👣 Step 46: Tell Better Stories

Stories are the bedrock of humanity. They've built and destroyed civilizations, launched thousands of ships across perilous seas, and raised and torn down the most influential people in history.

We are all stories. The stories we tell others about who we are. The stories society tells us. The stories we tell ourselves.

So, with stories being the foundation of humanity, it's easy to understand the importance of storytelling.

We've all heard sayings such as "control the narrative" or "history is written by the winners," and they persist because they're true.

And another thing is also true: it doesn't even have to be a true story. Because of the Illusory Truth Effect, if someone repeats something over and over - even if its not true - people will start to believe it.

This is the whole reason why propaganda even exists! A propaganda law the Nazis used was "Repeat a lie often enough and it becomes the truth."

Why am I talking about this?

We are all stories. We're one big story made up of countless other stories - positive and negative, true and false - about who we are, where we've come from, where we're going, and so much more. And these stories have been told to us (intentionally or not) by our parents, friends, coworkers, loved ones, and even ourselves.

And we can control these stories and tell better stories.

So, how do we tell better stories?

1. Think on your life. The highs, lows, and seemingly mundane. Look for the lessons - the human experiences amongst it all. Share what you learned.
2. Be authentic. Don't build it up to something that it's not, and don't downplay it either. Tell it for what it is.
3. Think about the person listening. What value does this story give them? What can they learn from this story? Where do they fit in to this story?
4. Repeat it - over and over and over. People will remember it more, and you'll learn how to better communicate it. Repetition and iteration.

These stories can range from the hardest lessons from your worst times to the life-changing experiences from your greatest successes to simply not saying "I'm so stupid" when you lose your keys.

Stories have the power to withstand millennia. The Odyssey is the perfect example. We currently have a box-office hit about a story that was composed around 700BC (and created far earlier through oral tradition).

Do you think Homer knew the story would be enthralling the globe 2,700 years later? Definitely not.

What stories can you tell?

They don't have to last 2,700 years. But they can last your lifetime. They can last until your great-grandchildren. And that still matters.

Tell better stories.

See you next Thursday, Steppers.

We will succeed,

Grayson

​graysonstepanek.com​

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Song of the Week:

Telemachus Ludwig Göransson PREVIEW   ​

Music is all stories too. Whether it's an emotional ballad or an instrumental, there's a universal story that we can all experience together. While I highly recommend this movie and the whole score (Ludwig killed it with this one), this song stuck out immediately. Listen with headphones and just feel the synths transitioning between left and right audio channels - it's just so good.