How To Master The Art of Storytelling

Summary

The video discusses the power of storytelling, stating that 65% of conversations are stories. Great leaders and communicators throughout history have been masterful storytellers. The video outlines different types of storytellers and key elements that make stories compelling, like building anticipation, using vivid details, showing emotion, and having a climax. It emphasizes owning and sharing your unique story. Finally, it mentions using stories during tense moments and when trying to make a point or educate children. Overall, storytelling allows you to inspire, persuade, tap into people's potential, and create change.

Takeaways

• 😊 Most of our conversations are stories and gossip
• 😮 Storytelling is powerful for persuading, inspiring, launching movements, unlocking potential and manipulating
• 📚 Great storytellers create anticipation, curiosity, surprise and use vivid details
• 😀 Involvement, energy, timing, imagination and displaying emotion are also storytelling tools
• 🎥 Technology like printing press, camera, TV and social media enabled new forms of storytelling
• ✍️ Your personal story is uniquely yours - like a signature or fingerprint
• 👪 Stories resonate when raising kids or during tense moments
• 🎤 Becoming a good storyteller develops great public speaking skills
• 😊 Stories bring people together and help us understand each other
• 🌟 Share your story to make an impact in the world

Q & A

What percentage of our conversations are consumed by stories and gossip?

According to the script, 65% of our conversations are consumed by stories and gossip.

Why does the speaker say storytelling is important in business?

The speaker says that in business we can become very logical and focused on numbers and deadlines, but many challenges in business can be handled by telling stories. Stories help persuade and get a point across.

What are the 5 types of storytellers the speaker identifies?

The 5 types are: those who persuade, those who inspire, those who launch revolutions/movements, those who tap into inner potential, and those who manipulate.

How did the printing press change storytelling?

The printing press, invented around 1450, allowed mass distribution of written stories for the first time instead of solely oral storytelling.

What makes a signature, fingerprint, and personal story valuable?

These are intrinsically tied to a person's identity and there is only one of each per person, which gives them value.

What are some key elements of effective storytelling?

Key elements include: creating anticipation, building curiosity, using vivid details, managing speech flow and volume, getting audience involvement, conveying energy, effective timing, painting a visual picture, showing feelings, using body language, building to a climax.

When are stories effective in difficult situations?

Stories can be effective in diffusing moments of tension, validating a point that is being argued, persuading kids, and in leadership coaching and development.

Why does the speaker recommend becoming fascinated with your own story?

Because your personal story is unique to you, like a signature or fingerprint. You should make sure your story makes an impact on the world.

What previous business did the speaker run related to storytelling?

The speaker previously ran a business called The Story Builders focused on storytelling.

What is the two-fold purpose of this video?

The two purposes are 1) teaching the viewer how to tell better stories, and 2) encouraging the viewer to make sure their personal story makes an impact.

Outlines

00:00

🤩 Stories make up most conversations

The first paragraph states that stories and gossip make up 65% of our conversations. Great storytellers throughout history like Shakespeare, Martin Luther King Jr., and Eminem are mentioned. An example is provided of a story told in song lyrics.

05:00

📝 Elements of great storytelling

The second paragraph lists elements that make up great storytelling such as creating anticipation, building curiosity and surprise, providing details to set the scene, controlling volume and flow, involving the audience, displaying energy, using the right timing, evoking imagination and visualization, conveying feelings, using body language and facial expressions, building up to a climax, and telling a memorable story that gets retold.

10:02

📜 Your story defines you

The third paragraph emphasizes that your personal story is uniquely yours, just like your signature or fingerprint. It explains why stories of famous people have so much value. The author urges the reader to tell their own story and make an impact.

Keywords

💡storytelling

Storytelling is the main theme of the video. The speaker emphasizes how storytelling is an integral part of communication and persuasion. He states that 65% of conversations are stories and gossip. Effective storytelling helps win debates, sell ideas, motivate people, and more. The speaker outlines different types of storytellers as well as the key elements that make for an impactful story.

💡anticipation

Anticipation refers to a storyteller's ability to create suspense and interest about what will happen next in the story. The speaker uses the musical Hamilton as an example of something that creates great anticipation and makes people excited to see the story unfold.

💡details

Details are an important element of good storytelling. The speaker emphasizes the need to provide specific, vivid details to help the audience visualize the story, as if transporting them to the scene being described. He provides a personal example of telling a story from his childhood, recalling precise details of where he was and what was happening.

💡involvement

Involvement refers to a storyteller's ability to emotionally engage their audience, making them feel immersed in the story. The speaker notes that great storytellers typically get the listener invested in and responding to the story, as if they are part of the experience.

💡energy

Energy refers to a storyteller's enthusiasm and presence. Their energy is infectious to the audience. While people have different styles, great storytellers all have a palpable energy the audience can feel. This helps bring the story to life.

