A good story is always the most powerful way of conveying ideas
Summary
- A good story is always the most powerful way of conveying ideas
Details
- If a great idea is explained poorly it will not gain much traction, but a good story wil make even a mediocre idea sounds impressive.
- some interesting side questions: who is poor at telling a story, but has good info? who sounds good but just has a good story?
References
Quotes
The best story wins.
Not the best idea, or the right idea, or the most rational idea. Just whoever tells a story that catches people’s attention and gets them to nod their heads is the one who tends to be rewarded.
Great ideas explained poorly can go nowhere, while old or wrong ideas told compellingly can ignite a revolution. Morgan Freeman can narrate a grocery list and bring people to tears, while an inarticulate scientist might cure a disease and go unnoticed.
There is too much information in the world for everyone to calmly sift through the data, looking for the most rational, most correct answer. People are busy and emotional, and a good story is always more powerful and persuasive than ice-cold statistics.
If you look, I think you’ll find that wherever information is exchanged—wherever there are products, companies, careers, politics, knowledge, education, and culture—the best story wins.
Some of the most important questions to ask yourself are: Who has the right answer, but I ignore because they’re inarticulate? And what do I believe is true but is actually just good marketing?
They are uncomfortable questions and difficult to answer. But if you’re honest with yourself you’ll see how many people, and how many beliefs, fall into these buckets. And then you’ll see the truth—that the best story wins.