Matthew Dicks, a celebrated storyteller and author, shares his insights into the art of storytelling. He discusses what transforms a regular story into a compelling narrative and highlights the importance of emotional resonance. Listeners learn to spot pivotal moments and structure stories for maximum engagement. Dicks dives into common storytelling mistakes and the balance of preparation and spontaneity needed to connect with audiences. He also shares personal anecdotes that illustrate the profound impact of storytelling in education and everyday life.

Matthew Dicks, an internationally bestselling author and storyteller, shares his journey from trauma to purpose in his book 'Someday Is Today'. He discusses strategies for turning dreams into actions and the power of embracing failure. He also explores the concept of horizon goals and the importance of flexibility. Additionally, he talks about the benefits of utilizing small pockets of time and reflects on surviving a traumatic incident.

Matthew Dicks, best-selling author and expert in storytelling, shares techniques for effective storytelling, including starting every story at the end, building a vault of stories for business situations, and being funnier. He also discusses the power of saying yes, dealing with nervousness in public speaking, and the benefits of a positive mindset.

Matthew Dicks, a best-selling novelist and storytelling coach, shares his insights on the art of storytelling in business communication. He believes that narratives can transform ordinary messages into memorable experiences. Dicks emphasizes practical techniques for crafting compelling stories, from setting scenes to creating suspense. He also discusses the importance of reflection in uncovering everyday tales, noting that becoming a better storyteller can elevate one's career and make leaders more engaging.

Storyteller and writer Matthew Dicks shares strategies from his book for enhancing creativity and productivity in life, such as thinking in minutes, being an eagle, and practicing deliberate incuriosity. Topics include flossing in the shower, embracing imperfections, and the importance of positive feedback and gratitude.

Matthew Dicks wears a lot of hats. Among other things, he's a storyteller, communications consultant, writer, and schoolteacher. In order to excel in his professional life, as well as do what he loves in his personal life, he's developed a set of strategies that help him be more creative and productive, and can be used by anyone who wants to start making the most of life.Matt writes about these tactics and mindset shifts in his latest book Someday Is Today: 22 Simple, Actionable Ways to Propel Your Creative Life, and he shares some of them with us today on the show, including why you need to think in minutes, be an eagle rather than a mouse, practice deliberate incuriosity, and always do your best to act like a decent human being. Along the way, Matt and I talk about why you should floss in the shower and how restaurants that make guacamole at your table are a great example of the folly of making a thing, a thing.Resources Related to the PodcastMatt's previous appearance on the AoM Podcast: Episode #462 — How to Tell Better StoriesAoM Article: The 7 Habits — Begin With the End in MindMatthew telling the story of how he was robbed AoM Article: Possibilities in Spare MomentsConnect With Matthew DicksMatthew’s WebsiteListen to the Podcast! (And don’t forget to leave us a review!)

This is a rebroadcast. The episode originally ran in July 2019. Matthew Dicks is an author, columnist, teacher, storyteller, podcaster, blogger, playwright, and more. He is the co-founder and artistic director of Speak Up, a storytelling organization that produces shows throughout New England as well as a weekly podcast, and the author of Storyworthy. He's also the CEO of StoryworthyMD, where he teaches storytelling online. He consults with Fortune 500 companies, universities, attorneys, entrepreneurs, the clergy, and many more on storytelling and communication. Matthew is a 58-time Moth StorySLAM champion and 9-time GrandSLAM champion and has told stories for a wide range of events, radio shows, and performance venues. He lives in Connecticut with his wife, Elysha, and their two children. Highlights 07:26 With his wife runs an organization called “Speak Up” which puts on storytelling events 08:13 The science of telling a good story, i.e., public speaking in an engaging way 10:15 Basic storytelling principles: Know what a story is: a moment in your life that is transformational and reflects change over time, as opposed to a simple retelling of chronological events. Ask yourself: Am I speaking about a moment in my life that changed me in some way? You can’t really change your audience with a story unless that story changed you. Share something of yourself, that makes you authentic and vulnerable. Being vulnerable to others also makes you safe to others, and they will be more willing to be vulnerable with you. Set out to have your listeners feel like they connected with you in the end. Showing emotion is acceptable so long as you can speak your truth in a clear way. 21:10 Teaching from scripture versus sharing of yourself It is hard for people to care about the scriptural content or lesson unless they can see a relatable example of application from a person they trust. 24:26 Using our own stories versus using “borrowed” stories, e.g., using a story given in General Conference in a sacrament meeting talk Telling your own story is the best way to be authentic. 26:50 Improving our storytelling: “Homework for life”: Before going to bed, ask yourself “what’s the most story-worthy moment of today?” Write it down. Explore why and how the experience changed you. Matt has noticed that he has changed every day of his life, as documented in his “Homework for life” spreadsheet. Frame of the story is most important: what is the end, and what is the beginning? Must have some entertainment value. Jump right into the story. Stay within the story. Remember the story without memorizing–rehearse! Tell the story in “scenes”. How to tell a story “on the spot”: what does something mean to me? Listeners should know how you are different at the end of the story from the beginning. Asking “why?” five times about your storyworthy moments. I.e.: Today I was changed by X experience. Why did X experience change me? Why A? Because B. But, why B? Because C. Why C? Because D. Etc. 55:21 Storytime! 65:49 Reviewing and deconstructing the story 72:25 How storytelling has helped him become a better person Links MatthewDicks.com Storyworthy: Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change Your Life through the Power of Storytelling TED Talk: Homework for Life Speak Up Storytelling StoryworthyMD.com YouTube stories Art of Manliness podcast episode Watch this podcast on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints' mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg,

