Story 10x: 80/20 Summary

• Amazon: Link

• Score: 7/10

• Skill Category: StoryTelling

• Mental Models: Association, Catalysts, Ego, Evolution: Adaptation, First Conclusion Bias, First Principle Thinking, Replication

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Mental Models from the book:

'Story 10X' can be summarised into 7 mental models:

1. Association

• Our brains need context to put something into perspective.

2. Catalysts

• There are two ways to start a story:

  1. The Sledgehammer:

     1. Smash the audience's assumptions and shift their paradigm.
        

  2. Ice Cream Cone

     1. Make the audience feel good and create a stream of "Yes's"

     2. Capture their imagination.

     3. Get them excited and intrigued.

3. Ego

• People pay attention when a story has parallels to themselves.
  

• When a person listens to your story they will instantly decide if you and your idea is part of their tribe. If they do not connect emotionally with your story, they will discount your data.

4. Evolution: Adaptation

• Tell a story that shows the future they want and identify with. "The best kind of 'New Stories' don't reject the 'Old Stories' but rather demonstrate a natural evolution."

5. First Conclusion Bias

• If you can't get the attention or imagination of your audience in the first few minutes you'll lose them for your entire presentation.

6. First Principle Thinking

• When you begin a story with data you signal that the story is finished before it has even begun. Instead:

  1. Start your story with timeless truth.

  2. Ask questions that are related to the timeless truth within a changing world and a changing context.

7. Replication

• Tell your audience about one person's life and then multiply by the number of people you serve. For example: "This is the story of Liz and she is just one of 3,000 lives that we saved".

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Mental Model Mind Maps

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