Change Your Story, Change Your Life

YOUR MUSICAL STORY Your musical story refers to the rhythm, the pace, and the feelings that your intentional communication creates. This episode will stimulate your creativity and allow you to feel storytelling with your heart and your whole body. It will get you out of your head. You will hear three short pieces of jazz music by the legendary saxophonist, John Coltrane. the are from his famous album, Coltrane Plays the Blues. Each piece is named after a person. The songs are: Mr. Day Mr. Syms Mr. Knight I first used this exercise when I was teaching young adults in New York City. I played the three songs for them and told them to pick one and write a story about it. The goal of the story was to make the central character of the song come alive. The students describe what Mr. Day, Mr. Syms, and Mr. Knight looked like; the described the men’s personalities and their behavior. Remember. These were musical compositions without lyrics. You will only hear the beginning of each song. It is suffici

GO GIVER You’ve heard of a go getter. So, what’s a go giver? Not the opposite of a go getter. The opposite of a go giver is a go taker. This episode is not about an amusing word game. It’s an interview with a brilliant man whose views on the world transform lives. His name is Bob Burg, an accomplished and recognized speaker, author, and a sales/mindset trainer. As an author, his book sales have crossed the one million mark. Two of his most popular books are The Go-Giver, that he co-authored with John David Mann, and Endless Referrals, a book that delivers big time on the promise of its title. There’s a simple profound theme in all of Bob Burg’s work. It’s this. The more you give, the more you get. He walks and talks the belief that the amount of money you make is directly proportional to how many people you serve. Here’s what’s exciting about listening to Bob or reading one of his books. You’ll get insights about influence and persuasion that have be

PRESENTATION TEMPLATE This episode gives you a powerful template for creating any kind of presentation (live, webinar, YouTube video, you name it). I call it the Frankenstein Presentation Template because you will build your presentation the way Dr. Frankenstein built his monster. Sounds crazy, I know. This is far from crazy. This presentation template will take the guesswork out of creating compelling presentations that move people to a desired action. It clarifies the order you should follow to build your presentation step-by-step. Many people make the mistake of focusing on what they will say first; they focus on their opening. The problem is that they don’t know what their core message is. They haven’t asked the question, “What am I opening into?” The analogy with the Frankenstein monster will make all of this clear. That monster became a living being. Your presentation should be alive like a living being. Imagine, for a moment, that you, like Dr. Frankenstein decided to crea

MILLIONAIRE CHOICES Millionaire choices don’t begin with the choices you make about money; they begin with the choices you make about life. Here’s what I mean. Abundance and wealth creation are the result of the belief that outer circumstances do not control the choices you make in life. If life deals you a bad hand, you can still win the game by playing the cards you have with imagination, desire, and focus. Today’s episode is an interview with Tony Bradshaw, the man who wrote the book, The Millionaire Choice. he wrote it to inspire and equip people to become millionaires, no matter where they are financially right now. Tony walks his talk. He grew up poor in a broken home. His dad was an alcoholic. His neighbors were drug dealers. At the age of four, Tony was in his dad’s car when the police stopped them and arrested his father from drunk driving. You will hear about some other difficult challenges that Tony Bradshaw faced while growing up. Challenges that many people would use

CLIFFHANGERS Cliffhangers are endings in stories that leave an audience in suspense.  The term cliffhanger originated in the 1930s from early film serials in which episodes ended with characters in desperate situations such as hanging off the edge of a cliff. This episode explores why and how you can use cliffhangers in all your communication. The reason to use them is simple and obvious. You do it to arouse and hold curiosity. Your aim should be to open curiosity loops and keep them open until late in your story, or at the end of it. The word story refers to any intentional communication you have with people on or offline. You will discover a powerful example of great cliffhangers in today’s episode. They are in the first two paragraphs of a short story called “Mrs. Kelly’s Monster,” by Jon Franklin. Franklin is a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist who shows you how to use fiction writing techniques to engage people in true stories. You will also learn about the use of of this m

