Sometimes, the biggest obstacle in the way of delivering a killer presentation is simply finding the motivation to do it. It’s a big crazy world out there—it’s easy to get exhausted by all that you have to do and lose the desire to move yourself forward.
But motivation doesn’t need to be so hard to come by. There are actually a number of simple things you can do right now, from where you’re sitting, to find more. And one of the easiest and most effective of those tricks is reading inspiring quotes.
The best quotes have a knack for giving us a little boost of energy and the extra drive we need to move onto the next step with enthusiasm.
That said, if you’ve been struggling to come up with a compelling story for your next presentation, check out the following quotes to kickstart the flow of your creative juices.
21 Amazing Quotes About Storytelling
1. “Storytelling is among the oldest forms of communication. Storytelling is the commonality of all human beings, in all places, in all times.” – Rives Collins
2. “You may tell a tale that takes up residence in someone’s soul, becomes their blood and self and purpose. That tale will move them and drive them and who knows that they might do because of it, because of your words. That is your role, your gift.” – Erin Morgenstern
3. “The purpose of a storyteller is not to tell you how to think, but to give you questions to think upon.” – Brandon Sanderson
4. “Stories constitute the single most powerful weapon in a leader’s arsenal.” – Dr. Howard Gardner
5. “Narrative imagining — story — is the fundamental instrument of thought. Rational capacities depend upon it. It is our chief means of looking into the future, or predicting, of planning, and of explaining.” – Mark Turner
6. “We are all storytellers. We all live in a network of stories. There isn’t a stronger connection between people than storytelling.” – Jimmy Neil Smith
7. “Storytelling is the most powerful way to put ideas into the world.” – Robert McKee
8. “Stories are memory aids, instruction manuals and moral compasses.” – Aleks Krotoski
9. “Purposeful storytelling isn’t show business, it’s good business.” – Peter Guber
10. “At its very core, marketing is storytelling. The best advertising campaigns take us on an emotional journey – appealing to our wants, needs and desires – while at the same time telling us about a product or service.” – Melinda Partin
11. “Stories create community, enable us to see through the eyes of other people, and open us to the claims of others.” – Peter Forbes
12. “There is no greater power on this earth than story.” – Libba Bray
13. “Long before I wrote stories, I listened for stories. Listening for them is something more acute than listening to them. I suppose it’s an early form of participation in what goes on. Listening children know stories are there. When their elders sit and begin, children are just waiting and hoping for one to come out, like a mouse from its hole.” – Eudora Welty
14. “The stories we tell literally make the world. If you want to change the world, you need to change your story. This truth applies both to individuals and institutions.” – Michael Margolis
15. “Marketing is no longer about the stuff that you make, but about the stories you tell.” – Seth Godin
16. Tell me the facts and I’ll learn. Tell me the truth and I’ll believe. But tell me a story and it will live in heart forever.” – Native American Proverb
17. “Great stories happen to those who can tell them.” – Ira Glass
18. “Essentially, a story expresses how and why life changes.” – Robert McKee
19. “You’re never going to kill storytelling, because it’s built into the human plan. We come with it.” – Margaret Atwood
20. “If you wish to influence an individual or a group to embrace a particular value in their daily lives, tell them a compelling story.” – Annette Simmons
21. “I realized the importance of having a story today is what really separates companies. People don’t just wear our shoes; they tell our story.” – Blake Mycoskie
Now that you’re feeling more inspired, it’s a great time to take our Badge Assessment to get know more about who you are as a presenter.
