By John Hagerman
Anthropologist Joseph Campbell spent his life studying the myths and stories that built our world. He discovered that there really were very few stories and that they kept being told over and over again. He discovered that great stories had certain components in common, 12 to be exact, and if a story had all of these components, it was far more likely to resonate with the people who read, heard or saw the story, than a story that didn’t. Stories that didn’t have all the components rang false and fell flat. Stories that had all the components resonated with their readers because they felt real, authentic and believable.
Today, the work of Joseph Campbell has been discovered by marketers and corporations. They’re trying to hit all the right notes to motivate people to buy their products, and its working, sort of.
I discovered Joseph Campbell over 30 years ago. The myths he wrote about resonated with me and motivated me to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Creative Writing and moved me to get my MFA in Screenwriting from the American Film Institute. At AFI, I learned from the best of the best on modern storytelling, like James Cameron, Bill Moyers, Sidney Poitier, Kirk Douglas, Gary Marshall and Charleton Heston. They fostered a passion in me for discovering great stories and sharing them.
I still have a passion for stories. When I speak, I tell stories. When I hear other speakers, I’m listening for their stories and how they resonate in me. When I go to a movie or a play, or watch TV, I rejoice when a story strikes a chord in me. I love it when characters ring true and authentic and move me to laugh, or cry. I love it when I tell a story and see a lightbulb going off in somebody’s head. I even love it when what goes off is a challenge to something I said and a powerful conversation follows. I’ve discovered that some of the best stories I know grew out of someone challenging me.
Do you listen for stories? Do listen to the stories told about you or your business. If not, I suggest you start listening. When you listen, people will tell you exactly what you need to know to grow your business, or fix a problem, or touch a life. When you’re listening, discovery is possible, but when you’re too busy doing to take time to listen, nothing is possible.
I like to suggest that people not only take time to listen for what the world is saying about them or their business, but also take time to get quiet and listen to what is in your own head and heart. What you hear, when you’re quiet, might delight, or it might scare you into action. Either way, it’s a good thing.
Discovering a great story inside yourself, or in the world around you, is what lies at the heart of all human progress. Nothing changes until a story is told…and heard.
What’s your story?
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