Business Storytelling: The Importance of Repeating

Someone sent me the following quote from Henry David Thoreau. She was using it as a helper for people to change. Which of course it does support. I of course read it and thought, that is the power of the story!

"As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives."

The thoughts we tell ourselves are like little stories. We also tend to repeat the same stories over and over. We tell them to children to help entertain but also to teach lessons. We need the repeat reminders even if we don't think we are telling the stories to learn anything; we are learning.

Make sure the stories you tell over and over are positive, learning stories.

Thinking for a Change

Well, after I congratulated myself for a year of blogging I went silent. Not on purpose, just busy. This past week though I knew I had to break my silence.

Chris Clark-Epstein sends a short, wisdom filled e-note regularly. I read them all because they are short and so insightful. This week's message was particulary relevant. Here it is in its entirety, with all of her contact information.

I love thinking about the power of stories. From my granddaughter Josie's opening "One upon a time" to grandson Elroy's, "Let's do an imagine" they remind me that making a story helps find order in our world whether we're little or grown-up. Catching up on some shows stored on my DVR while ironing brought me to this line in an episode of Castle.

"There's always a story - you just have to find it."

Maybe the next change you face needs a story to give it perspective. It's there, you just have to find it. Let me know if I can help.




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Chris Clarke-Epstein, CSP
People can change when they find the personal motivation to do it!
www.Change101.com


To communicate directly with Chris: Chris@Change101.com
To learn more about what Chris can do for your organization, call 888-840-0930 or email Stel@Change101.com

Quotes on story

Short and sweet, here are two quotes that struck me.

Director Steven Spielberg said, "People have forgotten how to tell a
story. Stories don't have a middle or an end any more. They usually
have a beginning that never stops beginning."

Poet Maya Angelou said, "There is no greater agony than bearing an
untold story inside you."

Another way to look at stories

I recently had the pleasure of sitting in on a Bruce Wilkinson lecture. He delivered a lot of good information but there was one thing that really rang true for me. He said "If a picture is worth a thousand words then a story is worth a thousand pictures."

I agree whole heartedly with his sentiment. A good story not only helps communicate your message but makes if far more likely that your listener will actually remember it.

www.carolmon.com