your partner, parent, or friend about your day– instead of listing the ins and outs of tasks, tell them how doing those things made you feel. Wait a few days and revisit the conversation. I'm willing to bet those details were far easier to recall. REPLY Let us know how it works in your world. Tell us your story. |
SCOUT YOUR STORY
Get weekly, actionable storytelling hacks to help you captivate, sharpen, and make a lasting impact—whether in business, branding, or everyday conversations.
Write with Purpose: How to Make Your Message Matter Season 1 Nbc GIF by The Office Why purpose-driven writing gets attention—and action. You’ve probably seen it. A social post, an email, or a speech that leaves you thinking… what was the point? That’s what happens when a message lacks purpose. The best communicators—brands, leaders, creators—write every sentence with intention. Because when your story has a purpose, your audience has a reason to care. The Research Posts with a clear call to...
The Jeremy Campbell Lesson: Cut the Good to Make Room for the Great It's Wednesday. Time to Cut. The hardest part of storytelling isn’t knowing what to say—it’s knowing what not to say. We often think that adding more details, more words, or more visuals will make a story better. But the reality? The best stories aren’t made in the first draft. They’re shaped in editing. If you want to tell a story that sticks, you have to be willing to cut the good to make room for the great. Our BFF Jeremy...
The Key to Authentic Storytelling: Lower Your Chin Have you ever given a speech or told a story, only to feel like your words just weren’t landing? Like people were hearing you, but not feeling what you were saying? You’re not alone. Authentic communication isn’t just about delivering information—it’s about creating a real emotional connection. And here’s a simple, yet powerful trick to help you do that: Before you speak... Lower your chin to your chest Take a breath Listen to your heart It...