How to Tell a Story?

Before we dive into the story-writing process, let’s take a minute to discuss the various kinds of stories that people and leaders often use to motivate others. There are lots of different types, but here are four that I believe are very important.

First, there’s what I call ‘the story of me’.

This is about a person’s unique life experience. We see this kind of story in books, the media, films, and news. For example, when Oprah Winfrey shares her personal story about her childhood, her struggles, and her early years as a journalist, it gives her authenticity and enhances the stories of those she interviews.

The next type is what I call ‘the story of our company’.

This story can be about a small group or a large multinational corporation. It answers questions like: Why do we exist? What’s our purpose? What do we value? A great example of this is the story of Airbnb by its founder, Brian Chesky.

Another type is ‘the story of an idea’.

Steve Jobs was a master of this. When he introduced new Apple products, he opened your mind to new possibilities and a different way products could be used in our world.

Lastly, there’s ‘the story of results’.

This is about the impact you’re making in the world. A good example is Mark Zuckerberg, who, from the start of Facebook, envisioned a world where everyone would be interconnected.

Now Let us start the process of crafting the story.

Think about all the stories that have drawn you in over your life. They all have key parts that make them captivating, but let us look at 9 components that are suggested by Keith Yamashita. Not every story will have all nine, but knowing them will help you tell better stories.

Here are the nine elements:

1. ‘Once upon a time’: This sets the stage for your story.
2. ‘World view’: This gives the reason why your story is important.
3. ‘Great characters’: These are the heroes, villains, and side characters in your story.
4. ‘Challenging situations’: These are the conflicts and lessons in your story.
5. ‘Conflicts’:
6. ‘Drama’:
7. ‘Lessons Learned’:
8. ‘New possibility’: This shows something new or important in your story.
9. ‘Happily ever after’: This gives the moral or end of your story.

When you start thinking about the different parts of your story, like conflict, drama, tough situations, lessons you learned, and so on, please understand that we don’t need all nine parts. You may pick 4-5 and shuffle your story parts around until it feels interesting.

Now that you’ve got your story parts laid out and you can see the different parts of your story, I want to share something else about making your story more exciting and gripping. You can do this by using patterns or what I call story patterns or archetypes.

These are the old ways people have used to make stories interesting and to keep people listening. Think about any story you really like. Most of them will use a basic story archetype. Herre are a few story archetypes that you can use

1. COMING OF AGE

After years of learning and growing, you’ve reached a milestone. You know who you are. You are strong, experienced, and confident. You’re ready to take on whatever comes next.
Use this archetype to show experience and strength.

2. OVERCOMING OBSTACLES

You hit a roadblock and almost failed. It was a struggle. You challenged your assumptions, made tough decisions, fought hard… and won.
Use this archetype to demonstrate resilience.

3. CONSTANT EVOLUTION

You never rest. Over and over, you’ve evolved to handle whatever comes your way. You keep moving, adapting to the world around you, and maybe even anticipating its change.
Use this archetype to prove adaptability.

4. TRUE AS IT EVER WAS

Your purpose and values have endured throughout the years. The world has evolved and you’ve changed with it, but your core beliefs have remained intact. They guide everything you do.
Use this archetype to communicate steadiness or reinforce the audience’s trust

5. REBIRTH

Over time, you’ve accumulated a wealth of experience and knowledge. Today, you’re harnessing that to start a whole new chapter and become an even better version of yourself.
Use this archetype to explain a new direction.

6. QUEST

You’ve always had a clear objective and you’ve pursued it relentlessly. Over time, you’ve summoned your talent and passion to turn your vision into reality. Through twists and turns, you’ve maintained your focus, and
you will never let it go.
Use this archetype to recommit or demonstrate dedication.

Think for a moment of each of these archetypes and which one might help you accomplish what you most want to accomplish with an audience.

What I’d like you to do with your story is to layout your chosen archetype and all the component parts. Here is where your creativity comes to play. Most people perceive storytelling as a linear process, where one event naturally leads to another. But powerful narratives often stem from mixing things up. Part of this process involves constantly rearranging the order until you discover a sequence that resonates. It might be beneficial to start with this arrangement and tell our story or perhaps we need to alter the sequence and tell our story that way. Hence, take some time to review your chosen archetype and components, and continue to shuffle them until they fall into an order that you find compelling.