Storyteller's Secrets

I recently finished this incredible book by Carmine Gallo, reading 245 pages in 2 days and it reminded me once again the power of great storytelling versus good storytelling.

Why do some ideas catch on and others don’t? Often, it comes down to storytelling. Stories inform, illuminate and inspire.

Ideas that catch on are wrapped in story and each chapter of The Storyteller’s Secret is wrapped in the story of entrepreneurs (Richard Branson, Steve Jobs, Sheryl Sandberg, Sara Blakely), brands (Southwest, Virgin, Apple, Whole Foods), leaders (Joel Osteen, Howard Schultz, Bill Gates, Pope Francis) and TED Speakers (Bryan Stevenson, Bono, Ken Robinson, Sting) who use storytelling to drive change.

The Storyteller’s Secrets at a Glance

• Identify your brands core purpose. *Steve Jobs
• Dream in moonshots. *Elon Musk
• Reframe the story you tell yourself. *Darren Hardy
• Share the backstory of your life. *Sara Blakely
• Tell stories of struggle and the lessons learned. *Tony Robbins
• Introduce a “hero” – person or product – who triumphs over adversity. *Oprah
• Consistently and publicly frame your vision in a founder’s story. *Herb Kelleher
• Make stories at least 65 percent of your presentation. *Sheryl Sandberg
• Violate expectations. *Bill Gates
• Use simple words and analogies to hide complexity. *Martin Luther King
• Enrich your story with specific and relevant details. *Pete Frates
• Unleash your best storytellers. *Danny Meyer
• Deliver serious topics with a side of humor. *Sir Richard Branson
• Tell authentic and personal stories tailored to your audience. *Gary Vaynerchuck
• Be succinct; use a few well-chosen words. *Winston Churchill
• Break up your story into three parts. *Steve Jobs
• Use pictures to illustrate your story. *Chris Hadfield
• Wrap data in stories to make a personal connection. *John Lasseter
• Take every opportunity to hone your presentation skills. *Martin Luther King
• Inspire employees to be the hero of their own customer stories. *Steve Wynn
• Don’t make your story good; make it great. *Malala Yousafzai

Quality storytelling always wins. Always. – Gary Vaynerchuck

GIVE THE AUDIENCE SOMETHING TO CHEER FOR

Here is the 7-step process that nearly all Pixar movies follow. I loved this framework and see it’s value when shaping your own life story.

1. Once there was a _____________. [A protagonist/hero with a goal is the most important element of a story.]
2. Every day he _____________. [The hero’s world must be in balance in the first act.]
3. Until one day _______________. [A compelling story introduces conflict. The hero’s goal face a challenge.]
4. Because of that ________________. [This step is critical and separates a blockbuster from an average story. Each scene has one nugget of information that complete the next.]
5. Because of that ________________.
6. Until finally __________________. [The climax reveals the triumph of good over evil.]
7. Ever since then ________________. [The moral of the story.]

Time for me to get working on my own storytelling…as my desire is strong. I have a strong desire to pass down amazing life stories for my children and hopefully their grandchildren one day. I have a strong desire to connect the dots in the entrepreneurial world and capitalize on greater influence and potential business opportunities. I have a strong desire to increase my leadership in the corporate environment.