Be a hero. Yes, that’s right. Be a hero. Do you have a vision to sell, a product to pitch, a dream to pursue? Approach it in a heroic way by telling a story.
Think about it. The best stories are the ones that are heroic. As the receiver, you hang on to every word, every action, and every call to action. You become enamored, encouraged, and inspired. You become a raving fan.
The best way to be a hero is to tell a story. Storytelling produces results. Period. It will sell your product. It will grow your company. It will cast your vision.
Here is the bottom line: Stories create emotions. Emotions create motivation. Motivation creates action. Action creates results.
Stories have always existed, will always be around, and they will be repeated over and over again. There are no new stories. They are just retold by different people in different ways. They impact the heart. They tug at the soul. They change the game. Tell a story and you become a hero.
How do you tell an effective story?
Here are three quick tips:
(1) Be Like Jack Shepherd – Get LOST
Leave the island. The beauty of the television show LOST is that the characters leave the island when their stories are told. You need to do the same. Take your audience to a different place emotionally. Allow them to forget and escape the coldness of the ballroom room floor, the fluorescent lighting of the conference room, or the badly decorated meeting space. Take them on journey. Escape and leave the island with your creativity.
(2) Be Like Malcolm Crowe – Have Tension and Discovery
If you have seen the movie The Sixth Sense, then you probably remember the scene where Malcolm Crowe (played by Bruce Willis) is trying to reassure Cole. He comforts him by telling him a very short story. Here it is:
Once upon a time there was this person named Malcolm. He worked with children. He loved it. He loved it more than anything else. And then one night, he found out that he made a mistake with one of them. He couldn’t help that one. And he can’t stop thinking about it, he can’t forget. Ever since then, things have been different. He’s not the same person that he used to be. And his wife doesn’t like the person that he’s become. They barely speak anymore, they’re like strangers. And then one day Malcolm meets this wonderful little boy, a really cool little boy. Reminds him a lot of the other one. And Malcolm decides to try and help this new boy. ‘Cause he feels that if he can help this new boy, it would be like helping that other one too.
You will notice that it starts with a moment of tension and ends with a moment of discovery. As brief as it is, you feel worry and then you feel hope. That is great storytelling.
(3) Be Like Matt Foley – Have Repetition
Most SNL fans remember Chris Farley’s infamous character, Matt Foley, the motivational speaker who lived in a van down by the river. The script is a perfect example of the beauty of repetition.
Well, you’ll have plenty of time to live in a van down by the river when you’re… [ tries to be clever ] …living in a van down by the river! Now, you kids are probably asking yourself, “Hey, Matt, how can we get back on the right track?!” Well, as I see it, there is only one solution! And that is for me to get my gear, move it on into here, ’cause I’m gonna bunk with you, buddy! We’re gonna be buddies! We’re gonna be pals! [ picks Brian up ] We’re gonna wrassle around! [ puts Brian down ] Ol’ Matt’s gonna be your shadow! [ motions] Here’s Matt, here’s you! There’s Matt, there’s you! [ trips and falls flat on the coffee table, sending it crashing to the floor ] Whoops-a-daisy! [ stands up ] We’re gonna have to clean that up later! Me and my buddies! My pals! My amigos! I’m gonna go get my gear! [ heads for the door ]
Such a simple a script, but the concept of friends, buddies, and down by the river are what make it so memorable.
Leave the island. Have tension and discovery. Repeat the good stuff. That’s how you tell a story. The challenge today: be heroic. Go cast your vision with a story.
Many thanks go out to Scott Schwertly, today’s guest blogger who is a hero in his own right!
Scott is an epic storyteller and owns Ethos 3 Communications a presentation design and training company in Nashville, TN.
Check out his blog for more great posts like this!
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The second book I read while on vacation was THE PRESIDENT, THE POPE, AND THE PRIME MINISTER: THREE WHO CHANGED THE WORLD by John O’Sullivan (Washington DC: Regnery Publishing, 2006).
