Storytelling School

I'm working with my client on a TEDx Talk. In her opening story, she shares a vivid moment from her childhood: She is standing on a stranger's doorstep, completely nervous and uncertain if anyone is going to answer at all. It's a small detail yet it's emotionally powerful and completely gripping. 

After the story, we go ahead and develop the rest of the Talk. And as a whole, her Talk is strong. It's struct...

I am standing in the dojo, drenched in sweat. We're in the middle of a dynamic circle knife drill, and I'm surrounded by fellow black belts, each armed with metal training knives and ready to attack in a simulation of real-life danger - fast, chaotic, and unrelenting. 

At first, I hold my own, fueled by adrenaline and a strong desire to prove that I can hang with the best. I move quickly, using flashy move...

I'm a freshman at the University of Hawaii, living the dream on a full-ride softball scholarship. One night during finals week, my roommate and I decide to take a break from studying and grab a bite to eat. On our way back to the dorms, riding our mopeds, the unthinkable happens and I get hit… by a cement truck. 

I wake up five days later in the hospital with massive head injuries and indescribable pain. T...

It's the early 2000s, and I get invited to speak in New York to a room full of tech heavyweights - people and thought leaders I dreamed of being in front of. I am determined to crush it, so I do what any overachiever would: I obsess. 

I write, rewrite, and practice endlessly. No improvising. No mistakes. I even buy a stiff, serious outfit that doesn't feel like me but seems like something a "real" speaker ...

It's 2006. I am sitting in the audience at TED surrounded by visionaries, innovators, and thought leaders. The energy in the room is electric and everyone is buzzing with anticipation about who's going to take the stage next and what new insight we'll walk away with. When the next speaker, a Swedish professor specializing in global health and data, is introduced, I brace myself for a dry, academic talk full of statisti...

I am coaching a speaker as she prepares for one of the biggest keynotes of her career. Her story is powerful, full of resilience and triumph. As she runs through her story, I am captivated... until it just... stops.

She smiles, says thank you, and that's it. There is no call to action and no invitation. I deliver the news, gently: her ending isn't serving her or the audience.

She pushes back b...

I'm running a high-stakes speaking event and, as I always do, I have everyone share their name and something interesting that may not be on their bio. We go around, one by one, with people sharing surprising facts and fun stories. The energy is light and full of laughter. Until we get to the last person who says, "Hi. I'm Sandy Zabarsky, and I just got out of prison."

The whole room goes silent, and you ca...

It's the end of 2002 and I am fully immersed in the world of technology, running a bicoastal tech event. Over lunch with a new connection, we start unraveling a really wild idea - what if we were to build a software application using technology that has never been combined before? Just for fun, we scribble our ideas onto a napkin. 

A few days later, something truly incredible happens. We get invited to bui...

It's 2014. As the year draws to a close, all of my friends come up with their New Year's resolutions, ranging from dropping bad habits to losing weight. But while I create my list of resolutions on the eve of the new year, I realize it isn't going to work.

Sure, I write them out every year with the best intentions in mind, but I forget some of them by February and even blow by others in January. At the end...

I'm in a high-stakes game throwing pitch after pitch after pitch for the University of Hawaii. I feel the ball roll off of my fingers in a perfect spin towards the catcher's mitt. Then, I notice a sharp, burning pain in my finger, glance down, and see that I've worn a hole all the way down to the bone!

The coaches grab me and take me over to the athletic trainer. Wasting no time, they inject my finger with...

I'm in my martial arts class where we're deep into advanced weapons training. On this day, our Grandmaster tells us that we're going to have a special guest instructor join us. I'm thinking, "I've got the basics down with my knife. I've practiced them and know the foundation, so is this really going to be that different?"

Then Grandmaster Yarrow walks in and starts his workshop. Within minutes, he's showin...

A few years ago, I'm coaching a speaker for her first big keynote. We rehearse endlessly, tweaking every word and gesture. On the day of the event, I'm sitting in the audience feeling a mix of pride and nervousness for her.

She walks onto the stage confidently. Just as she starts her opening story, the microphone cuts out, and the room goes silent. All you can hear is the awkward shuffle of the tech team r...

I'm on the East Coast about to speak at a corporate event filled with tech leaders of a very large company. As I'm backstage, the CEO comes up to me and says, "Remember Kymberlee, these are incredible people who are amazing at what they do, yet they aren't really bought into the idea of storytelling in the business environment."

With that, I'm introduced and take the stage. After the applause dies down, I ...

It's the early 2000s, and I'm between sessions at the TEDx conference. As I go to grab a coffee, I notice this crowd forming nearby. Naturally curious, I wander over there to see what the fuss is about.

In the middle of this crowd is a guy with a deck of cards doing a magic trick. But it's not just the trick itself that's amazing; it's the effect it's having on everyone around him. None of us can take our ...

I'm helping my client Barbara get ready for one of the biggest Talks of her career. She's preparing to stand on stage in front of thousands of people (with even more watching live online). 

She shares her draft with me. It's meticulous and packed with very specific, insightful information. Yet, there's no sense of urgency or consequence. It's just data, so I don't feel anything.

I point this o...

It's time for my first theatrical performance. I've memorized my lines and have been rehearsing relentlessly. I am ready to go. 

As I'm standing backstage, I suddenly notice my leg is shaking. And then I feel sweat dripping down my back. Oh. And my breathing is really rapid. I think to myself, how can I possibly be this nervous? I've done all the work. I've prepared like crazy. I'm hitting all my cues. Why...