The ‘feel good’ storytelling myth is killing your conversions... here’s what actually works
It was a quiet Tuesday afternoon, and I was sitting across from my mentor in a coffee shop, trying to hold it together. The smell of burnt espresso hung in the air, and I could feel the barista’s eyes on me, probably wondering why I looked like I hadn’t slept in weeks.
“I don’t get it,” I said, my voice cracking. “I’m working harder than anyone I know. My nights, my weekends - it’s all work. But when you look at the scoreboard, you’d think I wasn’t even trying.”
My mentor just listened, letting me get it all out. The frustration. The exhaustion. The embarrassment. My peers were killing it. Meanwhile, I felt like I was stuck in quicksand, clawing my way out.
“Maybe I’m just not cut out for this,” I mumbled, my chest tightening as the words came out.
He waited a beat, then leaned forward, his tone calm but firm.
“You can beat 90% of the people just by working hard, right?”
I nodded. It wasn’t even a question to me. Of course, hard work wins.
“That’s your problem,” he said.
I froze. “What?”
“That belief is why you’re losing. It’s not true.”
Wait. So my whole life I’ve been bamboozled? Hoodwinked? Led astray? Run amuck?
“You’re working hard,” he continued, “but you’re also working dumb. And as long as you keep doing that, you’ll always be behind.”
He didn’t stop there. He laid it all out: the time I wasted overcomplicating solutions for my clients, constantly redoing my presentations, and endlessly chasing the latest systems or strategies from the new rising stars in the industry.
“You’re spending all your energy proving you can work hard,” he said, “instead of proving you can get results.”
That was the moment it clicked.
I’d been holding onto hard work like it was a badge of honor, but it wasn’t helping me do anything honorable.
As right as he was, if my mentor had come out swinging, telling me I was wrong right from the start, I would’ve shut down. But instead, he started by meeting me where I was, confirming what I believed, and then gently showing me the flaw in my thinking.
Did you know that people are 75% more likely to embrace new ideas when they’re first framed in alignment with their existing beliefs?
The key to selling through storytelling is not just telling a story - it’s designing the story so that moves your audience to act.
Your audience:
Has beliefs about their problems.
Have biases about what solutions will work to solve them.
Want to feel seen and understood before they even consider your solution.
If you challenge their beliefs head-on, they’ll tune out. But if you confirm what they already believe and then guide them towards a new perspective, they’ll lean in.
Use my Persuasion Matrix design stories that resonate with your audience’s cognitive biases:
Why This Works
When your stories align with your audiences existing beliefs, something powerful happens: their defenses come down. Instead of feeling like they’re being sold to, they lean in because your story feels like it could be in fact be their story.
That’s what my mentor did for me. He didn’t rip apart my belief in hard work, even though it was the very thing holding me back. Instead, he affirmed it, met me where I was, and used that alignment to gently show me a better way.
For your audience, it’s the same. They’re not waiting for someone to prove them wrong - they’re waiting for someone to connect with them and offer a solution that feels like it was made just for them.
When you leverage their existing biases, your solution doesn’t feel like a push - it feels like the answer they’ve been looking for all along.
Here’s What You’ll Get Out of It:
Stories That Shift Perspectives: Write stories that don’t just connect—they help your audience see their struggles and goals in a new light. Your words won’t just land - they’ll inspire action.
Audiences That Feel Seen: Create stories that make your audience feel understood on a deeper level. When they see their own experiences reflected back to them, they’ll feel empowered to take the next step.
Sales That Feel Effortless: Instead of pushing, guide your audience naturally toward the solution you offer. When your story fits into their journey, the decision feels obvious - and trust builds along the way.
“The key to selling through storytelling isn’t changing minds - it’s opening them.”
Your Turn:
Start Where They Are: Write down one belief your audience holds about their problem or what they think the solution should look like. Think about their frustrations, hopes, or assumptions.
Example: “You’re a fitness coach who works with women in menopause. Your audience might believe, ‘Menopause means weight gain is inevitable,’ or ‘My metabolism is slowing, so I have no control over my body.’”
Uncover the Struggle: Identify the specific challenges your audience faces because of this belief. What emotions are tied to their frustration? Write it down.
Example: “They feel defeated and out of control. They’ve tried the same workouts and diets that used to work, but now they’re exhausted and seeing no results. They worry it’s too late to make a change.”
Align Your Solution: How does your coaching or fitness program address their belief while offering a path forward? Write down how your solution fits into their perspective and helps them overcome the struggle.
Example: “Your approach focuses on working with their bodies, not against them -using hormone-friendly strength training, targeted nutrition, and stress management to help them regain energy and confidence.”
Design a Relatable Story: Share a story of someone like them who felt stuck but achieved results using your program. Highlight their initial belief, the challenge they faced, the shift they made, and the results they achieved.
Example: “One of your clients, Sarah, came to you believing she’d never lose the 15 pounds she gained during menopause. After six weeks of focusing on her unique hormonal needs and learning to strength train effectively, she not only lost the weight but also felt stronger and more energized than ever before.”
Empower Them to Act: Write a call to action that feels natural and achievable, inviting them to see this transformation for themselves.
Example: “If you’ve been feeling stuck and wondering if it’s even possible to feel strong and confident again, let’s create a plan tailored to your body and your needs. The change you want is closer than you think.”
Your audience isn’t here for a debate.
When you leverage their cognitive biases instead of challenging them, they’ll see the gaps in their current beliefs, and recognize your solution as the bridge to their transformation.
Prefer listening to reading sometimes? Want an extra layer?
Press play for the ‘Narrated Insights’:
Today’s Mega-Prompt: "Rewrite Raw Stories into High-Converting Content with 'The Story Engineer Prompt'"
Paid members get to use today’s mega-prompt to: Turn raw user stories into platform-optimized, emotionally compelling narratives that build trust, connect deeply, and drive conversions.
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