In this episode of the Legend Effect Podcast, host Howie Chan interviews Will Storr, an award-winning journalist and best-selling author of multiple books on storytelling and the human condition. They delve into what it means to be human and why we do what we do so that we can use this knowledge to better influence human behavior.
The discussion emphasizes that we are a story and we all live in a story world. Will provides valuable insights into what motivates people within their own stories and the status games they play, and the core principles that can be used to effectively persuade and influence others. He also highlights some do’s and don’ts of stories, so you don’t put disastrous stories out there.
Episode Breakdown:
02:40 We are a story
04:58 How our brains are fooling us
07:09 Religion is not good or bad
10:13 Persuade and influence people with these two types of stories
14:52 When persuasive storytelling gets out of hand
16:52 Why people join and stay in cults
20:48 Storytelling principles to help you get everyone behind change
26:48 Cautionary tales of companies’ stories gone wrong
30:26 Company dynamics that can lead to disastrous stories
32:29 The power of storytelling and story being
34:43 How to be a better leader
36:21 Understanding and leveraging our stories for healthier lives
38:45 Ways to bring people back from extreme entrenched beliefs
41:09 The devastating effects on your identity of being laid off
45:52 What you must do for effective storytelling
47:44 A letter to Will’s younger self
From Our Guest:
Get the book, A Story is a Deal. For Will’s other books, go here.
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Legendary Quotes:
“ Human beings are unique in that we experience reality as a story. The brain remixes the world around us and turns it into this unfolding narrative. It puts us in the middle of it. It coats our entire world in this kind of moral paintwork.” – Will Storr
“We all need a story to believe in. We all need a status game to play. We all need a kind of a heroic ideal to strive towards and that striving is the meaning of our life.” – Will Storr
“ You can't tell a brand new story from ground zero because people are not going to identify. You look at where you're going and find examples of that in the past and say, ‘Look, this is who we've always been’.” – Will Storr
It’s time to turn up the volume on life, make your mark, and live your legend. 🤘🏽
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