This is a re-broadcast. The episode originally ran in November 2018. Humans are storytelling and story-listening creatures. We use stories to teach, persuade, and to make sense of the complexities of existence. Being able to craft and deliver a good story is thus a real advantage in all areas of life, giving you a foot up when doing job interviews, going on dates, interacting with friends, or making a sales pitch. Fortunately, good storytelling is a skill that can learned by anyone. Here to teach us the art of storytelling is Matthew Dicks, a writer, five-time Moth GrandSlam storytelling winner, and the author of the book Storyworthy: Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change Your Life through the Power of Storytelling. Today on the show, Matthew walks us through the nuts and bolts of how to craft a compelling story. We begin our conversation discussing ways to generate story ideas, why good stories don’t have to be about big moments, and why he recommends a practice called "Homework for Life." Matthew then tells us what we can learn from movies about making a story so engaging that people are waiting to hear what you say next. We also discuss the don'ts of storytelling, including how to never begin a story. And we end our conversation with a five-minute story from Matthew that showcases all the principles we discussed during the show. Get the show notes at aom.is/storyworthy.

On YouTube, you only get a few seconds to quickly hook someone's attention and get them to feel something that holds their attention throughout the video. Storytelling is one of the best ways to do that, but how? How do you use storytelling to connect with your audience and build a relationship with them? Which stories should you pitch with your titles and thumbnails? How should you open your stories to quickly grab someone's attention? How do you use stories when you're an educator? Should you just teach or tell the story or a combination of both? What if your video doesn't naturally have stakes involved or conflict? Today we talk with Matthew Dicks, a world-renown storyteller and the author of Storyworthy. He guides us through all these questions and more. Check out, "Storyworthy," by Matthew Dicks: https://amzn.to/3ggtnMt (affiliate) Some story examples on Matthew Dicks' YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1Jg09cVP1jCrmXGLmOCuLQ We only have 1 more session of Video Labs this year! Register today to reserve your spot in our small group coaching program to better master storytelling and channel growth strategy: https://videocreators.com/video-labs/

Text LEARNERS to 44222 for more... Full show notes at www.LearningLeader.com Twitter/IG: @RyanHawk12  https://twitter.com/RyanHawk12 Matthew Dicks is a Bestselling author, a professional storyteller, and a teacher. He is a 52-time Moth StorySLAM winner & a 7-time GrandSLAM champion. He’s recognized as one of the greatest storytellers in the world. Notes: Every great story is about a five-second moment of our life. The purpose of every great story is to bring a singular moment of transformation and realization to the greatest clarity possible. "Let me tell you about my vacation to Europe" is not the beginning of a story, despite what many seem to believe. This is merely an attempt to review the itinerary of your previous vacation But if someone said, "While I was in Europe, I met a taxi driver who changed the way I think about my parents forever," that is potentially a great story. “People are not attracted to people who do easy things. They are attracted to people who do hard things. It’s hard to be vulnerable. That takes courage. And that’s why we are drawn to it.” Being vulnerable opens people up. The beginning and end of a story: Beginning - Promise that what I'm going to say is worth your time End - The fulfillment of that process How to put a great story together? Start at the end... The five-second moment. "What are you aiming at?" You have to know that to craft the beginning. Use a thesis statement -- "I used to be... and I realized..." Jurassic Park is not a movie about dinosaurs. It's about love. How to open a story: Try to start your story with forward movement whenever possible. DON'T start by setting expectations (“This is hilarious, “you need to hear this,” “you’re not going to believe this.”) Requirements of a personal story: Change - your story must reflect change over time. It can’t simply be a series of remarkable events. Stories that fail to reflect change over time are known as anecdotes. Your story only -  not that of others The dinner table test - Be human Homework for life — 5 minutes at the end of each day. “If I had to tell a story from today — a 5-minute story onstage about something that took place over the course of this day. What would it be? Homework for life slows time down... Humor -- It keeps your audience’s attention. “The goal is not to tell a funny story. The goal is to tell a story that moves an audience emotionally.” “A written story is like a lake. Readers can step in and out of the water at their leisure, and the water always remains the same. An oral story is like a river. It is a constantly flowing torrent of words.” -- “To keep your listener from stepping out of your river of words to make meaning, simplification is essential. Starting as close to the end as possible helps to make this happen.” During a talk at a school in Brazil, Matt was asked why he shares so much of himself? (Writing novels, stories, teaching, blog posts, podcasts). And he thought for a while and then said, “I think I’m trying to get the attention of a mother who never paid me any attention and is now dead and a father who left me as a boy and never came home.” Your first job as a speaker (at home, on stage, or at work) is to be entertaining... Advice: When you graduate college, it's the end of your assessed learning. What do you want to study next? It will be on you to track. It won't be assessed by others... What do you want to learn next?