Stories are what make the world go ‘round. From selling a product, service, or podcast like this one, to dating, raising kids, and building friendships, the stories you tell yourself and others are going to either unlock doors and open opportunities…or close the doors before you even had to chance to see them there.

Donald Miller is an expert storyteller and an expert and helping other people articulate and share theirs. Today, we talk about why humans are so interested in storytelling, what foundational elements make a good story, the importance of a “story loop,” to get other to buy-in to what you’re sharing by making them part of the story. Whether you’re a marketing professional or just want to help your son deal with his first bully at school, this podcast is for you.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS
00:00 - Introduction
00:22 - Hobbies and Interests
00:53 - Fly Fishing Buddies
01:15 - Nashville and Culture
02:26 - Why Move to Nashville?
03:06 - Are People Really that Kind?
03:23 - Population Growth in Nashville
04:27 - Concerns about Assimilation
05:51 - Portland Used to be a Great City
07:44 - Austin is a Great City, too
08:40 - The Power of Stories
09:34 - Why are Stories so Powerful?
10:30 - Stories as an Attention Device
11:06 - Stories in the Bible
12:12 - Truth and Stories
12:17 - Stories Equip Us for Threats
13:03 - Stories Shape Identity
14:19 - What Sort of Stories Work?
14:28 - Braveheart and the Writer
15:39 - Cultures Shaped by Stories
16:52 - Personal Stories in Church
18:10 - Opening Story Loops
18:51 - Rom-Com Story Loops
20:11 - How to Open Story Loops
20:38 - Leadership and Story
23:05 - Casting a Vision
24:55 - Catastrophic Failure
25:23 - What is Your Family Against?
26:17 - A Structure for Family Life
27:21 - What is Your Family For?
28:11 - The Vibe of Your Family
28:50 - Sound Bites and Repetition
30:02 - Shaping Identity
31:18 - Context is Key
32:15 - Truth with a Capital "T"
33:09 - Hitler and Churchill
33:59 - Hitler's Narrative
35:18 - Territorial Sovereignty
36:19 - Xi Jinping's Narrative
37:54 - Moral Responsibility
38:50 - Don's Core Belief
40:17 - Israel and Palestine
41:20 - Missing Christ in the Israeli-Palestinian Narrative
41:54 - What Makes a Compelling Story?
42:18 - Compelling Story Elements
44:23 - External and Internal Journeys
45:04 - External, Internal, and Philosophical Conflict
48:04 - The Hero is Transformed
49:23 - Affirmation from Mentors
51:15 - The Market in Men
51:55 - John Eldridge
52:32 - Answering the Internal Struggle
52:59 - Separation from God
54:57 - God's Love is Immovable
55:41 - Human Love Needs Human Meriting
56:46 - Nancy Duarte
56:51 - Story of Bullying
58:50 - Bullies and Evil
59:17 - StoryBrandAI
01:00:59 - Telling Stories About Core Values
01:02:02 - The Power of AI in Storytelling
01:02:53 - Jocko Willink and Tough Narratives
01:03:24 - Conclusion and Where to Connect

Battle Planners: Pick yours up today!

Order Ryan's new book, The Masculinity Manifesto.

For more information on the Iron Council brotherhood.

Want maximum health, wealth, relationships, and abundance in your life? Sign up for our free course, 30 Days to Battle Ready