WALK YOUR TALK “Commitment is doing the thing you said you would do long after the mood you said it in has passed.” That quote is by George Zalucki, an international icon of self development. It is also one of today’s guest’s favorite quotes. Our inspiring guest is Ray Higdon, a seven figure earner as a former network marketer and now as an internationally recognized network marketing coach. This episode is definitely for you even if you are not a network marketer and have no interest in it. Why? Because it is a powerful conversation about showing up in your life and business 100%. it’s about stepping into the power to walk your talk. You will feel Ray’s authentic energy throughout this interview.  That energy literally radiates from Ray’s voice and touches you on a level beyond words. You can’t help but feel uplifted and empowered by Ray Higdon’s authenticity, vulnerability, and passion. People pay Ray six figures for the knowledge, wisdom, and life changing secrets that h

IN LATE, OUT EARLY You’ve learned about how to create a strong hook to open your stories in a previous episode. Now, we will take a deeper dive into the subject. Learning how to grab people’s attention immediately is vital to  your success as a storyteller. You can get everything right after your opening, but if that opening is weak, they will never experience your story. This is particularly true in 2019; it’s the digital age, and we are used to everything on demand. Most people have a Twitter attention span. In Late, Out Early is a screenwriting technique that’s beautifully explained by master screenwriting teacher, Syd Field in several of his books. Field uses this term to describe how you create a compelling scene in a screenplay. Here’s what it means literally. You begin a scene at a tense moment in a conflict between characters. You thrust the audience into the conflict that’s already in progress (in late), let them experience it for a short while, then end the s

KILLER WORD Are you a prisoner to a simple word that you hear every day? Many people are. It’s a common word that we all use and take for granted. And, it’s a killer word. Literally. The word is DECIDE. Here are two dictionary definitions of decide: Come to a resolution in the mind Make a choice from a number of alternatives In this episode of one word stories, you’ll discover the deeper meaning of the word, decide. You will learn what makes it a killer word. Decide is a simple word. It’s safe to assume that all of you know what it means. Still, many people have trouble making simple decisions. Etymology, the study of word origins, teaches us a few fascinating things about decide: Decide has two parts, a prefix and a suffix. The prefix (the part that comes before) is de. The suffix (the part that comes after) is cide. Both parts are derived from Latin – de means off; cide means to kill (from the Latin verb, caedere) Decide literally means to kill off. I believe

STORY ENDINGS How do you create impactful story endings? Most of you are business storytellers; you use stories to communicate persuasive sales messages. Those can be live presentations, webinars, sales letters, face-to-face, one-on-one sales, even phone conversations – any communication designed to move people to some kind of buying decision. All of those qualify as stories. You can begin strongly, develop strongly, but if your story endings are weak, you will not influence people to take actions that will improve their lives, you will not move them to buy from you. In this episode, you will learn about the important elements of all your story endings. These elements make up the secret sauce that gives all your business communication irresistible persuasion power. These key questions will help you create knockout story endings: Do people must feel the conclusion of your story in their minds, hearts, and bodies? They must experience your message and feel satisfied and inspired by it. Inspired to

YOU ARE YOUR STORY You don’t have to believe that you are your story. But, why wouldn’t you choose to believe it? If you don’t like your current life, and you choose to say, “That’s the way it is. That’s reality, and I must accept it,” you will be right. You won’t be right because it is an objective truth. You will be right because the words you say to yourself write the story that becomes your reality. If you want to find intellectual arguments that debunk what I’m saying, you’ll find them. I’m not interested in those arguments; I’m interested in the experiences of human beings whose lives offer irrefutable proof that your self talk define your beliefs, and your beliefs create your reality. One of those human beings is today’s podcast guest. The trajectory of his life is one of the most brilliant demonstrations of the statement that you are your story. Our guest is Randy Gage, an internationally respected and recognized pros

