I.D.E.A. Newsletter 9: Storytelling and Comfort Zones

Howdy friends! 👋🏻This week's visuals consist of storytelling, comfort zones, and a push to create more than you consume.Hope you enjoy this issue of I.D.E.A.'s!💙💙💙,PJ

INTERESTING

The highlight of my week was when my friend @EvansNifty posted this visual demonstrating my philosophy on storytelling.

If you want your content to stand out, involve the audience as active participants of your work.Telling a good story is as if you're drawing a circle for your audience.

But instead of forming the circle completely by yourself, you want to leave it slightly incomplete.

That small gap at the end is for the audience to complete themselves.

Don't give the audience the answer (4). Engage them with the question (2+2).

DRAWING

The best stories are framed between a beginning (an obstacle) and an end (overcoming that obstacle).

The greater the transformation that happens in that journey, the more it resonates with the audience.

Why?

Because we all want to change something about ourselves or our situation.

It's why we root for the underdog. Rags to riches. Nerd to stud. Coward to hero.

If the last couple years have taught us anything, it's that pain and loss is undiscerning in who it infects.

It attacks blind to wealth, race, or religion.

In this visual, I'm saying don't let your pain fester and poison your spirit. Use it to fuel your work.

Tell your stories. Pour it into your writing.

If you overcame struggles, that means there's a chance we can overcome ours.

Your story is a beacon of hope. Share it.

ENCHANTING

The very last lines of "The Practice" by Seth Godin reads:

"The magic is that there is no magic. Start where you're at. Don't Stop."

The top of the Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs pyramid should be changed from "Self-Actualization" to "Continuous Progress."

There's a reason why we begin most movies with our hero in an Ordinary World.

This is the comfort zone.

Soon after our hero's introduced, there's a Call to Action, followed swiftly by the hero's Refusal of the Call.

Why?

Because few people intentionally step into the unknown and into discomfort.

They often have to be pushed into it.

The tragic truth of growth is that it's something we recognize only in hindsight and not as it's happening.

But growth requires us to step into the fray and trust we'll get through to the other side stronger for it.

A flower only grows when it reaches for the sun.

ANALOGY

This metaphor tries to tap into multiple different areas and meanings of the words "consuming" and "creating." On face value, consuming is taking from the world, whereas creating is giving back.But also the earth is a finite and fragile resource. We need to drink from it to survive. If we consume without giving back, it will run dry.

Creating a piece of writing, a piece of art, or even a business to serve customers and solve their problems is a generous act.

Be generous. Create something and share it with the world. Give more than you take.

Thanks for Reading! 💙

If something in this email resonated with you, or you found the insights in here helpful, please consider sharing this issue with your audience by clicking on one of the icons at the top of this email.

Until next time!Stay Curious! 👋🏻-PJ Milani