The Idea Inside the Story
"Ideas don't exist outside of the stories we tell, because that's how we explain them... If I can take an idea and embed it in a story, then everyone can carry it around in their back pocket. They make the idea easy to remember" - Charles Duhigg
Do you ever wonder how random facts stick in your brain? The kinds of tidbits that seem to have little relevancy other than as the answer to a Jeopardy prompt you'll probably never be asked about?
It's the story.
In “The Science of Storytelling: Why Telling a Story Is the Most
Powerful Way to Activate Our Brains,” Buffer founder Leo Widrich explains that we think in narratives. Every action or conversation becomes a story we tell ourselves.
"Whenever we hear a story, we want to relate it to one of our existing experiences. That’s why metaphors work so well with us. We link up metaphors and literal happenings automatically. Everything in our brain is looking for the cause and effect relationship of something we’ve previously experienced."
If you remember something about a seemingly random fact, chances are good your brain has connected that bit of information to something else– an experience, a person, maybe even a smell.
Our ability to tell stories that resonate with others works the same way. Not just the words or events, but the emotions that linger just below the surface of the circumstances.
If I tell a story about a mother who lost her son to a heroin overdose– my audience doesn't need to have lost a son to addiction to deeply empathize with the information. They need to be able to connect that experience to their own sense of grief, loss, or the responsibility and agony of being a parent. The details may be different, but those underlying emotions are easy to connect with and that is what makes it memorable.
Try it. The next time you're telling your partner, parent, or friend about your day– instead of listing the ins and outs of tasks, tell them how doing those things made you feel. Wait a few days and revisit the conversation. I'm willing to bet those details were far easier to recall.
Let us know how it works in your world. Tell us your story.
I'm Erin Peterson, part of the team at Scout Stories. We specialize in innovative storytelling, production services, and media coaching. We help brands and creators craft compelling narratives that resonate with audiences, driving engagement and success in today’s dynamic media landscape.