Action in Uncertainty - Strength When You Need it Most

“Strength When You Need it Most” is part of a larger collection of stories produced to explore a powerful personality typing system called the Enneagram. David co-created this story with his teaching partner Meredith Markow who has been trained in the Enneagram through www.enneagraminstitute.com.  Though David does introduce the Enneagram and in particular the Type 8, he focuses on a storytelling life hack central to the How to Story process: seeing our audience as they are, rather than how you want them to be, or fear them to be. The storytelling tool in this episode is how to respond.  In this story, the central character uses the phrase “Don’t fear the fire and have your hammer ready”. What this means is that change is inevitable so don’t fear it. Fire brings change - that is what fire does. It changes things. So expect change and be ready. And being ready isn’t about being prepared - it’s about seeing things as they are in that moment and responding. THIS is a key ingredient to good storytelling.   The narrator of the story benefits from this advice as he tries to find a job in architecture during the height of the Great Depression. It is a story of resilience and true courage and it offers an effective strategy based on the gifts of the Enneagram Type 8. To help with better attending your listener, download our free mini-course from our website www.howtostory.org. In the How to Story process, listening is always the first step, and this tool will help you listen when you are telling stories and when you are listening to them.