Right now, we're balancing on a major tipping point in diversity policy that, despite many forces trying to convince you otherwise, can make all the difference for your storytelling success and revenuw. That’s why today we’ll look at the numbers and the narratives on why Diversity, Equality & Inclusion (DEI) is so incredibly good for the bottom line. However, we’ll start with that nightmare story on what happens when DEI goes wrong...   (Source) Thank you for understanding Me

Right now, the AI bubble is so inflated that the entire American economy leans on its hype. Today we’ll discuss eleven major shifts and insights in these turbulent artificial intelligence times for you to base your strategic and storytelling steps on. Preferably before bubbles burst. Fasten your seat belts...   Oh, the existential questions... (image credit Futurama) Insight 1 — Growth Is Not Exponential The promise of artificial intelligence is that it will unleash an expone

Those who squint their eyes can see that within America, the tone is shifting from left-right to up versus down. A turning point is visible in media signals and language, while tentatively the word revolution is appearing, all in the context of an economic storm building. So, today I give you an outsider perspective on the narrative shift that could change everything from within the USA itself, as signs of an uprising grow. Even South Park (image credited) is weighing in with

As a story, populism is a simple one. It promises that all the complexities of life can be evaded by simple, straightforward talking leaders. The type of strong leader that 'gets things done'. It's easy to see its appeal. Yet looking at the graveyard of failed ideological politics in our times, even populism has now added its tombstone. So today, mostly from a storytelling point of view , we'll discuss how and why populism has failed. And then we'll paint a picture for humani

Now that Europe can no longer lean on its big American brother, the spotlights have put it into full view. While the first reactions to the new world order from European leaders have been surprisingly positive, there is still a lot that needs to be fixed when it comes to the story of democracy in Europe. Here goes... Credits: TheMetaPicture.com Before we start We have highlighted a similar story for the US in this blogpost addressing the particulars of why America is now not

Now that America's society is getting hit, here's an outsider's view on what steps Americans need to take to finally become a true democracy again. Today, we're rewriting the story for America, just to inspire you to make it better. Buckle up for a wild ride. Here goes... A step before we walk... Super quick word before we begin. Forgive me if and when I point out things you may already know as an American. A European like me is also learning as I go, most of all from my many

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

The Dune films by Denis Villeneuve are exceptionally good. And anyone familiar with the books by Frank Herbert knows that they are even better. But why is that exactly? What's the whole story? The deeper reason is that Dune's tale is very thought-provoking and as such is fascinating to explore, with ideas that have many real world implications. Fair warning, spoilers ahead and make sure you've experienced the story... and now without further ado, let's set things off with a b

We don’t know. That’s the truth. At the very bottom, the only truth that counts is this: no one knows what artificial intelligence will bring. No one knows what positives and negatives are coming. The real story of AI? We. Just. Don’t. Know. That’s the premise of this article. Anyone who says otherwise right now, is full of horse-dong. Thankfully, we do know one thing. We know a little something about who is building it: ourselves. So, strap yourselves in really tight, and le

One of the key aspects to a successful creative career is owning (up to) what you bring out. I call this creative agency or ownership: a culmination of everything you can and cannot do with your own output. And on each step - big or small - you will always face the same choice: do I keep my agency, or give it away? To anwer that question, I'm going to scare the living bejesus out of you. Flipping the script Just now, I had a really nice lunch with a very good young writer. S

In its essence, a conspiracy theory is just a story. A pretty bad one actually. Yet under the right circumstances, it becomes so potent, it can cause an insurrection. What makes such a flimsy narrative so strong? From a storytelling perspective, that's a fascinating question. And the kicker? You and I both my dear reader, have already falling for it many times over. Hold on to your knickers, we're diving in the deep end today. And it starts with creativity. Pattern recognitio

We tend to forget that, however crucial to our lives, at the end of the day money is still very much an imaginary construct. In essence, it's a story. We tell each other that a coin, a certain piece of paper, or a digital number has exchangeable value. A mutual agreement based on trust. Yet this past period is unearthing some incredibly weird stuff about cash. So today we're asking one of the coolest questions out there: Does money still work as a story construct? What is mon

Recently, I had a walk with a good friend, and she told me she's been avoiding all those modern series because they are so addictive. This brought us to the question why Netflix, HBO, Amazon, Hulu or Disney series are so incredibly good (and addictive!) these days. The answer, at least for the most part, is the slow character build up. So today we'll look at slow story and character building, and how it translates to other forms of storytelling and even branding. Remember the

During a small online music and poetry event yesterday, we were asked to reflect on the past year. Funny thing is, despite all the emotional art, writing and creative work I do, I'm actually not the sentimental type. I live quite firmly in the present and don't feel much need to reflect on a past year. Yet, when the question was asked, a very clear image immediately popped into my mind: the moon, two stars and the planet Venus in the night sky over the Amsterdam canals. It op

Your job, your art, your brand, your people, your organization... telling your own story is always harder than telling somebody else's. It's filled with insecurities. And when you feel insecure, your imagination can sometimes tell you you're failing, fueling your anxiety, while in reality, those obstacles, mistakes and challenges are actually what makes your story worth wile in the first place! So, in this blog we'll strengthen your creative base by making your imagination

Today, I'd like to share with my readers a personal approach of mine in storytelling: being a stoic. Stoicism is a life philosophy made popular by Marcus Aurelius, one of the greatest roman generals and emperors in all of history, that ultimately comes down to the ability to separate logic and emotion in your mind, so you can make virtuous decisions. It's a hard skill to master, but incredibly useful to you as a storyteller when you do. Let's dive in! A good storyteller shoul

In a creative career, criticism is the one big constant you'll always face. On the one hand, you'll have to follow your own gut feeling. On the other, you'll have to embrace the criticism, since in the end, it's the only thing that will make you better. But the million dollar question is... when they you do what ? Let's dive in! The creative conflict Since storytelling is all about creating conflict , let's begin with throwing a nice big stone in the pond: one of the most de

He called his screens his ‘eyes’. There were hundreds of them. Black and white, CRT, LCD and plasma. Old and new, thick and thin, small, big, flat, fat and curved. They were spread out like pebbles, pushed to the shore of the riverlike main corridor in this large underground cavern. It was such a vast array of monitors left, right and center, that if you were standing in the middle of the facility, the walls at both ends would not be visible. Some screens were hanging from th

“Good morning,” said God. “Hey, good morning,” said The Devil, refilling the coffee machine with water. “Coffee?” “Yeah, thanks,” The machine grumbled. When it was done, the Devil handed the full cup over to God, who took a small sip and quickly pulled backs his lips. “You always make it too hot,” He said with his typical devilish smile. Both of them chuckled. They walked out to the hallway, then into the conference room, sat down, stared at their phones for a bit and sipped.

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 of all runs. Then hell froze over. You