Why Success Stories Make you More Successful

Have you ever channel surfed, found a movie that caught your attention, and got so involved that you had to watch the whole thing? And even if you had to leave and someone else was watching, didn’t you ask later, “Well, how did it end?” At the very least, you were curious and will watch it the next time it’s on.

Why?

You get involved because you make meaning out of the story and form an emotional connection. You know it’s fiction. The story never happened. You know the characters don’t exist. They are actors. Somebody made the whole thing up.

Yet, we still get involved and feel moved because we are wired for stories and identify with the characters and their situations. This means that our brains respond to stories naturally and automatically. In effect, we unconsciously place ourselves in the story.

Like many fictional characters, we’ve felt the same emotions, wrestled with the same frailties, and faced similar situations, challenges, and temptations.

A story is a river with a strong current. We can’t help ourselves. We get in a boat, drift along, and see what happens. This is the real reason success stories make an impact. We love success stories. They inspire, teach, reveal shortcomings, and expand our view of possibilities.

Why? They are stories and that’s what stories do. However, I’ve discovered why we all love success stories.

You may be happy for the subject of the story. However, you identify with the story such that the subject’s success becomes your success!

Imagine that the story is a roundabout way of influencing your unconscious. And “roundabout” is often the best way of doing it!

Which do you suppose has the greater probability of influencing someone to “Think positive!” and get on with success? A lecture about how one ought to get to work and succeed and a stern warning to “Think positive!” Or a story about someone who learned to “Think positive!” and achieved greatness despite obstacles and limitations.

Invariably, the story will always generate better results. No one likes a lecture, even if he or she realizes it’s well-deserved!

And when I relate a success story, I invite my listeners to “step into the story” in the context of their own lives. This way, they feel what the subject of the story felt in terms of their own success potential. And the impact is powerful and immediate.

So take in all the success stories you can. They are inspirational and instructional.

However, that’s not why they generate success. They generate success because your mind

imagines the success story of someone else as the story of your success!