I may have a deeply unhealthy affection for Dame Maggie Smith, and I may enjoy the Victorian’ness of the setting… but what I love most is a great story.

A great story does wonders: evoking emotions, motivating change, and driving action.

We are all telling ourselves stories about ourselves - now, at this very moment.

The story you are telling yourself is just as beautiful, as complicated, and as funny as the one I am telling myself.

If you want to affect true and lasting change, help people tell themselves a better story about themselves.

Special note for musicians: do not underestimate the power of telling a story before you play a song. Want a message to stick? Try it out.

Special note for managers: people change behavior when they believe that the change helps them tell a better story about themselves. Instead of saying, “here’s what we’re doing now…”, try saying, “here’s how this new thing we’re going to do helped Pat achieve… this is what Pat faced… this what made Pat almost fail… and here’s how this thing helped Pat overcome…"