💡visualization

Visualization refers to the storyteller's ability to paint vivid mental pictures and trigger the audience's imagination. The speaker talks about using words that tap into imagination and urges storytellers to help the audience visualize the scenes they are relating.

💡feelings

Showing authentic feelings and emotions is key for connecting with an audience. Great storytellers tap into their own feelings and experiences to emotionally engage listeners. The speaker shares a personal story of getting choked up when publicly speaking about someone special from his past.

💡signature

The speaker relates one's personal story to a signature, fingerprint, or other unique identifier that belongs solely to an individual. He emphasizes taking ownership over shaping one's life story and ensuring it makes an impact on the world.

💡tension

Moments of tension refer to challenging situations where storytelling can be especially impactful. The speaker gives examples of using anecdotes during tense negotiations or conversations to reduce conflict and improve understanding between parties.

💡kids

The speaker advocates storytelling as an effective technique for teaching values and lessons to children. He shares examples of using stories to discuss sensitive topics with his own kids in an approachable way that sticks with them.

Highlights

65% of our conversations are stories and gossip

Stories can help handle challenges in business and personal life

Great storytellers create anticipation and build curiosity

Details are key for storytelling to help listeners visualize

Involvement and engagement are reflections of great storytelling

Energy is infectious, especially in storytelling

Painting a picture through imagination and visualization brings stories to life

Showing feelings helps the audience connect emotionally

Body language enhances storytelling

Great stories have a climax and are retold by others

Your story is uniquely yours, like a signature or fingerprint

Stories can diffuse moments of tension

Stories validate your point when selling, raising kids, etc.

