Human beings differ from all other living creatures in their unique ability to tell stories. Stories enabled us to build the earliest human communities; they allowed us to find connections and establish common reference points. Stories define us, create shared meanings, and enable us to communicate emotions, values, and ideas. Stories bring us together, make us feel part of something bigger, unite us—and sometimes divide us, too. Stories are intrinsic to who we are.
We share stories continuously, every day, with the people around us. We enjoy telling what happened to us, and equally, we enjoy listening to others’ stories. As we listen to and watch others’ stories, we feel emotions; we get scared, fall in love, get indignant—and sometimes, if the story is dull, we even fall asleep! Even in our sleep, we “tell” ourselves stories through dreams.
We tell stories to children from the time they are very young. Once they understand the power of stories, they often ask us to read or tell them a story—to dream, imagine, relax, laugh, learn, and so much more.
Generally, however, until now, we’ve drawn a boundary between Stories with a capital “S”—those we recognize as stories, often shaped within a pre-set framework—and the personal stories of “ordinary” people. We’ve codified certain types of stories, granting them cultural, literary, philosophical, or political value: myths, rites, theater, poetry, novels, and cinema, to name just a few. These stories, or rather, Stories, are recognized as such, following the well-defined paths of traditional storytelling. These are the titles we studied in school, continue to seek out, exchange, give as gifts, and recommend.
But in truth, everything we do is storytelling. The stories we live every day and continuously tell are also storytelling. Yet, we struggle to define our everyday experiences—often minor, personal, intimate—as Stories. Even less frequently do we consider ourselves capable of storytelling. But, every day, small or large stories flow from our lips, pens, or devices, bringing pieces of us into the world—even if unintentionally, even without realizing it.
This ability to tell stories to the world is rarely seen as a true power; it’s often perceived more as a trend or a pastime. Even though, in the digital world, social media platforms specifically call them “stories.”
Now, more than ever, technology allows us to constantly tell and share what we do, think, and experience. For this reason, it’s crucial to understand which stories we want to bring into the world, how we want to express ourselves, and what contribution we want to make. More than ever, stories can become powerful tools for change—even from the grassroots.
To tell a good story, however, you need authentic characters. Authenticity will increasingly become the distinguishing element in promoting our ideas, projects, and content. This is why it’s essential to start by working on our identities so we can be true to who we are.
We know that a great story can change reality because, as we’ve said, it can move people’s consciences, reveal unknown aspects, prompt reflection, inspire thought, and incite action. And as we’ve discussed, it’s essential to recognize the power of stories, to take hold of this power, manage it, and use it intentionally. At the same time, the creation of stories can profoundly impact the design of our lives.
At Bold Stories, we always say, “A great story can change things, but a bold story has the power to create reality.” Yes, create it. If we can create a story of the future we desire, the project we envision, and the world we dream of, then we can transform that story into a strategic path. As with any strategic process, there are tools and frameworks available to help facilitate, align, and bring coherence to this journey. This is the story we envisioned when we created Bold Stories.
May the power of stories be with you!
Be bold and tell bold stories!
