"We live in stories the way fish live in water." - Daniel Taylor
Storytelling is everywhere.
So is storyselling.
Many people write about storytelling, talk about it, sell it, claim to know it, practice it, deliver it, entertain with it, and use it to inspire and persuade.
Storytelling is an omnipresent part of our lives. We are already storytellers.
This reality eludes many, as we often see stories as something external, something we need to catch, learn, or grasp.
Yet, as Plato suggests, we simply need to 'remember' our true nature.
The value in recognizing your storyteller nature lies in seeing that your whole life is a treasure chest of experiences and stories that shape who you are and how you are in the world. The next step is giving yourself permission to give birth to these tales.
Storytelling remains slippery to many until you begin to untangle the stories you have already gathered. A good storyteller will always be scanning their world for stories and gathering these threads of tales for repurposing. Your strategic storytelling journey starts with you.
I once trained a group of journalists at a large multimedia company on storytelling. Their goal was to revisit the basics to reignite their passion for their work. I curated a day of personal story sharing, and the experience was moving. "Today felt like a beautiful team-building day," one participant said. "I feel more aware of the value of my own personal stories." This highlighted just how deeply connecting storytelling can be.
Learning to discover yourself as a storyteller and then leverage the power of story for positive and productive impact is the essence of becoming a strategic storyteller.
It’s not just about technical proficiency or how many books you’ve read or videos you’ve watched (though these are important and valuable).
Rather, storytelling starts by recognizing the storytelling machine you already are. Once you experience this, you'll begin to see stories all around you in your everyday life. These observations will help you recognize story patterns and strategize your own stories to achieve your communication goals.
Viewing and expressing the world through narrative frameworks will help you spot the humanity in every interaction, understand opportunities more clearly, and imagine better outcomes.
Your stories serve others.
That’s a powerful way to connect with any audience in your personal life or in business.
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Hi, I’m Colin. I’ve been helping people connect to their stories, curate story moments, and become confident storytellers for over a decade. Using a theatre-based coaching process, I can help you, too.
👉 Interested in starting or continuing that journey?
👉 I’m running an in-person training in #Johannesburg on August 23rd, 2024.
👉 I can help your teams connect, create and align through story.
👉 I’m also available for personal story coaching (if you want to go deep).
DM me for more info or to chat.
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