SHOW, DON’T TELL How do you feel when someone tells you do something? If you’re like me, you resist their command. You pull back, and, most probably don’t do what you’ve been told. No one likes to be bossed. On the other hand, it feels great when you choose to do or buy something because it excites you and feels right for you. Show, don’t tell is a powerful storytelling technique that allows people to engage with your  narrative in a way that makes them feel respected and understood. It lowers and removes resistance to your message and your offers. It creates a magnetic pull that attracts customers and clients to your business. What does show, don’t tell mean? It means that you demonstrate the benefits and great value of your offers rather than talk about them hoping to convince people of your words. A great way to learn the show, don’t tell technique is to watch great movies. You’ll notice that they pull you in by actions and vivid pictures; they don̵

AMAZON FORTUNES Many people dream of making Amazon fortunes. Maybe you have a secret, or not so secret, desire to be an Amazon millionaire. Today’s guest has created his seven figure income by winning the game of selling on Amazon. Lucky for you, he teaches others how to do it. You don’t have to be wiz-kid, a marketing genius, or super salesperson to hit the Amazon jackpot. Today’s guest, Dan Meadors, built his Amazon empire with a $600 initial investment. In fact, Dan began mining his Amazon fortunes right after being fired and scared about his future. In this episode, you will learn that your success does not depend on your circumstances. These are the 5 skills that you can develop to become a player on Amazon: Take ACTION Become FEARLESS Be RESOURCEFUL Be AUTHENTIC Always lead with VALUE Dan also reveals his proven secrets for finding great products to sell on Amazon. He shares some of best strategies. And, he gives you formula that makes him stand apart from most Amazon sell

UNIVERSAL STORIES What are universal stories? They are stories that speak to the deepest human needs. Stories that have a strong universal element create empathy and connection. Business stories that are universal attract and win new clients and customers. This episode teaches you how to harness the element of universality in your business storytelling. FOUR MOVIES WITH UNIVERSAL STORIES Rocky – explores the human need for significance E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial – the need to return home, to belong Field of Dreams – the need to dream and believe in our dreams Bohemian Rhapsody – the need for individual self expression UNIVERSAL BUSINESS STORIES Never make your marketing and sales messages about the greatness of your products and services. All your business storytelling should focus on the needs, desires, and dreams of a central character, which is always the avatar of your target market. ANTHONY ROBBINS – 6 CORE HUMAN NEEDS Anthony Robbins created this list of six pr

ARE YOU DELUSIONAL? You’ve probably heard the expression, words are weapons. But I’ll bet you don’t know just how dangerous they can be. It’s not because you’re dumb. It’s because you and I use words all the time. So, we take them for granted. This episode challenges your perception of one particular word that can be very dangerous. It can and does control most people’s behavior. How? It scares people to be labeled with this word, and they will go out of their way to avoid it. The word is DELUSIONAL. The last thing most people want to hear is the question, “Are you delusional?” Let’s look at how the dictionary defines delusional: 1) characterized by or holding idiosyncratic beliefs or impressions that are contradicted by reality or rational argument, typically as a symptom of mental disorder: hospitalization for schizophrenia and delusional paranoia | he was diagnosed with a delusional disorder. 2) based on or having faulty judgment; mistaken: th

CONFLICT IN STORYTELLING Conflict in storytelling is a vital element to all great stories. In fact, you won’t a story if you do not introduce and develop conflict from beginning to end. Why? Because people get involved and remain engaged in your story when it takes them on a journey toward the resolution of conflict. Think of conflict in storytelling as a powerful tool to create and sustain tension. Tension hooks and holds attention. LEARN FROM MOVIES Two movies that demonstrate intense conflict in storytelling are: E. T. The Extra-Terrestrial – directed by Steven Spielberg Rocky  – starring Sylvester Stallone CONFLICT RESOLUTION Why do people see plays and movies more than once? They want to experience the resolution of conflict in storytelling. The journey, the struggle against obstacles, toward the resolution of conflict arouse strong emotions and makes people more alive. Remember this rule of storytelling. People are held and remain engaged by the process of resolution, not t

