Stop creating original stories (what my mentor taught me about influence)

It was my first day leading a training class. The room buzzed with a mix of curiosity and skepticism. As I set down my notes, a wave of doubt hit me: What could I say to make these people care?

This wasn’t just any room - it was full of seasoned professionals, each armed with their own expectations and likely their own reservations about being there. My carefully crafted anecdotes suddenly felt flimsy, like a bridge that wouldn’t hold under the weight of their scrutiny. Every scenario I’d planned out in my head crumbled under the pressure of their silent stares.

Then, like a lifeline tossed into a stormy sea, I heard my old mentor’s voice in my head.

“When you’re stuck, use the lion and the gazelle.”

It wasn’t some cryptic code. It was his go-to proverb, one I’d heard him share with countless groups in his decades-long career:

“Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve. Every morning, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must outrun the fastest lion, or it will be eaten. It doesn’t matter whether you’re the lion or the gazelle - when the sun comes up, your ass better be running.”

I remembered how effortlessly he could connect with an audience using that one story. How even the most resistant listener would nod, seeing themselves in the chase. But me? Could I pull it off? Wasn’t it too simple? Too cliché?

But as I looked at the room, at their folded arms and politely blank expressions, I knew I had no better option. I leaned into the story.

“When I was younger,” I began, “a mentor of mine shared a story about a lion and a gazelle. And ever since, it’s been the lens through which I see effort, risk, and reward.”

I launched into the proverb, watching the room closely. It was subtle at first - someone shifted forward slightly, another uncrossed their arms. A few even smiled. By the time I finished, the ice had melted, and I had their attention.

The beauty of that story wasn’t its originality - it was its universality. It stripped away complexity and went straight to the heart of human effort: the instinct to keep moving, whether you’re chasing or being chased. In that moment, it wasn’t about whether I was the lion or the gazelle - it was about reminding the room that the sun had already risen. And we’d better start running.

Why Familiar Stories Resonate

That moment taught me a profound truth: familiar stories carry power, not because they’re original but because they’re universal.

Here’s why they work so well:

1. Instant Recognition
   The lion and gazelle parable didn’t need an introduction. Everyone in the room understood it without effort, which let me move straight to the point.

2. Emotional Anchoring
   People don’t just hear familiar stories - they feel them. These stories tap into collective wisdom, triggering emotional responses tied to trust and shared understanding.

3. Shared Meaning
   When you use a story that’s widely known, you’re drawing from a pool of meaning that already exists. Your job becomes guiding your audience through why it matters right now.

Relying on Familiar Stories Without Depth

But here’s the danger: familiarity can also breed disconnection if you don’t handle it well.

Here’s what people often get wrong:

1. Using Familiar Stories Without Context
   Dropping a proverb without tying it to your message is like handing someone a map with no destination.

2. Forgetting to Add Layers
   The audience has heard it before, but they haven’t heard it your way. Your unique spin is what makes the story stick.

3. Skipping the Relevance Check
   Not every familiar story fits every audience. You have to tailor it to their needs, struggles, and aspirations.

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What NOT to Do with Familiar Stories

1. Don’t Be Lazy
   Using a well-known story doesn’t mean skipping the work of connection.

2. Don’t Assume It’s Self-Explanatory
   Guide your audience through the meaning. Without that, the story falls flat.

3. Don’t Forget Your Voice
   Familiarity without personality becomes generic. Add your unique insight or perspective.

How to Use Familiar Stories Powerfully

Here’s what I learned that day, and what I’ve applied ever since:

1. Anchor Familiarity with Relevance
   Choose a story that fits the audience’s mindset. With the lion and gazelle, I tapped into the universal hustle of staying ahead.

2. Add Your Spin
   A story without interpretation is just a story. My spin? Tying the parable to the reality of effort over position - whether you’re the lion or the gazelle, you can’t stop running.

3. Engage, Don’t Lecture
   Familiar stories are a chance to open a dialogue. I ended my training with this question: “What’s your version of running today? And who or what are you chasing?” The room came alive with discussion.

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Let’s Make Familiar Stories Your Own

Let’s put this into practice:

1. Choose a widely known story, proverb, or parable that resonates with you.

   • Examples: “The Tortoise and the Hare,” “Rome wasn’t built in a day,” or “The Boy Who Cried Wolf.”

2. Identify a unique spin or angle based on your audience’s current challenges.

   • Example: Use “Rome wasn’t built in a day” to address the importance of patience in scaling a business.

3. Share the story, but tie it to an actionable insight.

   • Ask: “What small step can you take today to build your Rome?”

4. Challenge Yourself:
   In the next 24 hours, take a familiar story and rewrite it with your personal perspective. Share it with your audience and invite their interpretation.

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You don’t have to reinvent the wheel to create impact. Familiar stories aren’t a shortcut - they’re a bridge. Use them wisely, and you’ll find that the simplest tales often spark the deepest connections.

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Prefer listening to reading sometimes? Want an extra layer?

Press play for the ‘Narrated Insights’:

Today’s Mega-Prompt: "Story Reimagination Guide"

Ever thought about putting your own spin on a classic story? Today’s mega-prompt helps paid members take timeless tales and make them personal, modern, and deeply relatable. You’ll create content that resonates by blending the familiar with your unique perspective, ensuring your audience sees themselves in your story.

Here’s a sneak peek:
"Adopt the role of a Story Transformation Specialist specializing in adapting classic stories for modern contexts… your task is to guide users in selecting and transforming familiar stories into relevant, personal content."