Stories stick with kids and they retell them

Purpose is learning storytelling and making your story impactful

Transcripts

according to recent studies 65% that's a

big number

65% of our conversations are consumed of

stories and gossip 65% stories and

gossip did you hear about what Bobby's

going through you heard about what she's

working out do you know what they went

through you know they get in a rut I

think they're like hey did you hey let

me tell you still go what happened

earlier today everything's about story

but sometimes in a world of business we

become so logical because it's number

number number number hidden getting

deadlines deadlines then you forget that

so many challenges in our personal life

business so many of them can be handled

by stories but sometimes people forgot

how to tell stories today we're gonna

talk about the art of storytelling all

right so let's get right into listen we

love stories we love great stores you

and I go to movies we read books because

we love stories now when you think about

history you think about great

storytellers you think about Shakespeare

Homer Martin Luther King Lincoln Eminem

Churchill Clinton Disney Reagan Tupac

biggie it was all a dream

I used to read Word Up Magazine salt and

pepper and Heavy D up in the limousine

you're visualizing it it was all a dream

I used to read Word Up Magazine salt and

pepper and Heavy D up in the limousine

that's a that's a story you're reading

right when when Eminem's telling the

story about Stan when Bill Clinton is

debating George Bush Senior and somebody

in the audience says hey President Bush

how was the debt affect your family how

are you personally affected by it and he

says you don't think I'm affected by you

don't think just because I'm a president

I'm not affected by and a Bill Clinton

comes and says tell me about your life

tell me about your war going through let

me tell you about the story what we did

in the state of Arkansas I remember one

time I remember one time oh my gosh I

want to vote this doesn't mean he's a

better president doesn't mean he's

smarter than George Bush senior's it

just means he's better at telling

stories and in that situation he won

that debate because he told a story so

many times we can win and we can

persuade and we can get our point across

if we simply tell a story so let's get

right into it now five types of

storyteller it's very simple dosoo

persuade okay it could be in a lot of

different places those who inspire those

who inspire

pastors coaches or leaders somebody you

watch motivational speakers who inspire

those who launch revolutions and

movements some positives

negative those who tap into your inner

potential you know how somebody you talk

to and you sit across from them you

almost feel like they just went into

your spirit and they swim and they shock

you and all of a sudden like man I feel

like I can take over the world they tap

into that inner you you know you know

what I'm you've experienced that before

to know what I'm talking about

those to manipulate and these are con

artists you but these are all

storytellers I'm not giving you just a

good or you know all storytellers are

perfect but these are five ways people

tell stories now the part of our

storytelling that's changed the game is

obviously in 1450 things changed when it

was printing press because before we

would just talk a lot and it was all

about conversations then we started

telling stories through writing

obviously the printing press made it

what we can do mass distribution of

storytelling then came you know the the

camera so now a motion picture camera

and then TV came in 1925 and now we

watch TV and then radio and today it's

social media blog it's so in the bottle

if you look at anybody on social media

that's winning if you look at anybody in

Hollywood that's winning if you look at

anybody that's a writer that's winning

you will find somebody that's a great

story too if you look at anybody in

politics that ends up winning I promise

you'll find somebody that's better at

telling stories and other people are

storytelling right now elements of a

great storyteller elements of a great

story storyteller

I got a few points here up here for you

number one they create anticipation like

you're like oh my gosh what's about to

happen here look I want to watch

Hamilton right and I'm sitting like

what's about to happen I'm like this guy

if you ever see the guy that produced

the whole a Hamilton show he's brilliant

the way he gets so excited my second

anticipation I want to see what happens

here there's a certain level of

anticipation of a great storyteller

building curiosity surprise you know hey

let me tell you about the story son said

it was this one guy and he goes in and

as he's going through this place and the

forest and all of us in here the noise

but he didn't know what the noise was so

he kind of backed up a little because he

was afraid then he came and he looked

and he was alone he didn't know what to

do but he felt curious so he went there

and then all of a sudden but it's like

that's the surprise part like just like

you're telling stories to your kids

sometimes right details the key is

details here's where I was at this is

what the place looked like like I was

telling a story earlier when I was

talking

but I'm sitting in a car many many years

ago situation where my sister is sitting

on the front right and my dad's in the

driver's seat and we're in front of

video twenty20 okay in Glendale off of

Glendale there's an IHOP over here

International House of Pancakes there's

a church over there right across the

street was Virgil's and this is Glendale

and uh Doran Street and we're in the car

it's pouring it's absolutely pouring and

my sister and my dad are having to come

in the back seat my sister my dad are

having a conversation my dad says you

know I'll help you get a car and mazda6

too and I'm just going through this hole

I like by the way let me tell you how

old I was I was 15 years old 14 years

old 25 years ago but I remember the

details right because stories are about

the details and a lot of times when

you're telling this story sometimes

people tell way too many details but you

got to tell me enough story while I'm

not there with you I'm like oh my gosh I

know exactly what is that great

storytellers know how to get the details

out to Evan flow of your speech the

volume like no one want to go up one to

come down you know sometimes people are

trying to perfect this too much and

you'll see when it's an axis you just

kind of kind of do it naturally but

eventually you'll kind of know timing

wise what places to take up and down

involvement if I'm somebody that's

listening to you tell a great story

great storytellers typically get me

engaged I'm in there I'm involved in

like yeah I understand I know what

you're talking about I'm involved with

your great story like if I hear a great

storyteller and I'll sit there and I'll

catch myself um again yeah ha that's

right I'm involved I'm engaged on inner

because it's a reflection of a great

storyteller that's gotten my attention

of my involvement within the story

energy energy is very infectious

especially when somebody tells a story

and and sometimes energy people think

you have to be hyping all this other

stuff there are very powerful

storytellers where you feel their energy

but they're not here Clinton's energy is

a different energy but it's high energy

right Obama's energy is a high energy in

his own way some people tell stories in

different ways but they have a certain

energy that you feel timing no one want

to drop this fact and one drop to this

one want to do this there's a lot of

timing things when you're telling

stories number eight is painting a

picture imagination visualization

imagine what you think about this which

or visualize I don't think about one day

what if

that these these words that are used

that tap into our imagination nine show

feelings

I remember Mari and I were having a

conversation together today and I told

him I said you know I don't like to cry

when I give a speech I get very upset on

myself when I when I cry when I give a

speech because for me it's almost like

using it as a tactic and I've spoken I

don't know how many thousands of times