GLORY STORY There is always a story behind someone’s glory. It’s usually a tough one. Achievement and success must be earned. When they are, that’s rich. Today’s episode is about a highly successful millennial entrepreneur. An online marketer and business coach named Marquel Russell. His success is impressive. His determination and grit to achieve success are inspiring. His journey trul is a glory story. Marquel is from the hood in Atlanta Georgia. He didn’t have positive male role models growing up. He looked up to and emulated gangsters and drug dealers, even Pablo Escobar. Marquel’s early walk on the wild side landed him in jail. He was in lockup at 19 when his first child was born. How did he turn things around, write an awesome new story, and live into it? That’s what you’ll discover in this powerful candid interview with Marquel Chili Gates Russell. Here are some of the highlights of a glory story you’ll learn from and enjoy: How Marquel̵

VIVID STORYTELLING… …is not optional. If it ain’t vivid, it ain’t a story; it’s just an idea. Warning! This episode may give you awesome communication power. Can you handle it? Before we talk about vivid, let’s clarify what storytelling is for those of you who want to sell more products and services and/or influence people to act on your words. Think of storytelling as a journey for your audience that takes them from an undesired or painful before state, through an obstacle course, to strongly desired after state. You, the storyteller, are guiding and directing that journey. Your responsibility is to make it an authentic adventure of a lifetime. That’s where vivid comes in. You make your story vivid by using sensory language. Remember this easy rule. Use your senses, all five of them. Make your audience see, hear, smell, taste, and touch (feel) your story. When you do that, you speak to the heart; when you don’t do it, you appeal only to logic, to the head.

YOUR MONEY MINDSET Your money mindset is about much more than money. It’s about your relationship to yourself. The amount of money you attract and keep is directly related to your self esteem, your self love. You can have a PhD in economics and be broke. How? By not loving yourself. By not feeling that you are worthy. Today’s episode features an inspiring young woman who changed her story about herself; then she created her empowering money story. The result? Massive success. Her name is Amanda Abella (pronounced A – BAY – A). She’s a sought after speaker, author, and digital marketing consultant who teaches entrepreneurs and companies how to up their game and earn more money. She inspires anyone who is ready for growth and success, particularly millennials. These are a few of the value bombs you’ll discover in this episode: The inspiration Amanda got from her Cuban heritage The wisdom she gained from her grandmother How she stopped over-giving and under-earning T

HOW TO BEGIN A STORY This is one of the most important episodes in the series on How To Tell A Story. It’s important for two reasons. One, your opening is your hook; it must create immediate engagement with your audience. Two, it sets the tone and the expectation for everything that follows in your story. The word, story, defines all of your intentional communication. It can be a presentation to a large audience, a one-on-one conversation, either personal or business, a YouTube video, an email. A story is absolutely anything that uses words to impact and influence another human being. You will learn about two provocative hooks, real examples from two compelling presentations that I experienced. Plus, you’ll discover these powerful techniques for how to begin a story: Make a bold statement Open with a shocking statistic Begin with a prop Start with anything that arouses strong curiosity Finally, you will hear the opening of a short story called “Mrs. Kelly’s MOnster,”

DO YOU MATTER? Of course you matter. The question is, do you allow yourself to know it? This episode explores the story we create about the word, contribution. You’ll hear a true story about an acting student of mine who loved acting, was good at it, and gave it up because she did not believe that acting was a profession for responsible adults. Actually, that belief, that story, came from her parents. She had internalized it, and felt a burden of guilt when she thought about living her dream to be an actor. The seed of that guilt was society’s limiting belief about contribution. THIS EPISODE WILL EXPAND YOUR THINKING ABOUT: Society’s most valued and honored professions “Selfish” professions Taboo professions People without professions or any meaningful work WILL YOU EMBRACE THE CHALLENGE? To be honest about the work and life choices you’ve made To discover and revive your buried dreams To allow yourself to want what you want without any justification to anyo