How do we get back to the breakthrough mindset in the world? We live in a time where getting attention has become more important than being relevant or meaningful. And we spend a bazillion dollars a just to get to that point, often with the tiniest margins in return. So today we look at how we can return to an abundant, breakthrough-focused mindset. So your story will stick. “You have to break through the clutter” Michel Roux   Not all that glitters is gold... (image credi

Focus on the journey, not only the goal. That's the main principle from storytelling that you can apply on all architecture, construction and infrastructure brand narratives. In this matter-of-fact category, focused on the end-result, the best way to stand out is to do the opposite: show the road. So, today we look at how innovation and a competitive advantage is reached with great narrative building... when it is literally about building! The famous 'Lunch atop a Skyscrape

A Stranger Things Storytelling Breakdown With All Its Greatest Narrative Lessons

In storytelling we explore the challenges, frictions and conflicts that life throws at us, trying to learn its lessons so we better ourselves. In that space, comedy has the biggest role to play of all, talking truth to power and creating a safe space for us to ridicule our most horrid demons, cutting them down to size and laughing at them, so they don't consume us. In short, comedy is catharsis. And it is the great equalizer of humanity we now need more than ever. Let's expl

"Script. Script. And Script." Alfred Hitchcock Image Credits: Riot Games and Fortiche (Arcane) Still reading? Okay, okay... I'll bite! This has been a huge question on gamer's minds for decades now: Why do so many game-to-film adaptations fail? And why are those that do succeed successful? If that Hitchcock 'script' quote didn't (fully) answer those questions, you better strap yourself in, because we're going to go through the entire lowdown, including those really, awkwardl

Compelling. That's what it all comes down to, building compelling narrative in storytelling. So, today we'll dive into the big 'Why' of storytelling, then quickly move to the fundamentals of narratives, following it up with inspiring practices, and finish it all with an artistic sheen. Without further delay, here we go... Storytelling Book Good storytelling is - and will always be - in demand The very first thing you need to know about storytelling - and that even the best s

Move over Greta Thunberg, the real - and very much needed - change will come from the answer to this question: Who will become the next Apple in the sustainable field? And the irony is that it's not about green. Innovation is back as the key word. The whole trick will be to make it super practical, so I call this burgeoning trend Seamless & Down to Earth . Right now, with still a way-too-small group of people living sustainably, the real green revolution will not come from c

In Stranger Things we follow a tight knit group of youngsters in the '80's who encounter things that are not of this world. Still having flexible minds, they are the only ones able to get to the bottom of the frightening mysteries, and they do so with flair plus a whole lot of funny bickering. I cannot begin to describe how well executed this series is. So, let's break it down storytelling-style. We'll skip the usual suspects like embracing friction and building a journey ,

Sometimes you can't seem to start, or you are stuck, you run into a writer's block or something else is in the way of your storytelling or you as the storyteller. No worries, we've got your back. For your convenience we'll release two checklists - one for Branding, Product, Service, Organization, Cultural & Corporate Storytelling and this article on Art, Fiction, Character, Film, Novel, Literature & Poetry Storytelling as the second. Just go through the tips and tricks, and

The Socrates Method is the practice where you keep asking questions until there are no more questions to be asked and everything you need to know about a subject has come to light. The premise is that the answer is already there, it already exists... you just have to keep asking the right questions until it appears. And it's that method that we'll use to kick start your storytelling. For your convenience we'll release two checklists - this one on Branding, Organization, Cult

For years now, a debate has been raging about purpose-driven thinking. This concept of 'purpose' for companies seems well-intentioned and successful. However, the word "purpose" is also often used to sell hot air. So today we look at purpose-driven branding and marketing through the lens of the storytelling: is it an effective story? Under what circumstances can it be trusted? We'll get right to the gist of it all: the greatest gap is between 'saying' and 'doing'. To find out

Just like there is a consensus why Super Mario World tops most the lists of the best video game that has ever been made, and we agree on the brilliance of the holy trinity A Space Odyssey, Apocalypse Now and The Shawshank Redemption, we also know collectively there is one action movie that tops them all: Die Hard. They may not be your personal favorites. Maybe not even make it to your own top ten. But we kinda agree that on average, these works of art are the best in their ki

Creative endeavors are extraordinary hard to do. So, sometimes, us creatives and artists get blocked. We call it 'Writer's Block' but it can be applied to all arts, from visual to music to writing, film-making, photography... the lot. Whatever the art or creative profession, the story is simple. We get stuck, we get blocked. So, how do we become unstuck? The answer is: getting our lives in order. In other words, writer's block has nothing to do with your art. But everything w

The power of the mind is truly phenomenal. And one of the most powerful things to do with this power, is to visualize outcomes before they are there. Athletes do it, just before they need to perform, and win because of it. Actors do it just before they step on stage, and nail their performance due to it. People in burnout and depression do it, and find themselves healing quicker. And you too, can use visualization to get an incredible creative project or story out there. Like

Today, a simple post with a series of very important definitions and descriptions related to storytelling, as follow up to The Nine Very Best Quotes on Storytelling , and their deeper meaning. All descriptions below are an excerpt of The Whole Story - The Ultimate Guide to Storytelling , and are my own definitions based on storytelling theory and my own experience in crafting stories. The wordings are meant for all types of story, including novels, documentaries, film and gen

A while back I had the pleasure and honor of attending Story masterclasses by the incredible Robert McKee. For those of you who don't know him: he is the master behind Hollywood. All, and I do mean all the greatest directors, actors, scriptwriters... hell even your average gopher owe him a debt of gratitude for his lessons on how to make compelling stories in film. So for this one-off blog post, focused on only the very best and most useful explainers to the best quotes on s

Throughout the ages, our lives have been filled with constant trials and tribulations. As a result, our entire biological make up is geared towards dealing with adversity. So, as a physiological necessity, our minds do not recognize things that do not hold challenges. The brain literary does not register adversity-less messages: no neurons are firing, no sparks are connecting, no memories are formed. In storytelling terms it means our minds are built to spot friction and conf

Kaizen is the Japanese word for improvement. Kai stands for ‘Change’ and Zen for ‘Good’. We often hear it to describe a common theme in Japan's business practice; a lot of small steps will lead to big changes. Yet, it is much more. It’s the perfect analogy for how to get out of artistic anxieties, writer's block, creative resistance, and even when you are (creatively) burned out. You take a thousand tiny steps to reach that one big goal. One small step at a time. Artists and

Sound is invisible. Yet, it exists. Love is the same. You can't grab it. Yet, that feelings is very much there. And the universal energy you need to tap into for your creative work is invisible too. Yet that too, exists. Today, let's make that energy more real and discuss how to tap into it better. Flow... here we come! Tapping into Universal Creative Energy When we talk about inspiration 'hitting us' or use words like 'the muse' or 'creative energy', it always feels very in

A Story on a Storm - From The Whole Story In 2012 I was supposed to run the mother of all marathons: New York. It was on the top of my bucket list and it felt like something I had to do to prove myself. You can imagine what such an endeavor means. A marathon… the months of injury-prone training, special diets and a bill of over 5000 bucks are but a few things you need to endure. Yet, I endured them. And finally, in November that year I arrived in The Big Apple to run the run