Why Tell Stories?

Stories are the threads that weave the fabric of connection.  It's how we understand others and ourselves. For an estimated 20 million years, humans experience the world by and through telling stories.

By 9AM on any given day, you've already consumed hundreds of stories. Researchers at the University of California San Diego found Americans consume more than 34 gigabytes of data on the daily. Much of that information comes in the form of advertisements, news, social media posts, podcasts, and (gasp!) human interaction with others. Oh and that was in 2009. Before Instagram and TikTok took off. Prior to the majority of us carrying smartphones. (Dang. Anyone else miss typing obsessively on a Blackberry?) All of that information – everyday– and much of it comes in the form of stories.

The weatherperson on the morning news tells you a story about the forecast for the day. The ad on the radio when you get in the car tells you a story about McDonald's value meal. Your barista tells you a story about why the line was so long today. There's a story in the inbox about why your coworker couldn't finish a slide for a report. There's an instagram post announcing the birth of your friend's baby. Oh and by the way, they probably posted it to "STORIES" too. Stories are everywhere.

The reason? We need them to inform, persuade, entertain or express. To tell stories is to experience life and listening to stories helps us feel, process, and connect. It's what knits us all together.

So why start a storytelling team? Here's my reason.

My parents joke that I came into the world speaking in 4 syllable words. My favorite question was, "why?" I was the kid in the car seat asking it over and over until my exasperated mother suggested I have a snack just so I would stop badgering her with that question.  Even as a little kid, I figured out that the trick to learning new things was to start by explaining in terms of something I already understand. 

Storytelling pulled me to the stage.  Theater, dance, speech and debate. I loved movies, books, and writing.  It’s what turned me on to a career in journalism.  “All the President’s Men” taught me that a few determined storytellers could change the course of history. That was a powerful realization at the age of 15 and I wanted a part of it.

After two decades of telling stories for a living in the world of journalism, I had a breakthrough. I realized it's not the news I love, it's our stories. I stopped feeling fulfilled by the intense pressure of breaking news. I hated the transactional nature of repeating what had happened without giving people the WHY. It's always been the why I care about, not the what.

In his book, "Start with Why" Simon Sinek writes, “Working hard for something we do not care about is called stress, working hard for something we love is called passion.” I am passionate about getting to the why. The WHY is the reason I tell stories.

What is your why?

-- Erin