Making your stories sound more adventurous.
So this one time…
We all have that friend right? The friend who will go on for days about his or her latest extreme adventure. One close call after another. 100% adrenaline pumping excitement. And we think, “Oh man, I wish I had her life.”
The question is… Is this friend riddled with an extraordinary amount of luck in attracting adventurous opportunities? Or…Is this friend a remarkable storyteller? And if so, how do you become a remarkable storyteller as well?
We all have the knack for storytelling deep inside our souls. Since the dawn of time, human entertainment has revolved around bringing ideas and moments to life for the purposes of expression and reaction. From men in caves, scratching their hunting stories in the dirt. To mid-century artists, painting their emotions on canvas. To live tweeting your vacation in Paris or typing your therapeutic adventures on a blog feed. Stories are meant to make an impact.
But how do you swing your story to catch the draw of attention necessary to impress? Here are ten ways to making your stories sound more adventurous.
1) Portrayal of excitement.
A wise woman once told me, “If you, as a leader, are excited about an idea, your group will share that excitement.” Speak, write, and express yourself passionately.
2) Set the scene.
Your audience will become more invested in the story if they can visualize all aspects of the narrative.
3) Follow a story arc.
Reach in your brain back to 7th grade literature. Will it stretch that far? This isn’t an English lesson so look it up if you don’t remember, take a second to look it up.
Include:
- Setting
- Conflict/Incident
- Rising Action
- Climax
- Debrief
4) Emphasize emotion.
With every new situation comes new emotion. Expressing this emotion will create more investment from your audience.
5) Express what you learned from the moment.
Life lessons allow you to seem wise and experienced from all of your adventures.
6) Draw in a witness.
“Ryan was there! He’ll tell you!” If it’s not too outlandish of a story, your adventure partner will likely be as enthused about the retelling as you appear to be, thus validating the story to your audience.
7) Do Not lie.
Being caught in one false testimony will set you up for failure in all future story-telling opportunities. Expand on details and emotion, never facts.
8) Embrace social media.
Give fractions of your adventures via posts, pictures, and short videos. Just give a taste of the exciting events unfolding in your life and let your friends fill in the blanks. Mysteriousness is slowly fading in a world of constant connection, but the embodiment of mystery can be a powerful tool.
9) Provide yourself with opportunities to gain adventurous moments.
No great stories start with, “So, I was sitting on my couch watching Netflix when…”. Well, at least not too many start with this statement. Get up and go do something. Take a walk, go out on the town, travel away for the weekend. Try something you have never done before, and…instantaneous story material.
10) Never doubt yourself.
Adventurous people are excited to share their stories because they are passionate about what they have experienced. Be proud of every moment of your day. These moments form together to create the story of your life, and you are the author.
What will your story entail?
Fireflies And Jars 