Humans are fascinating creatures. We process life, memories, emotions, and experiences through story. That is how powerful stories can be. They frame our lives.
This has many implications.
Stories give us power to change our perspective. It all comes down to the stories we tell ourselves. When something traumatic happens, we can alter the narrative to highlight the silver lining of the experience. We can find the dramatic arc and play that up for effect. The way we choose to tell the story of our experiences can and does affect the way we feel about the incident. This gives us immense power to acknowledge what has happened while taking ownership of it and framing it in a way that leaves us feeling in control. A tiny shift in perspective can change our entire mindset. It turns victims into survivors.
Stories let us connect to others. When a storyteller tells a story correctly it allows us to feel empathy for them. The more empathy you are able to feel, the more oxytocin (the feel-good hormone) your brain will release. The more oxytocin you have, the more inclined you are to trust the person who released it—in other words, the storyteller. That means that stories equal trust. That’s how powerful they are!
Stories fill in the gaps. Our brains love to anticipate the ending. It’s why we are always trying to figure out the ending and why twists that actually surprise work so well. When storytellers are able to subvert our expectations (and anticipated endings), we experience the twist as bigger than it otherwise would be. This proclivity to anticipate endings means that we fill in gaps with our own experiences and biases. It also means that each person who encounters your story and information brains their own interpretation of it.
What Does This Mean?
How you tell your stories matters, because they have the power to form trust, hook your audience, and reframe your audiences’ worlds. Once you understand how these principles work, you can tap into the power of story science.
Some things you can do immediately include:
- Using sensory language to draw in your reader
- Building story structure into your story to tap into the anticipatory response
- Framing your stories to guide your audience
- Including narrative arcs
- Avoiding weasel words
- Adding emotion to your story
The Brain Is Overpowered
The brain contains more than 160 billion cells. Yes, Billion with a capital B. The heart, by comparison, only contains 2 billion. This alone shows the brain’s importance and complexity.
Scientists are still discovering how our brains work. What’s crazy is that we only began learning about our brains in earnest since the 1990s. It hasn’t been that long. But we do know that the brain rules our world. And we learn more every year.
It pays to know how our brains process stories, numbers, experiences, and marketing if you want to build connections, trust, and engage your audience.
The brain is the key to being successful in storytelling.