because I speak regularly to audiences

right and I can say I've cried five

times five times I don't tell them story

I said three out of five times I cried

was because of one person in my life and

I was telling about this person that I'm

going back for it but I said but but

when I think about this person it

produces a certain feeling for me that I

go there and when I feel it the audience

feels it because you will know when

somebody goes and taps into a certain

feeling everybody else feel so but you

gotta be able to use your feelings you

know if in that moment you were upset

show me that you were upset if in that

moment you were joy show me you were if

in that moment you were angry if you

were curious if you were afraid if you

were insecure if you were show it to me

I want to feel it I want to know that

what you're telling me I can feel it as

well you can't act that part I want to

know about it you got to show the

feelings when you're telling that

number-10 body language your body

languages you know hand movement and

eventually this becomes natural but body

language bodies move in and in the 11s

climax very similar to many other

aspects of our lives or there's a climax

of oh my gosh that was amazing the end

of the story's got to have a climax oh

my gosh what a story are you kidding me

what a story and by the way here's a key

of a great story a great story is one

that's retold a great story is one

that's retold here's what happens you

hear a story and you're gonna say babe

did you hear about let me tell you what

I heard today oh my gosh let me tell you

the story it's on did you know that

Elton John's been sober for 28 years and

the guy that wrote the music for him was

his best friend and never gave up on and

while everybody gave up on him did you

know this babe that's crazy I can't even

believe it the best stories in the world

are the stories that are rito-san i

watch

this year simple Pat are you trying to

teach me how to tell a story time on my

story two components here to this

episode number one teaching you how to

tell stories by the way you know how to

tell stories so it's not like you don't

know how to tell so since we're being

kids we love stories you love stories

you know how to tell stories we've been

telling stories where we became too

logical you got to get back and tap into

that childlike side of yours start

telling stories again like you always

did here's why

one story telling to your story listen

in life there's a lot of things that you

own that's you you that's you that's

your identity your this is all you

there's a lot of things that people own

there's a lot of things that people own

we own cars beyond all these other

things we live in a house we sell it to

somebody as we you know own a car we

sell it to somebody else but there's a

few things that's yours one your

signature you sign it's your signature s

why it's got so much value when you go

sir president's signature Lincoln you

can buy for twenty five thousand dollars

when you roll a letter to his wife this

is signature of Al Capone when he wrote

the IRS pop up about forty thousand

dollars this is a signature it's an

autograph of Babe Ruth autograph of

Mickey Mantle look at this over here

because it's so valuable it's yours

signature it's yours you can do what

your eyes closed you don't have to open

it's your signature right this

fingerprint ready fingerprint you know

what the other one is your story your

story it's the best thing it's your

story you own it

it's your fingerprint it's your

signature your story and the way you

live your life that's a story that's

told everything I'm telling you is how

to tell stories but on all this stuff I

hope you realize like I can teach you

this stuff with my eyes closed because I

am enamored by people's stories I used

to run a store my first business I ever

started was called the story builders I

have an email till today that has to do

with the story builders because that's a

business I started many years ago

I mean stories absolutely moved me and

more people tell me why do you like

people so much I love people if I sit

next you on a plane I guarantee you're

gonna be speaking 80 percent of the time

I'm gonna be asking questions I love so

I can't help myself I sit if somebody's

interviewing me within the middle of an

interview I sometimes catch myself

interviewing the other person because I

love stories I am fascinated by your

story and fastener about people's

stories but you need to be fascinated by

your own story you need to go out there

make sure the world knows about your

story because there's only one of you

only one it's pretty emotional I though

if you really get deep and think about

it's only one of you you got to make

sure your story makes an impact so now

last but not least when stories are

effective moments of tension when

there's a lot of chalica day we had a

very difficult board meeting in the

middle of a board meeting it was a very

tough moment last night very very tough

dinner that we had and it was a very

tough moment of tension and I brought up

something and I told the story and we

went through it it was like okay you

know it's pretty interesting and today

is another story you know here's one

okay fine okay we can get through this

no promise what I expect this what I

want to see okay we can work around this

but it was due to a story being told

it's like okay this is safe it's safe

moments of tension tell a story when

nothing and go nothing else works tell a

story validating your point when selling

racing kids tell story tell my kids

stories all the time the other night

it's telling my kids I pulled him aside

I said guys I want to pray tonight

and I need you to pray with me and my

seven of my five-year-old cuz daddies

everything okay I said yes I got to pray

for somebody so I get on my knees and I

start praying and I said look there's

that God somebody my life is really

struggling and they're going through

tough times and I'm having a tough time

with this and I don't know how to handle

this and and and I need your help and I

really want you to empower this person

to realize the life is bigger than this

and I hope they find their demons and

all these things that they're going

through right and I ask my kids he did

wonder you guys want to pray my five

year old Dylan such miss such a he says

daddy I want to say something I said

what do you want to say daddy he says

dear God I want to pray that my dad's

friend who are struggling with I'm not

gonna say the word to staying and and I

am hoping God that one day he can find

this and that that that's so one day he

wants to be like exercise etc and I'm

just sitting next to the skin like

flippin kid man you know he got my heart

immediately but was the moral the story

we sat down with telling stories all

night that night and these kids every

time I tell him stories when something

pops up if I talked about drugs alcohol

you know marriage relationship exercise

friendship bully and toughness respect

if it's always a story-based and they

are

remember the story and they retell it

and they tell it to me they tell its mom

they tell it to their grandpa they tell

it to their nanny they tell it to their

sister they tell it to their friends

they tell it to their teacher and it

always comes back stories when raising

kids coaching leadership development all

of this stuff is around storytelling so

purpose in this video two sides one

you're learning how to tell stories to

you making sure your signature your

story your fingerprint makes a big

impact in this world having said that if

you want to learn more about this kind

of a topic have another video I want you

to watch ok what's the title of the

video it's how to become a great public

speaker I think as a toddler video

here's a thumbnail it's titled how to

become a how to be a great public

speaker and in this video I talk about

different styles that public speakers

take to deliver their message this is

very similar to what I just talked about

so if you want to go back and look

through this again do so and then if

you're done with this go watch the other

video how to be a great public speaker

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comment below thanks for watching

everybody take care bye bye