How to overcome any beliefs that stop you from being a great storyteller

Storytelling is a skill that anyone can learn.

Having coached hundreds of people, I’ve never seen a single person that wasn’t good at storytelling. I’m waiting for someone to prove me wrong. Each one of you has the ability to tell amazing stories. The ability to use stories to win the hearts of your customers, motivate your team, or influence internal stakeholders.

But if everyone has this ability, why don't you see more people telling stories?

Often, it's because of our self-limiting beliefs.

In 2020, a team of psychologists at Queen's University in Canada found that the average person has about 6,000 thoughts every day. Some sources estimate that 80% of these thoughts are negative thoughts. That’s 4,800 negative thoughts every day. These are worries, fears, and self-doubt.

If you have hard time sharing a story, high chances are that you've accumulated some deeply entrenched beliefs about your storytelling or public speaking skills over the past decades.

These may include:

• I’m a terrible storyteller
• No one cares about my stories
• My face will turn red the moment I try to tell a story
• ...

What are your beliefs that are stopping you from telling more stories?

Pause for a second and think about it!

Got it?

Let's talk about how you can become aware of any unproductive thoughts and how you can replace them with more productive thoughts going forward.

First of all, find yourself a rubber band or hairband that you can put around your wrist. If you have long hair or have a partner with long hair, it should be easy. If neither is the case, go to the next supermarket or drug store and buy a hairband or rubber band.

Got it? Let’s move into the actual steps that you can use throughout the day:

1. Become aware of the unproductive thought the moment it comes up.
2. Pop the rubber band, inflicting a tiny bit of pain on your wrist.
3. Replace the unproductive thought with a more productive thought (e.g., “I don't have any interesting stories” → “I have quite a few great stories. Sure, it's not life or death, but people care more about ordinary stories either way”).

Throughout the day, try to repeat these three steps anytime a negative thought comes up.

You’re probably thinking, ‘Why do I need the rubber band? Can’t I just observe my thoughts like that?’

Short answer: No! Why?

Because it doesn’t work. I’ve tried it many times and seen my clients fail when trying to observe their thoughts. Without the rubber band, there is neither pain nor pleasure in noticing your thoughts. It's kinda boring. But the moment you add the rubber, you bring in excitement, making it easier to be consistent.

That's it!

Give a try and embrace the storyteller that is within you!

I'm curious: What are the self-limiting beliefs you've uncovered? Let us know in the comments below!

Interested in more nuggets to get into the right mindset and develop the confidence to tell stories in front of any audience? Download our free guide on How To Overcome Your Fear Of Public Speaking.

Much love!

Philipp