How to Tell a Great Story

Before we start, I want you to do something for me.

Look at this number for a second:

175931

Don’t write it down. Don’t screenshot it. Just notice it - and keep reading. We’ll come back to it at the end.

In this article, I’ll share three ingredients that make almost any story hit harder - whether you’re telling it on a date, in a job interview, or to a group of friends.

These are ideas that have come from having thousands of conversations with strangers on the street, and crafting hundreds of videos from said conversations.

At the end of the article, I’ll also share details about a new Kindred Story Circle group I’m starting, in which we’ll write our personal stories together. You can learn more about the group here.

The line above is often credited as one of the shortest stories ever written.

Only six words - but somehow it carries a whole spectrum of emotion. Hope. Anticipation. Grief. Silence. 

That’s what stories do. They don’t just give us information - they help us feel, understand, and see. And because they speak to the heart, they let us connect with ourselves - and with other people - at a deeper level than facts ever could.

At its most fundamental level, a story is simply change over time.

Something was true. Shoes were bought.

Then something happened. Shoes were no longer needed.

And now something is different. Shoes are being let go.

When you strip it down, most great stories are built on three elements (Three S’s):

• Stakes - why it mattered, what could be lost.

• Struggle - what it cost, what had to be faced.

• Shift - what changed, externally or internally, by the end.

If you can name those three things, you can tell almost any story in a way that lands - whether it’s a moment from childhood, a turning point in your career, a relationship that changed you, or a season you’re still trying to make sense of.

Ingredient 1: Stakes (the setup)

A story’s beginning does one job: it answers, why should I care?

Stakes are what make the listener lean in.

• In Lord of the Rings, the stakes are simple: destroy the ring, or the world falls.

• In Shawshank Redemption, the stakes are survival - and dignity - inside a place designed to crush both.

• In Finding Nemo, the stakes are love: a father looking for his lost son.

Notice: the setup doesn’t need to be long. It just needs to establish:

• What does the person want?

• What’s in the way?

• What could be lost?

Here’s a simple setup for my own story when people ask, “How did you start making videos?”

“Growing up, I always wanted to do something that mattered. But for a long time I played it safe, chasing the ‘good on paper’ path. It wasn’t until I went through a bad break-up that I hit a quarter-life crisis which forced me to look at my life differently.”

• Desire: meaningful life.

• Obstacle: wrong priorities.

• Stakes: heartbreak, quarter-life crisis.

Ingredient 2: Struggle (the cost)

The middle of a story is where “the work” happens.

Struggle isn’t just events. It’s cost. Pressure. The part where the person is tested.

• Frodo and Sam grind toward Mordor, and the journey exposes what’s inside them.

• Andy Dufrense endures years in prison and somehow refuses to let hope die.

• Marlin crosses an entire ocean fueled by panic - chasing rumors, clinging to strangers, getting everything wrong, and still refusing to stop.

This is where sequence matters.

In interviews, I know we’ve found a story when someone starts saying:

“And then this happened… and then this happened… but then… so then…”

We’re wired for that rhythm.

Here’s what my “struggle” looked like:

“When I hit that quarter-life crisis, I did the most dramatic thing I could think of - I quit my safe finance job and moved to New York City. I let the city swallow me and I started doing things that scared me: improv classes, dance classes, talking to strangers. At the same time, I got serious about the inner work - therapy, coaching, journaling. Eventually, I rediscovered my faith and slowly my calling began to unfold.”

By this point, a listener usually isn’t just tracking my story - they’re tracking me. They’re finding points of relatability, curiosity, or contrast. And that’s connection.

Ingredient 3: Shift (the change)

This is the payoff.

The ending of a story isn’t just “what happened.” It’s what changed.

• Frodo survives, but he’s not the same person after what he carried.

• Shawshank’s deeper victory isn’t escape - it’s Andy and Red gaining the will and hope to keep going.

• Nemo isn’t just reunion - it’s a father learning trust and a son discovering capability.

A story is change over time. Something shifts.

Here was my shift:

“The more I stretched myself, the more I grew. The more I healed, the more I took risks. Instead of relying on career, status, or relationships to feel secure, I started building an internal sense of safety and identity. When COVID hit, something in me nudged me to start a YouTube channel - and even though my first handful of videos didn’t get many views, I kept going, because I loved connecting with people and making videos. Eventually, one video went viral, and not too long after, I left finance and went all-in as a full-time creator.”

That’s the arc:

Stakes (what I wanted) - Struggle (what it cost) - Shift (who I became)

That arc is the secret sauce of stories.

Why this matters

Quick test - can you restate the number from the beginning?

…

…..

…….

175931

Some of you can, some of you can’t; after all, it’s just digits at the end of the day.

But what if I showed you this?

Now it’s not just a number - it’s a shape, a path, an arc. As long as you remember that shape, you’ll never forget the number.

That’s the power of story.

Stories help us make sense of the world. They help us make invisible connections - stitching together the scattered scenes of our lives into something coherent, something true. They turn experience into meaning, and meaning into understanding.

This is why I’m excited to announce the Kindred Story Circle.

Kindred Story Circle is a small-group experience where we shape a real season of your life into a personal story that’s clear, compelling, and easy to tell. Through the process of writing out your story, and doing it in a group setting, you’ll gain greater clarity, connection and insight into your life. 

Our first topic for the circle is transitions.

If you’re in a shift right now - breakup, move, career change, faith shift, burnout, identity pivot… joining the circle will help you turn the fog into a clear chapter, so you know what’s next.

You’ll leave with:

• a 1-page story

• a 60-second version

• a one-sentence “spine”

Curious? Learn more here.

The first group starts in April and there are limited spots, so sign up today!

Stakes.

Struggle.

Shift.

Your story is waiting.

With curiosity,
Eric

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