Glossary
A simple story shape: Once upon a time… Every day… But one day… Because of that… Until finally… And ever since then.
Facts inform; stories move. The reason is structural: a story has a shape the listener’s brain already knows how to follow, so they lean in instead of working. The simplest reliable shape is the story spine, a template that came out of improv theatre and that film storytellers made famous. Once upon a time. Every day. But one day. Because of that. Because of that. Until finally. And ever since then.
One analysis of great speeches found they move back and forth between “what is” and “what could be”. That is the story spine at the level of an argument. Build a bank of five personal stories (an origin, a failure, a win, a lesson, something funny) and you will never be stuck for an answer to “tell me about yourself”.
Today’s mission is a story. Pick one from your bank of five and find a natural moment to tell it: over a meal, at drinks with friends or colleagues, in a voice message if it has to be. Use the story spine. Pause before the “one day”. Watch their feet and torso while you tell it. Are they leaning in?