Storytelling

All sorrows can be borne if you put them into a story. -Boris Cyrulnik

From the moment we’re born, stories shape who we are. We learn about the world, ourselves, and everything in the narratives we hear and tell. Stories are the framework through which we make sense of our lives.

Every life is a story filled with highs and lows, triumphs and challenges, moments of love, failure, and unexpected surprises—all many times over. Max talks about this in Creativity and The Hero’s Journey, how it’s through challenges that we process our experiences and, in doing so, shape our stories.

By telling your story, you shape its meaning. It’s not just about remembering what happened, but about how we interpret it. You can frame a setback as, "I failed again," or you can tell yourself, "I tried, and I learned what to improve. Next time, I’ll succeed." The facts don’t change, but the meaning does. Resilient people understand this—they see failure, pain, and hardship as parts of their story, that give purpose to their journey.

Stories don’t always follow a predictable path. In fact, some of the best stories don’t start at the very beginning—they start when things change. It’s called in medias res—starting in the middle. In Rocky, when he gets his shot at the title, or The Wizard of Oz, where Dorothy’s day is turned upside down (literally) by a tornado. And Shrek, where we meet him grumpy in his swamp just before Fiona arrives. These stories begin the moment when everything changes, and the hero’s journey unfolds.

In your story, the real beginning happens when you decide things need to change. It's not about what’s already happened—it’s about the next moment, the next chapter, the next scene.

Ask yourself, what’s the next chapter going to be? What themes will you choose for yourself? Because you are the author of your own story.

Tell me the facts, and I’ll learn.
Tell me the truth, and I’ll believe.
But tell me a story, and it will live in heart forever.
–Native American Proverb