Truly good storytelling seems like a lost art. I’m an avid listener of the Tim Ferriss podcast and so far he has done two episodes where he interviews a man by the name of Cal Fussman. Now, you may already know who Cal Fussman is but I’ll take a minute to give a little information. Cal Fussman is a Journalist and Author. He is the writer at large for esquire magazine and he is known for his interview techniques. He is also known for his interviews with world renowned leaders in many industries.
My point in this post is not to talk about Cal Fussman per se but to offer my thoughts on the art of storytelling after having listened to his interviews with Tim Ferriss. In fact, I’ve only just started the 2nd interview but I’m excited to continue as a result of having listened to the first interview and the first 15 minutes of the second.
What I’ve heard thus far is what can only be described as amazing storytelling. A response to one single question opens up conversation, largely one-sided, about memories and experiences. He talks about exploring the world, staying with strangers only to try their home cooked recipes and immerse himself into their cultures and ways of life. He goes on to discuss his training to take on a boxing champion as well as his friendship with another.
The discussion is engaging and thoughtful. The way Cal relays his tales can only be described as enthusiastic and nostalgic. He shares his experiences in a way that makes you wish you shared the experiences alongside him but also in a way that makes you feel like you already did. Storytelling is a powerful art form that is often forgotten about. It allows the artist to engage and entertain on the most personal of levels.
When I write blog posts I often like to think that I am telling a story. I like to try and give the reader an experience they wouldn’t have otherwise experienced had they not read my post. My goal is for the reader to be changed or impacted by their experience. Of course that impact may differ from one reader to the other and different readers may find different aspects of the post impactful. For example, one reader may decide to look up Cal Fussman after reading this post and may, as a result, fall in love with his story telling and his story in general. Another reader may try listening to Tim Ferriss’ podcast after reading this post and as a result learn all about deconstructing excellence. Either way, both readers have been impacted. Both have realized a benefit as a result of reading this post.
Once upon a time I dabbled in music as a singer / songwriter. I never thought much of my skills although I did write a few songs that I was, and am, proud of. Songwriting, to me, is another form of storytelling. The artist is tasked with conveying the story they want to tell and evoking an emotional response from the listener. My goal as a musician was never to be the most technical guitar player or be the most gifted singer. My goal was to make the listeners feel something, to make them cry or make them smile.
Storytelling has many forms. I hope to continue to explore the different ways in which I can engage readers and listeners. I think anyone who enjoys telling stories should research they ways in which they can do so, and then do it! I think it is in everyones best interest to keep this art form relevant and in the mainstream.
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