*What’s the fastest way to make your story feel flat–even if it’s true?*

Telling it *without stakes*.

If nothing’s at risk, nothing matters.
And if nothing matters, your audience tunes out.

Here’s what the research says:
A 2022 study in *Frontiers in Psychology* found that stories with clear stakes (what the character stands to gain or lose) activate the **amygdala**–the brain’s emotional alarm system. That activation boosts attention, empathy, and memory.

In short: *No stakes = no story.*

Try this:
Before you tell a story, ask:
[?] *What was at risk for me?*
[?] *What could I have lost?*
[?] *What was I afraid of?*

Then say it out loud.
Examples:
[?] “If I got this wrong, I’d lose the client–and probably my job.”
[?] “I’d never spoken in public before. My voice was shaking, but I knew I had to say it.”
[?] “If I didn’t ask, I’d regret it for years.”

That’s what pulls people in.
Not just what *happened*, but *why it mattered*.

One thing to try:
In your next presentation or conversation, don’t just share what you did.
Share what was *at stake*.
Even a small risk–embarrassment, rejection, uncertainty–makes your story human.

Because the best stories don’t just show what you did.
They show what it *cost* you to do it.

#Storytelling #BusinessCommunication #LeadershipDevelopment #PresentationSkills #NarrativeStrategy #PublicSpeaking #NeuroscienceOfStorytelling #ExecutivePresence #EmotionalIntelligence #AuthenticLeadership